Tag: #suffering

What Is Your Cross?

“Then He {JESUS} said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow Me.” – Luke 9:23 NLT

What is your cross? I feel like mine changes with the seasons of my life. For now, it seems to be a combination of things. Not having a companion, lack of financial stability, physical issues. Looking at my life, though, I know that these things that feel so heavy to me are really minor in view of the world. I know that these are more “crosses” because of my wants, not because of any real needs. I may not have a spouse to share my life with, but I have wonderful friends and family who love me (in spite of me!). My financial state is somewhat precarious, but in spite of my lack of preparation in life, I have a house – a warm, secure home – and somehow, I have enough to live, day by day. The physical issues are being addressed, and I understand that even though the pain and discomfort may never go away, nothing is life-threatening. So then, what is my cross?

My cross is insecurity and fear of the unknown of life here on earth; my cross is giving up the control I think I have over my life. News flash to self : there is NO control when I am in charge of things! Giving up control is at the heart of what JESUS said. “…. you must give up your own way ….”

But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard [for those who trust in riches] to enter the Kingdom of God. In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” – Mark 10:24‭b-‬25 NLT

That’s pretty clear, but we humans are hard-headed. We want, if not millions, then enough money and things to be comfortable on our terms, not God’s. Like the Apostle Paul, I have had plenty, and I have had nothing. Unlike Paul, I have not been very thankful in my circumstances! Followers of Christ need to recognize that our lives may be, probably will be, less than comfortable in this life, even difficult and painful to the end.

JESUS said “…. I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for My sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have Eternal Life. But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.” – Mark 10:29‭-‬31 NLT

Listen to “Gracefully Broken” by Matt Redman

In The Storm

Hangin’ in. That’s what I’m doing. I get where the saying “hang in there” could have originated. When you are in a fierce storm, you have two choices: hang on to something, or be blown away. I don’t really want to be blown away; I don’t want to be blown out of my life as I know it, but with the winds of change hammering away, sometimes we (I) don’t get much of a choice. I want to steer for the clear skies and get away from the hurricane that seems to be parked on top of me, but I know that my strength alone isn’t enough to save me. Because of the enemy, aka Satan, our life on earth is full of storms, from light rains to Cat 5 hurricanes. The goal of the enemy is take away any shred Light and Hope we have. He is the Father of Lies, he wants us at his mercy, and he will do anything in his power to achieve mastery over us. I tell you, from experience, it’s a dark, dark place that his winds will take you to. There will be an illusion, a mirage, of beauty and light to entice you; smooth winds and apparent joy…. but beware! That illusion will fade away and you will find yourself in a whirlpool of despair that you cannot escape – by your own strength. Only one way exists to take you out of the enemy’s grip; ONE WAY only, and that Way is through JESUS CHRIST.

“Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust Him, and He will help you.” – Psalms 37:5 NLT

“For I can do everything through CHRIST, Who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:13 NLT

Simple solution, but often really difficult to implement in our lives. It’s that ‘free will’ thing. We want control of our lives. It’s all part of the enemy’s illusion, people! Satan wants us to believe that Jesus – JESUS – was just a prophet, a good man, albeit a misguided one. After all, the enemy whispers, Jesus was tortured and killed and buried just as any man …. he says the Jesus is no different from Mohammed or Buddha or John Smith…. Focus on the real truth. THE Truth, that the Son of the Almighty Creator God left His home in Heaven, to come to earth and be the ultimate, final sacrifice for our sins. Jesus is coming back, too, and this time it won’t be as the Sacrificial Lamb of God. No, this time, He will return on a white horse [told you horses are in heaven!], with a sword in His Hand and surrounded by the Angel Armies. He will conquer Death and Evil and Satan, once and for all. I’m tired, LORD, tired of the storms here on earth. I pray You will return quickly! Until then, my life is in Your Hands, and I rely on Your Strength.

Listen to “Eye of the Storm” by Ryan Stevenson.

Thankful. Bah, Humbug!

“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT

Do you find it difficult to be thankful for whatever it is you are dealing with in your life? No companion/spouse/helpmate, no retirement, no job; chronic illness, disease, sick child/family member; death of a loved one? No power, no heat/AC, no transportation, no food ….. no home? Infested with fleas, spiders, roaches, snakes? I’m sure I have left something off!

