I just finished reading When God Weeps: Why Our Sufferings Matter to the Almighty, written by Joni Eareckson Tada and Steve Estes. I have read snippets of Joni's writing over the years, but never actually read a full book by her. Now I'm wishing I had started reading her writing earlier in my Christian life! A reader commented a while ago asking what books I recommend on suffering. I've read a few over the last couple of years, but I would have to say that this one might be the one that has helped me the most. It's a solid biblical response to suffering coupled with a tender care for the reader. If anyone knows and understands suffering, it's Joni Eareckson Tada. What she writes is born out of the often bitter school of suffering, but the glorious truths that she has learned shine forth so evidently in this book. She and Estes strike the right balance of rock solid theological truths about God and compassionate care for the sufferer. As I read I felt like they knew my heartache and were inviting me into their living room to learn from all that God has taught them in their pain. They understand what you are going through, and they want to help you see God for who he is even through tear-filled eyes.
The book is divided into three sections: "Who is This God?", "What is He Up To?", and "How Can I Hang On?". They helpfully begin by unpacking God's role in suffering, his purpose in suffering, and even his pain in suffering. I was struck by the reminder that God not only is completely sovereign over every detail of my life, but that he also is with me in my suffering, bearing my burden, and has himself faced pain and heartache in order to bring me to himself. He is a God who is in the details. After giving us God in all his glory they move into the purpose of our suffering and the hope we have in the midst of it. In the chapter titled "Gaining Contentment" they lead us through our hope in Christ and our means of contentment--a resolute trust in God's perfect plan and in finding our hope only in him. Contentment is not merely about will-power, but about trusting in the sufficiency of Christ to meet all our needs. He is a Savior who suffered, knows our pain, and promises only good for us.
Very rarely does a book move me so much that I can both hardly put it down and be on the verge of tears all at the same time. There were many occasions where I wanted to scream "Yes!" at the top of my lungs because I was so moved by God's complete sovereignty and abundant care for us. It is a Christ-centered, biblically rich book that moved me and gave me great hope in our gracious God. It's not too heavy for someone in the midst of suffering, but it's rich enough to provide the only resource that will bring any encouragement to a weary soul. They helpfully point to the God who is there, always caring, always working, and always loving through every pain and sorrow we bear.
If you are in the midst of suffering, I encourage you to get this book and work through it. You will not be disappointed. If you know someone who is suffering, buy the book, read it first, and then give it to your friend. They will be greatly encouraged both by your care for them and your interest in their life.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
The Pure See God
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” –Matthew
5:8
I have read this verse for years and it was only recently that the full weight of it hit me. Lack of purity, in heart and ultimately in deed, can keep us from seeing God. So often when we talk about purity with young people we focus primarily on behavior modification. It is not wrong to tell kids not to have sex and that “true love waits”. In fact, telling them what not to do is a form of instruction and necessary in shepherding and guiding. But it must be more than that. And I think the Bible tells the same story.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus is speaking about behavior, but he is also getting at something more integral to what it means to trust in Christ and be a believer. Jesus is speaking about the heart. When he addresses lust later on in Matthew 5 he actually makes the command to not sin sexually much harder, essentially saying to every human being who has ever lived “by your lustful thoughts you all are adulterous, even if only in your mind.” In Jesus’ mind there is no difference between what we desire and what we actually do. It’s the principle he speaks of elsewhere that out of our hearts comes who we really are (Luke 6:45).
So what’s really going on when we talk about purity? Jesus is getting at what we worship. John Calvin said that our hearts are idol factories. Our depravity ensures that we will naturally gravitate towards propping up idols to worship, rather than bowing down at the feet of King Jesus. The reason the impure can’t see God is not because they are having sex outside of marriage, although that is enough to condemn them. They can’t see God because the idol of pleasure is blocking their view of the greatest pleasure they could ever know—fellowship with their Creator. The Bible consistently teaches that those who continue to practice sexual immorality are living as those who do not know God (Ephesians 5:1-11, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8). This is why messages of behavior modification will never be enough. We must get at the heart of what people worship before we can begin telling them how to live. Otherwise we will be left with empty moralists who no more see God than the girl who had sex with her boyfriend last night. They have to know and believe in the God who made them before they can begin learning how he wants them to live.
