Image by Grant MacDonald via Flickr
..since you have not yet reached the resting place and the inheritance the LORD your God is giving you....In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
Deut. 12:9 John 14:2-3
For me, the Christian life is often full of contradictions. Yesterday I heard a preacher on the radio saying that if we don't feel the joy of the Lord evey day then there is something wrong with us. Of course, the Bible promises us joy as well as peace, fullfilment and so many other good things, but it also promises us trouble and pain. Again this morning on the radio I heard a Christian lady talking about losing a child and how she felt that she had not coped very well because she just cried all the time. I thought to myself that she had coped very well. Indeed the lack of tears would have been a very serious problem! I think that sometimes we burden ourselves with what we believe God and other people expect of us. Perhaps the latter is the real problem.
I just want to remember today that I am not perfect. I am human, weak, lacking knowledge, strength, and more besides. But I also have achieved much. God has enabled me to get through another year with a desire still to be close to Him. For me that is the most important thing, to keep praying and seeking and to accept all my weaknesses. I want to remember that this world is not my resting place. When I get to heaven and see Jesus face to face, only then will I find my true rest.
Comments
Sometimes we have to become aware of our weakness so that we can lean more and more upon God's strength.
As many of the saints new well, God does not only make himself known through consolation but also trial.
We all have to carry our cross in this life.
Walk in His shoes on our way home.
Where we will finally find complete, undisturbed rest and peace:)
This was a wonderful post, and what a daily encouragment you are to all of us. I may have to start calling your Pastor Mike.
Have a wonderful time at your retreat!!
Susan
I came to say, "Thanks" for all of your visits. I have not been able to make it around to everyone but will. It just takes time.
Best wishes for the new year to you and your family from me and Patty.
I agree that it is certainly hard to 'rejoice always' and that we do often try to act the way we think others think we should be acting. God knows our hearts & there's no faking what's inside there :)
Many people get offended by this command to rejoice and give thanks in all circumstances. God isn't asking us to rejoice "for" sickness or death or pain....He wants us to joy in HIM- in His Healing, His Comfort, His Faithfulness, His Love....and most of all our POSITION as sons to HIM [Luke 10:21].
No one will "Feel" like giving thanks and joying in any hardship or tragedy...and thats why Scripture calls it a "sacrifice" of thanksgiving. A sacrifice obviously will cost us much- our emotions, our thoughts, sometimes even our notions...
This is not about being mechanical about thanking Him....God tells us to thank Him for OUR safety [Phil 3:1]
Check out this article of mine...it has blessed many: JOY
Sid
Sid
Thank the Lord for His grace to all who believe.
Let the Holy Spirit guide us through the struggles of life in this world so that we may overcome it.
Peace!
Your post made me think that so many times Christians are too hard on themselves. That's very sad because Jesus was all about compassion. Still, we seem to be plagued by some bizarre perfectionism that robs us of the peace and joy of daily living.
Thanks for offering up such a thought provoking blog. It's great.
I've been blogging about "desire" lately, and reading Eldredge's book, The Journey of Desire.
""To live with desire is to choose vulnerability over self-protection; to admit our desire and seek help beyond ourselves is even more vulnerable. It is an act of trust. In other words, those who know their desire and refuse to kill it, or refuse to act as though they don't need help, they are the ones who live by faith."