Beginning at the beginning of human history; since Adam and Eve made the fatal decision to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, humans have had to deal with a plethora of hard circumstances. Just a few: Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers. David was chased and persecuted by King Saul. Moses had some sort of speech impediment. The Apostles and disciples of JESUS have been beaten, persecuted, flogged, abused, and killed since the beings of their ministries. The persecution of Christians hasn’t stopped. Even in their agony, they have proclaimed JESUS, and thanked GOD for the privilege to be sacrificed for His Glory. There are hundreds, thousands, even millions of examples throughout our history of people giving thanks to God in the midst of depravation and trials. Very few of us today have any real reasons to complain, but we have plenty of reasons to be thankful. This is, to me, the biggest reason to be thankful:

“And I am convinced that NOTHING can ever separate us from GOD’s Love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from GOD’s Love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the Love of GOD that is revealed in CHRIST JESUS our LORD.” – Romans 8:38‭-‬39 NLT

If there is something big and ugly going on in your life, be Thankful for the little things .…. Remember toilet paper! ….. And remember JESUS!

Everything …. Or Nothing

“We do not wish either to be, or to live among, people who are clean or honest or kind as a matter of duty: we want to be, and associate with, people who like being clean and honest and kind.” – #CSLewis (Emphasis mine)

Whatever I do, and whatever I say, even whatever I think, I want to do because it is my choice, my decision – not because someone tells me. I am very aware of how utterly blessed I am to be born in the U.S.A.; to live in a Republic and not in a Socialist country or in a Dictatorship. Here, I can say whatever pleases me; good, bad, ugly, or indifferent. I can disparage the government without fear of reprisal; I can attend the church of my choice. America is still a land of opportunity for those who are willing to work. (Apparently, there are an awful lot of people who have made living off others and the government their “opportunity.” – but that’s another story!)

I can have the expectation that success and comfort and riches will be handed to me through no effort on my part, but for the vast majority of us, that will never happen. Those things only come through hard work and dedication. I know people who live a certain way as a matter of duty, but that is not me. I hope people who know me see that I am clean-living and honest and kind because it is my choice, my life; because it is how I want to be – not because of any rules or regulations or orders. It is not a duty that compels; it is not the ‘rules’ that require me to be this way. My devotion and my love for my JESUS, my LORD, makes me want to live that way. As the apostle Paul wrote:

“I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.” – Philippians 4:12 NLT

This is not an easy task, but it is not difficult, either. It is not easy, because we have to commit our lives to the Living GOD, and it is never easy as a human to let go of control. It’s not difficult, because through our surrender, we become free. Like the butterfly that struggles to get out of it’s cocoon, or the bird struggling to break of it’s shell, once we shed the confinement of our earthly wants and desires, we are free to fly! To soar with JESUS, above and beyond anything earthly. When we are with Him, it is easy to be content in our hearts, no matter the circumstance. We still need to be present in the world so that we can let JESUS shine His Light through the flaws and cracks in our earthly shell. We need to be present, both to give and to receive blessings.

Where do you stand today? Clean, honest, and kind because you choose, or because it is your duty?

Sharing, Caring….

“For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.” – 2 Timothy 4:3‭-‬4 NLT

Paul seems to be writing about today, the 21st century. Isn’t what he has written exactly where our world is now? Satan rules the earth for now. Popular music, from country, to metal or punk, is all about our desires and how to fulfill them with sex, drugs, and alcohol; It’s all about “ME” – not the LORD. We reject the Truth of the Word that God has given us, looking instead for the false fulfillment of the flesh. We need to be suspicious of anyone who twists the WORD in order to justify their actions. I’m not preaching or pointing fingers, because I have been deep in that lifestyle, and I am as guilty as anyone of turning my back on the Almighty. Listen to Crowder’s song “All My Hope.” Now, I thank God every single day for rescuing me from that pit, for it was Him and Him alone Who could extricate me from the murky mess I had (have) made of my life.

“Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the Law of CHRIST. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.” – Galatians 6:2‭-‬3 NLT

GOD is the Rescuer and the Healer, and He doesn’t need any assistance from the people He created; however, He does use us to help and support each other. Have you ever comforted someone when they were hurting? Done something to help a friend, or a stranger? Held a child as they cried? Offered a place to stay to someone who didn’t have any options? Prayed for and loved a family member who was struggling? If you have done any of those things, or any of hundreds of things, you are acting as GOD’s hands and feet here on earth. You have defied the enemy in supporting our LORD. I was once told that when I refused their help, I was denying them a blessing. It’s true. I know this because I have also been blessed to be able to help someone – and when my offers of assistance have been refused, it has hurt. No blessing. Think on that when someone offers themselves to you.