The culture would have us believe that pleasure, love, and security awaits you if you just give in to your feelings and follow your heart (i.e. live a sexually promiscuous lifestyle). In fact, even this week there was talk around the web about Tim Tebow’s commitment to remaining pure until marriage. To the outside world, it is laughable. But to us, it is commendable. Why? Because according to the Bible pleasure, love, and security do await us, but not in the way the world prescribes. God’s standard for holiness and purity is designed to protect us, and give us maximum happiness in our obedience to him. It is more about our worship of him alone than our desire for sexual fulfillment. It is in the losing of ourselves and our desires that we actually find ourselves.
Just look around at Hollywood actors. A quick survey of their marriages and relationships reveals that even though they often portray sexual activity outside of marriage as the norm and blissfully risk-free, their personal lives tell a very different story. While they promise lasting happiness in their films, the proof is in the true Hollywood stories of their actual lives.
God knew exactly what he was doing when he gave Eve to Adam and blessed the marriage covenant (Genesis 1-2). God knew what we has doing when he told the Israelites, and now those who are in Christ, to be holy because he was holy (Leviticus 11:44). God knew what he was doing when he said that there must be not even a hint of sexual immorality named among us (Ephesians 5:3). And he knew what he was doing when he declared that only the pure in heart will see him. He made us for himself and for his glory. When we live outside of his commands and boundaries we make a mockery of his good design and we lose the fellowship we were made for. We can try all day long to fill the God-shaped void with pithy idols like sex, boys, pleasure, and false security but they will never be enough. That’s why we always need more but feel so lousy afterwards. With God, we never can get enough but we always feel satisfied.
Don’t believe the lie that sexual activity outside of marriage is really no big deal. If you were honest with yourself, you would probably say that you don’t really believe that anyway. Every act of impurity is leading you further away from the God who made you and loves you. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The One who spoke the words of Matthew 5:8 made a way for you to be pure. He died for your idolatrous worship of sex and pleasure. He died to make you pure and blameless in the Father’s sight. He died so that you would no longer be a slave to unrighteousness, but would bear his righteousness. And by his work, you can be cleansed from your impurity and see the perfect and holy God in all his glory. Only then can you truly be blessed.
I have read this verse for years and it was only recently that the full weight of it hit me. Lack of purity, in heart and ultimately in deed, can keep us from seeing God. So often when we talk about purity with young people we focus primarily on behavior modification. It is not wrong to tell kids not to have sex and that “true love waits”. In fact, telling them what not to do is a form of instruction and necessary in shepherding and guiding. But it must be more than that. And I think the Bible tells the same story.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus is speaking about behavior, but he is also getting at something more integral to what it means to trust in Christ and be a believer. Jesus is speaking about the heart. When he addresses lust later on in Matthew 5 he actually makes the command to not sin sexually much harder, essentially saying to every human being who has ever lived “by your lustful thoughts you all are adulterous, even if only in your mind.” In Jesus’ mind there is no difference between what we desire and what we actually do. It’s the principle he speaks of elsewhere that out of our hearts comes who we really are (Luke 6:45).
So what’s really going on when we talk about purity? Jesus is getting at what we worship. John Calvin said that our hearts are idol factories. Our depravity ensures that we will naturally gravitate towards propping up idols to worship, rather than bowing down at the feet of King Jesus. The reason the impure can’t see God is not because they are having sex outside of marriage, although that is enough to condemn them. They can’t see God because the idol of pleasure is blocking their view of the greatest pleasure they could ever know—fellowship with their Creator. The Bible consistently teaches that those who continue to practice sexual immorality are living as those who do not know God (Ephesians 5:1-11, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8). This is why messages of behavior modification will never be enough. We must get at the heart of what people worship before we can begin telling them how to live. Otherwise we will be left with empty moralists who no more see God than the girl who had sex with her boyfriend last night. They have to know and believe in the God who made them before they can begin learning how he wants them to live.
