When we are not getting everything out of life that we wanted we often look to others and begin to blame. I have talked to many people that say similar things, "If my parents would just leave me alone..." "If my husband would just not be so..." "If my job wasn't so..." "If my kids would just do..." "If God would only..." We want to blame others, but, when we face problems of different kinds our hearts are revealed to us. A heart that is heavy laden and loaded down with worries, fears, anger, depressions and the like, is a painful thing to bare. Jesus said come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.
One of the reasons that we become frustrated in life is that we don't get what we wanted or expected. In the book of Jonah, we see the prophet Jonah who is running from God because he doesn't want to obey God's commands. We see that alot today, people who are running from God like Jonah. When I was young I thought it was just terrible that they threw Jonah overboard! How could they do that to someone, knowing he would perish in the sea. However, when they threw him overboard the storm stopped. All of them were going to die as long as Jonah was in the boat. When we are running from God, not only do we put our own self at risk, but everyone around us suffers too. God delivered him from the belly of the whale when he repented and he set out to obey the voice of the Lord. But, God didn't bring judgement on his enemies like he wanted God to do, and Jonah had this to say about it in chapter 4 verse 8
"It would be better for me to die than to live."
There are times when the source of our misery and unhappiness is that we just didn't get what we wanted, when we wanted it. Some people think that is all that life is about...getting what you want, when you want it. This kind of thinking is selfish and childish and only leads to hurt and bitterness and misery. Let go of the things you want, no matter how good your intentions are and put your focus and attention on Jesus. Try not to think about how you didn't get this or that, and how unfair life is. These thoughts only lead to greater pain, and do not benefit anyone.
In the old testament the nation Isreal were counted as God's people. The tribe of Juday split off of Isreal for a while, and nation of Isreal and Judah became like sisters each having their own King to rule over them. Isreal sinned and God punished them for their sins and though Judah saw all of this Judah did not repent either. Here is what God said of Judah at the time.
In spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to me with all her heart, but only in pretense," declares the LORD. Jeremiah 3:10
Whatever part of our heart that we hold back from God is the part of us that will choose to remain in sin. Jonah wanted to hold back his hate for the Ninevites, and did not want to give that to God, so that God could cleanse him of it. It was that black part of his heart that made him want to die instead of live. Are you holding back part of your heart from God? You will find more peace and satisfaction and the joy of his salvation when you give all of your heart to him.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Stress ought to be a four letter word!
One thing that can build over Christmas and New Year's is stress. Stress ought to be a four letter word. Search the internet and you will find dozens and dozens of aritcles on how to manage stress. Learning how to manage stress is like learning how to manage a teen at home. There is no four step process or quick learn steps. Each of us have situations that are unique, and what may stress one person, may not stress another. You never really know what somone is going through because it is impossible to walk a mile in another person's shoes.
We talk about pride in today's society as if it were a good thing. We are proud of this and proud of that. As I study the bible I have found very few references of pride ever being a good thing. Often it is our pride that causes us to experience so much stress. Here are just a few words from the Bible about pride so you can see what I mean...
The pride of your heart has deceived you...Obadiah 1:3
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall...Prov. 16:8
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom...Prov. 11:2
Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor...Prov. 29:3
Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice...Prov. 13:10
In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. ...Psalms 10:4
One of the best ways to 'manage' stress is to illiminate as many things as we can that causes stress. People come on facebook so often to be proud of this and proud of that, it can put pressure on you to find something to be proud of as well. When we use pride as a motivator we are not moving in the plan in which God designed for us we are only putting more stress on ourselves. Pride comes before a fall.
What is God's design for us? What should be our motivation. God designed us to love as he loves. The things we do through this time of year should be done in love, not pride. Somehow we get under the bondage that we think that we have to please everyone around us. Trying to please people around us will lead to an over abundance of stress! You have heard the old saying, "You can't please everyone, so you might as well please yourself." That saying would be wise if it actually worked. If you please no one other than yourself, in the end you won't be pleased at all, but miserable and selfish. So many people pull away from others during this time of year because they are tired of trying to please everyone. On the other hand, some people kill themselves this time of year trying to please everyone and everybody around them.
Let all that you do be done in love. I Corinthians 6:14
Let love be your motivation and not pride. We want to be proud of this and proud of that because we feel like this is expected of us. Don't fall into that kind of stress trap, it just isn't worth it. When I first began to study the Bible I was shocked that pride was talked about as if it were such a bad and sinful thing. I had strove for pride all my life, and was really proud that I had done so. But, as I continued my studies I began to realize that the pride of life is what leads many people to an early grave. We kill ourselves trying to keep up with everything that our pride leads us to do. I have found that stress should be a four letter word...REST. In all the 'running' that we do during this time of year, often we forget the most important thing of all---LOVE.
We talk about pride in today's society as if it were a good thing. We are proud of this and proud of that. As I study the bible I have found very few references of pride ever being a good thing. Often it is our pride that causes us to experience so much stress. Here are just a few words from the Bible about pride so you can see what I mean...
The pride of your heart has deceived you...Obadiah 1:3
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall...Prov. 16:8
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom...Prov. 11:2
Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor...Prov. 29:3
Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice...Prov. 13:10
In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. ...Psalms 10:4
One of the best ways to 'manage' stress is to illiminate as many things as we can that causes stress. People come on facebook so often to be proud of this and proud of that, it can put pressure on you to find something to be proud of as well. When we use pride as a motivator we are not moving in the plan in which God designed for us we are only putting more stress on ourselves. Pride comes before a fall.
What is God's design for us? What should be our motivation. God designed us to love as he loves. The things we do through this time of year should be done in love, not pride. Somehow we get under the bondage that we think that we have to please everyone around us. Trying to please people around us will lead to an over abundance of stress! You have heard the old saying, "You can't please everyone, so you might as well please yourself." That saying would be wise if it actually worked. If you please no one other than yourself, in the end you won't be pleased at all, but miserable and selfish. So many people pull away from others during this time of year because they are tired of trying to please everyone. On the other hand, some people kill themselves this time of year trying to please everyone and everybody around them.
Let all that you do be done in love. I Corinthians 6:14
Let love be your motivation and not pride. We want to be proud of this and proud of that because we feel like this is expected of us. Don't fall into that kind of stress trap, it just isn't worth it. When I first began to study the Bible I was shocked that pride was talked about as if it were such a bad and sinful thing. I had strove for pride all my life, and was really proud that I had done so. But, as I continued my studies I began to realize that the pride of life is what leads many people to an early grave. We kill ourselves trying to keep up with everything that our pride leads us to do. I have found that stress should be a four letter word...REST. In all the 'running' that we do during this time of year, often we forget the most important thing of all---LOVE.
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