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.” – Matthew 6:31‭-‬33 NLT

I struggle with Matthew’s message, especially now. Knowing my very small monthly income won’t begin to cover even basic living expenses, how is it possible not to worry? By reading and studying the Word, through prayer, and with meditation to hear GOD’s Voice. That’s the only way not to dissolve into a hot mess, ripe for the enemy to place temptations in our way. I have fallen for his deceptions too many times to count, and my LORD has been there, every single time, to pick me up and carry me out of the mess. I know this in my heart and my soul, and all the while my human mind keeps hounding me with desperation, asking how will this ever workk out? I don’t know. I can’t even imagine a happy ending at this point. Thankfully, GOD’s got this!

“O GOD, we meditate on Your unfailing Love as we worship in Your Temple.” – Psalms 48:9 NLT

All I can do is Praise the LORD for His Mercy, His Grace, His Mighty Power, and His Deliverance. Amen.

Suffering?

Fotr those of us who live in America, suffering has become relative. I have known, and still know, people who believe tney are suffering because they can’t have the thing that they want. Look at Hollywood and at our pro athletes. They “suffer” when someone disagrees or criticizes them, and they do it very publicly so that their followers will sympathize, and so that they will be even more well known throughout the world. We have thousands if false martyrs today, who are in the martyr business for the publicity, fame, and notoriety it brings them. I have only contempt for that kind of grandstanding. The majority of us who are fortunate, blessed, to live in the United States, aren’t suffering; don’t know real suffering. I’m not belittling those who are truly suffering. Babies, children who are abused; women – and men – who are virtually slaves; people who have lost everything…. these people are the ones we should sympathizing with and helping through prayer and action. Just being financially poor isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Having your utilities shut off, having no food, and no way to remedy it – these people are suffering. Living in a cardboard box or sleeping on a park bench in freezing weather; these people are suffering. Around the world, people suffer in real, tangible ways. No, most of us, if we really suffer at all, it is because we lack something essential to life. The suffering we should be praying for is what Peter wrote about.

“If you are insulted because you bear the Name of CHRIST, you will be blessed, for the Glorious SPIRIT of GOD rests upon you. If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise GOD for the privilege of being called by His Name!” – Peter 4:14‭-‬16 NLT

Do you pray to be insulted because you are a follower of our LORD, Jesus Christ? Do you pray for the privilege and honor of suffering because you bear the name Christian?

“Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with GOD everything is possible. But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.” – Matthew 19:26‭, ‬30 NLT

LORD, LORD, I pray that any suffering or insults I endure in the life are because I bear Your Name and because I am known to be a follower of Your Son, Jesus Christ; not from anything I have said or done. Your Name is Righteous and Holy! I Praise You and thank You for Your Salvation. Amen.

Are You Puzzled By My Thanksgiving?

“Give Thanks to the LORD and proclaim His Greatness. Let the whole world know what He has done. Sing to Him; yes, sing His Praises. Tell everyone about His Wonderful Deeds. Exult in His Holy Name; Rejoice, you who worship the LORD. Search for the LORD and for His Strength; continually seek Him. Remember the Wonders He has performed, His Miracles, and the Rulings He has given …. ” – Psalms 105:1‭-‬5 NLT

Does it puzzle and perplex you, that people in the midst of great trials can Praise our LORD; can give Thanks to GOD for the situation? Let’s see if we can make it a little less puzzling. For followers of JESUS, we have the perfect example of thankfulness during extreme trials. After all, our trials are a poor imitation of the torture that our LORD endured, or the persecution of the early disciples and believers.

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in GOD, and trust also in Me {JESUS}.” – John 14:1 NLT

“….. through Him {JESUS CHRIST} God reconciled everything to Himself. He made Peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s Blood on the cross. I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church.” – Colossians 1:20‭, ‬24 NLT

“Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.” – Luke 23:34 NLT

By giving thanks, and by forgiving those who hurt us, we take away their power over us; we take away the enemy’s power. On my own, it is impossible to be thankful for my situation. In my own mind, forgiving others is absolutely impossible, but here’s the thing. By NOT being thankful and by not offering forgiveness, I’m keeping the wounds in my heart and my mind open. By not letting myself heal, I am allowing in hate and disgust and anger, and these all work to infect and fester. This creates a toxic atmosphere within me, so that I become locked into the prison of my own making. It doesn’t hurt the other people at all!