The culture would have us believe that pleasure, love, and security awaits you if you just give in to your feelings and follow your heart (i.e. live a sexually promiscuous lifestyle). In fact, even this week there was talk around the web about Tim Tebow’s commitment to remaining pure until marriage. To the outside world, it is laughable. But to us, it is commendable. Why? Because according to the Bible pleasure, love, and security do await us, but not in the way the world prescribes. God’s standard for holiness and purity is designed to protect us, and give us maximum happiness in our obedience to him. It is more about our worship of him alone than our desire for sexual fulfillment. It is in the losing of ourselves and our desires that we actually find ourselves.
Just look around at Hollywood actors. A quick survey of their marriages and relationships reveals that even though they often portray sexual activity outside of marriage as the norm and blissfully risk-free, their personal lives tell a very different story. While they promise lasting happiness in their films, the proof is in the true Hollywood stories of their actual lives.
God knew exactly what he was doing when he gave Eve to Adam and blessed the marriage covenant (Genesis 1-2). God knew what we has doing when he told the Israelites, and now those who are in Christ, to be holy because he was holy (Leviticus 11:44). God knew what he was doing when he said that there must be not even a hint of sexual immorality named among us (Ephesians 5:3). And he knew what he was doing when he declared that only the pure in heart will see him. He made us for himself and for his glory. When we live outside of his commands and boundaries we make a mockery of his good design and we lose the fellowship we were made for. We can try all day long to fill the God-shaped void with pithy idols like sex, boys, pleasure, and false security but they will never be enough. That’s why we always need more but feel so lousy afterwards. With God, we never can get enough but we always feel satisfied.
Don’t believe the lie that sexual activity outside of marriage is really no big deal. If you were honest with yourself, you would probably say that you don’t really believe that anyway. Every act of impurity is leading you further away from the God who made you and loves you. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The One who spoke the words of Matthew 5:8 made a way for you to be pure. He died for your idolatrous worship of sex and pleasure. He died to make you pure and blameless in the Father’s sight. He died so that you would no longer be a slave to unrighteousness, but would bear his righteousness. And by his work, you can be cleansed from your impurity and see the perfect and holy God in all his glory. Only then can you truly be blessed.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
I Want More Bible
As I've reflected on my first semester as a teacher this verse has been rocking my world lately.
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12
It never ceases to amaze me how powerful God's word truly is. When I read a passage of Scripture and sense my heart and affections being stirred to treasure Christ more and long to study further, that is evidence that God's word is active and alive. Left to myself, I want nothing to do with the Bible and it makes no sense to me. But when the Spirit of God moves, the Bible comes alive and I can't get enough. When I see students grow simply by reading God's word, that is proof that the Bible is sharp enough to penetrate any heart. God's word will do it's intended work. It will not return void in the life of any believer, including you and me. The very fact that we are trusting in Christ means that we are given the promised Holy Spirit who makes God's word alive to us. How amazing!
God could have left us to ourselves, but he didn't. He gave us his very word. And it is life to weary, broken, sinful people who desperately need a glimpse of his goodness on a moment by moment basis. Teaching has revived this passion in me. Our church has renewed my love for God's word. The Bible is powerful. It changes lives. It's deserving of our study and our time. It is the very word of our great God.
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12
It never ceases to amaze me how powerful God's word truly is. When I read a passage of Scripture and sense my heart and affections being stirred to treasure Christ more and long to study further, that is evidence that God's word is active and alive. Left to myself, I want nothing to do with the Bible and it makes no sense to me. But when the Spirit of God moves, the Bible comes alive and I can't get enough. When I see students grow simply by reading God's word, that is proof that the Bible is sharp enough to penetrate any heart. God's word will do it's intended work. It will not return void in the life of any believer, including you and me. The very fact that we are trusting in Christ means that we are given the promised Holy Spirit who makes God's word alive to us. How amazing!
God could have left us to ourselves, but he didn't. He gave us his very word. And it is life to weary, broken, sinful people who desperately need a glimpse of his goodness on a moment by moment basis. Teaching has revived this passion in me. Our church has renewed my love for God's word. The Bible is powerful. It changes lives. It's deserving of our study and our time. It is the very word of our great God.
Monday, April 23, 2012
God's Plan for Us
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD,
plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” –Jeremiah
29:11
If you could make money off of a Bible verse this would be the one. It graces graduation cards, posters, and plaques that fill our churches and homes. It’s a happy verse. It makes us think nice things about God. And let’s be honest, it just makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside. When someone is having a bad day, we quote Jeremiah 29:11 to them. When our friend starts a new business, we tell him about Jeremiah 29:11 and that God is going to prosper his work. When our friends are moving to a new, but uncertain area, Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has good plans for them and will give them what they ask for.
But is that the best, or most accurate, interpretation of the text? Is Jeremiah 29:11 the lucky charm for getting all your prayers answered and for living a life of prosperity? Many of us would say we don’t believe God works that way. But when it comes down to it we often act like he does with the way we apply his word to people.
Let’s look at the context of Jeremiah 29:11. This verse comes in the midst of great difficulty. Jeremiah is speaking to the exiles, Israelite people forced to live in another land because of their own rejection of God. They have faced hardship, despair, and sorrow, and Jeremiah is giving them hope that this is not the end of their story. This verse, and the entire chapter really, is God’s declaration of his absolute sovereignty over his people and the outcome of their life. It is his promise that even when they reject him and disobey him, he is the one who will bring them back and restore them (Jer. 29:10). And what is the point of it all? Notice what verse 12 says:
“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.”
God’s work in bringing them out of exile and giving them a future hope is that they would call upon him and treasure him above all else. God drove them into exile to discipline them, and he will bring them back to glorify his name. Every move he makes has a divine purpose in the life of his child.
When we use verses like Jeremiah 29:11 outside of their proper context we miss the point of the text and how it works within the entire Bible. In reality, Jeremiah 29:11 has a lot to say to this weary mother and grieving husband. The future and the hope that Jeremiah is talking about is one that is established by God. We who know the end of the story know that while the prosperity, welfare, ease, and comfort might not grace us here in this life, the new covenant promises of Jeremiah are true for us. We are his people. He is our God.
Jeremiah was not telling the Israelites (or us) that God’s plan for us is always good cheer, happy days, and prosperity. Just look around at the Christians you know. Is that what it looks like? But he was telling us that the God who made us, bought us, and sanctifies us will give us the future glory that we all long for. One day we will see what it all means, and more importantly, we will see him.
If you could make money off of a Bible verse this would be the one. It graces graduation cards, posters, and plaques that fill our churches and homes. It’s a happy verse. It makes us think nice things about God. And let’s be honest, it just makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside. When someone is having a bad day, we quote Jeremiah 29:11 to them. When our friend starts a new business, we tell him about Jeremiah 29:11 and that God is going to prosper his work. When our friends are moving to a new, but uncertain area, Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has good plans for them and will give them what they ask for.
But is that the best, or most accurate, interpretation of the text? Is Jeremiah 29:11 the lucky charm for getting all your prayers answered and for living a life of prosperity? Many of us would say we don’t believe God works that way. But when it comes down to it we often act like he does with the way we apply his word to people.
Let’s look at the context of Jeremiah 29:11. This verse comes in the midst of great difficulty. Jeremiah is speaking to the exiles, Israelite people forced to live in another land because of their own rejection of God. They have faced hardship, despair, and sorrow, and Jeremiah is giving them hope that this is not the end of their story. This verse, and the entire chapter really, is God’s declaration of his absolute sovereignty over his people and the outcome of their life. It is his promise that even when they reject him and disobey him, he is the one who will bring them back and restore them (Jer. 29:10). And what is the point of it all? Notice what verse 12 says:
“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.”
God’s work in bringing them out of exile and giving them a future hope is that they would call upon him and treasure him above all else. God drove them into exile to discipline them, and he will bring them back to glorify his name. Every move he makes has a divine purpose in the life of his child.
Jeremiah 29:11 is not a trite, catchy verse to be used as a
“name it and claim it” promise of God. When we use it this way we run the risk
of leading people into discouraging, and often extremely damaging,
understandings of God and his purposes for us.
For example, what about the godly, Christian mother whose
child is born blind and deaf? Was this part of God’s plan of prosperity that
her child would never hear her voice or see her face? Or the husband whose wife
dies slowly of cancer? Can he trust that God is still working to give him a
“future and a hope” when the love of his life is now gone and all his dreams of
a bright future went with her to the grave?