My thanksgiving doesn’t come because of my goodness, and forgivess is not possible by myself. It is only when we give it all over to our LORD JESUS that we can begin the healing process. It’s a process, a journey to get there. If – no, when – we have an open wound on the outside of our body, or a disease within our physical body, most of us don’t just ignore it and hope for the best. No, we go to a medical practitioner for help in healing, and even though the remedy is often painful, we thank the medical person for getting us onto a healing track. Our inner healing can be the same. It may require painful “surgery” to get rid of the ugliness, but Jesus is known as the Great Physician for a reason! He knows we have to eliminate the bad, and to do that, we have to use the medicine of forgiveness and thanksgiving that we receive through Him and through prayer to the Father. It is absolutely amazing how completely freeing it can be to enlist His help, because when it is humanly impossible to do something (like forgive, or to be thankful), that’s exactly when Jesus can step in and do His best work! I am living proof of the possibilities ….. and I am still healing. Thank You, Jesus, for working miracles in my heart!

Be Still!

How many times did you hear that while growing up? I heard it quite often….. and at times, I still hear my Mother’s voice in my head, telling me to be still. Before ADD or ADHD or any of the Autism spectrum were recognized, my siblings and I squirmed and whispered and doodled our way through childhood; I was a ‘wiggle worm.’ ( …. laughter …. ) Today, many of my nieces and nephews have been diagnosed with some variation of the above, not to tne extreme, but still? It’s good to have validation that we weren’t doing those things simply to be irritating. It is still a frustration with me. We learn different coping mechanisms as we mature, but it never truly goes away. I want to “be still!” Can you make my mind obey?

“Be still, and know that I AM GOD! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” – Psalms 46:10 NLT

Perhaps something similar to these were what Paul was dealing with when he begged God to take away his affliction. I don’t know, but I think I’d like to ask him when we meet in eternity. For people who haven’t experienced these things it is very difficult to understand why I can’t just decide to sit still, or concentrate on a single issue. They don’t understand that it isn’t a conscious choice to want – no, need, to get to the point. I know the struggle of trying to give my full attention to a rambling (to my mind) story, or sales pitch, or meeting. Get to the point, people! (Says me, as I ramble on…..) The important thing, the most important thing, is to listen for God. His voice is in the scriptures I read, it is in the Christian music I have playing on the radio, and it is in the interaction I have with fellow believers.

“Though the LORD gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, He will still be with you to teach you. You will see your Teacher with your own eyes. Your own ears will hear Him. Right behind you a Voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.” – Isaiah 30:20‭-‬21 NLT

His assurance to us is that He does speak to us. The voice can be GOD, or it can be the enemy, Satan. Use discernment and know GOD’S Words and Voice to keep from being distracted and deceived. Read the scriptures, study them, and keep your mind open to the LORD. Father God, my prayer today is for my own discernment; to hear YOUR Voice, and drown out the voices of the world. My prayer is that You will still my heart and my mind. I praise You for Your Son and for the Forgiveness and Grace You show me every day. Let me show others Your Love and Supremacy through my life. Amen.

Patience. Not My Virtue

Ever feel this way? I’ve often said I have about this much [ ] patience….. and yes, I am serious. Patience is not a virtue of mine. I am impatient; I get frustrated when things don’t happen quickly enough to suit me. Basically, LIFE / PEOPLE irritate me with their slowness, and I am tired. Tired of people taking advantage of me and others. Tired of broken promises; tired of being lied to. I’m tired of the struggle to just survive. BUT, I believe in GOD, Who is the Creator, Almighty and Omniscient, and I believe His promises.

“Then call on Me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give Me Glory….. But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors Me. If you keep to My path, I will reveal to you the Salvation of God.” – Psalms 50:15‭, ‬23 NLT

I believe in GOD the Father, GOD the Son, and GOD the Holy Spirit. I believe that just as He cares for the birds of the air and the creatures on the ground and the fishes in the sea, so He cares for me. I am so thankful for the many blessings He has poured out on me. So WHY is it so difficult to trust in His timing? I literally have no way to pay my mortgage or utilities or car right now, as I write this, and no prospects for a job, despite the dozens – hundreds, even, of applications I have sent out. Today I woke up and finally dragged myself out of bed, weighed down with hopelessness and despair, and this is the verse that greeted me:

“The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think.” – 2 Peter 3:9a NLT

If He isn’t being slow, then what is the next step I should take? Most of my furniture is on several online ‘for sale’ boards; I continue to seek adequate employment. Do I start packing? Should I put my house on the market? On my knees in prayer, I beseech the Holy God of the universe to have pity on me; to open an opportunity, to provide enough; to show me His will and what direction He wants me to go. As I write, on the radio Crowder is singing “All my Hope is in Jesus…..” Yes, I believe, LORD. Show me how to get through this dark, dark valley! (And please don’t give me more opportunities to learn patience, LORD!) Amen.