When we use verses like Jeremiah 29:11 outside of their proper context we miss the point of the text and how it works within the entire Bible. In reality, Jeremiah 29:11 has a lot to say to this weary mother and grieving husband. The future and the hope that Jeremiah is talking about is one that is established by God. We who know the end of the story know that while the prosperity, welfare, ease, and comfort might not grace us here in this life, the new covenant promises of Jeremiah are true for us. We are his people. He is our God.
As believers who know the end, we know what this “hope” is
all about. And we know how it must come to us. Romans 5 tells us that steadfast
hope in God is born out of suffering. It is when we are stripped bare that we
are able to be built back up and molded into the image of our Christ (Rom.
5:1-5).
Jeremiah was not telling the Israelites (or us) that God’s plan for us is always good cheer, happy days, and prosperity. Just look around at the Christians you know. Is that what it looks like? But he was telling us that the God who made us, bought us, and sanctifies us will give us the future glory that we all long for. One day we will see what it all means, and more importantly, we will see him.
While it’s easy to use Jeremiah 29:11 as the catch all verse
for those in limbo or embarking on a new adventure, check yourself before you
put it in that greeting card next time. We never want to give someone the false
hope that their life this side of heaven will be everything they want it to be.
It might be. But it most likely won’t. What people need is a clear view of what
Scripture is teaching about our lives on this earth and what we exist for. And
even more than that, they need a big view of God. Jeremiah got that. Let us be
careful that we don’t miss his meaning when we decorate our homes with sweet,
promising Bible verses. Yes, God is giving us a future and a hope. Yes, he is
giving us good welfare and abundant goodness. But we won’t get it all until
that final, promised day. When his glory is fully revealed to us and he wipes
every tear from our eyes. That is prosperity beyond anything this mere earth
could ever provide for us. That is what Jeremiah is hoping for. I am too.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Friday is for Food: Pesto Chicken Pasta
I had this at a friend's house when Daniel was out of town a few months ago. And I have been DYING to make it ever since! She didn't have a written recipe for it, which is kind of nice and freeing. I sort of made up the name of this recipe based on what is in it. It is just so good! If you like veggies, pasta, and pesto, you will like this. If not, you can just skip making this meal all together because that's all that is in it! Here it is:
What you need:
- 1 box of penne pasta (I used whole wheat penne pasta because that's what I had, but anything similar will do)
- Fresh vegetables cut up into small pieces (Again, I just used what was on sale at Kroger this week, so I used 1/2 of an onion, 1/2 of a green pepper, 1 yellow squash, and a few chopped mushrooms)
- 1 jar of pesto
- 1 teaspoon of garlic
How to make it:
- Boil pasta in chicken broth according to instructions (this gives it good flavor)
- Reserve about 1 cup of chicken broth when the pasta is done
- While pasta is cooking, cook the vegetables in a little olive oil just until heated through
- Once pasta and vegetables are done, mix them all together and add pesto. Add enough chicken broth just to give it the right consistency. You don't want it watery, it just loosens the pesto a bit.
Serve warm (or cold) with french bread. Enjoy!
What you need:
- 1 box of penne pasta (I used whole wheat penne pasta because that's what I had, but anything similar will do)
- Fresh vegetables cut up into small pieces (Again, I just used what was on sale at Kroger this week, so I used 1/2 of an onion, 1/2 of a green pepper, 1 yellow squash, and a few chopped mushrooms)
- 1 jar of pesto
- 1 teaspoon of garlic
How to make it:
- Boil pasta in chicken broth according to instructions (this gives it good flavor)
- Reserve about 1 cup of chicken broth when the pasta is done
- While pasta is cooking, cook the vegetables in a little olive oil just until heated through
- Once pasta and vegetables are done, mix them all together and add pesto. Add enough chicken broth just to give it the right consistency. You don't want it watery, it just loosens the pesto a bit.
Serve warm (or cold) with french bread. Enjoy!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Grace for Today
I am a planner. I live by my calendar. I love having things to look forward to. I am always looking ahead with excitement over whatever is coming that promises to be better than today. But often, to my own detriment, I focus too much on the future. I miss the exciting moments of the day because I am so hopeful about what lies ahead. Sometimes it is good to be a planner. Sometimes it just makes me plain crazy.
Intentionality and organization aside, excessive planning can sometimes cause me to focus too much on the hypothetical and not the real life moments happening in front of me. I can order my days around "What if this doesn't happen? How will I cope?" rather than trusting that the God who created me also knows my present and my future.
In this season of my life I have had to live by one simple motto: take it one day at a time. I have no need to worry about what will happen three months from now. The God who is faithful today will be faithful then. And what I need to recognize and embrace right now is that he has given me the exact grace I need for today. When the future becomes the present, he will give me the same grace then.
Lamentations 3:21-23 says:
"But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness."
Did you catch that? Every morning when I receive fresh mercies from God I can trust that tomorrow the exact mercy I need will come in the same abundance. Why? Because his steadfast love never ceases, his mercies never come to an end, and he is faithful. This truth we can be sure of: there is an endless supply of new mercies for every need we have each day. How comforting that the God over all cares so deeply for us that he gives us mercy to uniquely meet our needs for the day!
This great truth is a reminder that God's word is always true. His promises are sure and we can trust him. Charles Spurgeon knew this well when he said:
"God doesn't give his words merely to quiet us, and to keep us hopeful for a while with the intention of putting us off at last; but when He speaks, it is because He means to do as He has said."
Even if your trial today is great, God means to do what he says, namely give you new mercies for your suffering, new grace to face the day, and greater hope to trust in his unending and perfect faithfulness to those who are his.
Intentionality and organization aside, excessive planning can sometimes cause me to focus too much on the hypothetical and not the real life moments happening in front of me. I can order my days around "What if this doesn't happen? How will I cope?" rather than trusting that the God who created me also knows my present and my future.
In this season of my life I have had to live by one simple motto: take it one day at a time. I have no need to worry about what will happen three months from now. The God who is faithful today will be faithful then. And what I need to recognize and embrace right now is that he has given me the exact grace I need for today. When the future becomes the present, he will give me the same grace then.
Lamentations 3:21-23 says:
"But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness."
Did you catch that? Every morning when I receive fresh mercies from God I can trust that tomorrow the exact mercy I need will come in the same abundance. Why? Because his steadfast love never ceases, his mercies never come to an end, and he is faithful. This truth we can be sure of: there is an endless supply of new mercies for every need we have each day. How comforting that the God over all cares so deeply for us that he gives us mercy to uniquely meet our needs for the day!
This great truth is a reminder that God's word is always true. His promises are sure and we can trust him. Charles Spurgeon knew this well when he said:
"God doesn't give his words merely to quiet us, and to keep us hopeful for a while with the intention of putting us off at last; but when He speaks, it is because He means to do as He has said."
Even if your trial today is great, God means to do what he says, namely give you new mercies for your suffering, new grace to face the day, and greater hope to trust in his unending and perfect faithfulness to those who are his.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Ask Probing Questions
After yesterday's post, I thought it might be helpful to provide some practical questions to assess your heart for bitterness. They are hard ones, at least for me. I don't always like to ask them of myself, but they almost always produce fruit and conviction, which is necessary for change. Here they are:
If the person you are offended by, struggling with, or angry towards received a good thing (whatever it might be), would you be happy for them or mad that it happened to them?
Better yet, if they did not receive a good thing, or something unfortunate happened to them, would you be happy that it happened or would you feel compassion towards them?
Ouch. As hard as it might be to ask yourself those questions, they reveal things don't they? If they don't right now, you probably can remember moments you have felt this way, right?
Thankfully, like we talked about yesterday, our basis for fighting bitterness is the same hope that ensures our bitter thoughts no longer condemn us. Confess your sin of bitterness to the Lord, and he will forgive you. Praise God for forgiveness!
If the person you are offended by, struggling with, or angry towards received a good thing (whatever it might be), would you be happy for them or mad that it happened to them?
Better yet, if they did not receive a good thing, or something unfortunate happened to them, would you be happy that it happened or would you feel compassion towards them?
Ouch. As hard as it might be to ask yourself those questions, they reveal things don't they? If they don't right now, you probably can remember moments you have felt this way, right?
Thankfully, like we talked about yesterday, our basis for fighting bitterness is the same hope that ensures our bitter thoughts no longer condemn us. Confess your sin of bitterness to the Lord, and he will forgive you. Praise God for forgiveness!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
