I've got a heavy heart this morning, and a mouth void of words. It's weird when that happens, your soul is so overwhelmed with emotions, that when you attempt to put words to them but nothing is there. So I'm sitting staring at a blinking cursor and wondering...maybe this post is just healing for me, maybe it will speak to your soul too....only the Lord knows.
Lately I find myself telling hurting friends the same thing,
"I have no words."
It's not intelligent, they aren't going to be transformed by some super spiritual epiphany I'm imparting their way with that phrase. But I am being real. I'm letting them know their hurts are very real, their struggle is intense, and it's burdened my soul immensely...and I've got nothing. No wise word, no true word, no trustworthy word....I have no words. But, my God does. His words stands firm. It is truth. It is powerful, living and active and will accomplish what is sent forth to accomplish. I can not tell you the amount of tears that have poured from my eyes in prayer on behalf of friends, family and even complete strangers. But God does.
In my youth, I remember wondering why older Christians seemed so joy-less. I remember looking around and thinking "I won't be like that when I'm their age....no way...to much to be joyful about just because of who my God is."
Perspective sure does change over the years doesn't it? Grace abounds for the sinner and if we are vigilant, and keep our hearts in His word, we are grounded in truth and not consumed by lies. We are set free as Galatians 5:1 tells us because it "was for freedom that Christ set us free." What a marvelous truth.
I mentioned yesterday that my family is going through a trial right now. We are in the midst of something that has already been life changing. We may be out of the ordinary, but often as we navigate through situations in life we ask the Lord, "What do we need to learn from this? How should we be changed because of this?"
Well, one of the things the Lord has been speaking to my heart is that it is absolutely okay to not have words in any given situation.
You know, there are enough hardships and hurts in the world without hurtful words being heaped on one another during tough situations. Sometimes, you may think you are encouraging others, but you aren't...surely it's best to pray over every word you speak especially to the hurting.
The accusations, the judgements, and the holier than thou comments condemning the ones in the midst of the pain are just sometimes too much. The ones hurting often may smile and laugh, but the very last thing we need to be as believers are others full of judgements attempting to have just the perfect 'spiritual words' for a friend.
S. T. O. P.
Just be real and ask yourself, what would I want from them if the situation were reversed? I would go so far as to say, I guarantee all we really want is prayer. God moves, acts, provides and guides.
I know personally, when I actually confide a hurt in a friend, I just want to know they will faithfully pray. That's all. I've got three tried and true friends that I know put my family and I before the Lord with no judgement, no ulterior motives....they just love God and because they love God they love my family and I, and they put us at His feet.
That truth also strips me of words.
The truth is that life is hard, there are many reasons to let go of our joy, to focus on the fallen world around us and allow that to consume us...and therefore our lives will tend to be characterized by bitterness and hurt as opposed to joy and freedom.
When we chose to abide in Christ we find this truth to be our foundation, "Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts." Jeremiah 15:16
See dear friends, having no words is okay...it acknowledges a God who is bigger than all of us, especially our own selves. A God who speaks healing and truth to our souls...and meets our deepest needs...and God who speaks to our hurts where no man can.
It may seem silly, but the older I get the more purposeful I want to be with my words, and I would rather be silent than use words that destroy others. I would rather be the one in the shadow simply praying and trusting for my friend, than up in the middle of their business and risk offending the weak and hurting. I'd rather offer His words of life, truth and encouragement than my words of error, condemnation or judgement (if not properly checked).
Next time you have the opportunity to share in the trial of a friend, don't look for words that make you feel or look good, rather seek the Giver of all good and true words, and ask Him to communicate His love, grace and mercy through you.
Remember, we have been called by HIS name.
Showing posts with label self-control. Show all posts
Showing posts with label self-control. Show all posts
8.19.2014
11.14.2012
That's an awful big mess to clean.
What if doing our best meant actually pouring ourselves out...just forsaking all that is in the sinful flesh and truly depending on the Lord.
You might be hesitant to just pour yourself our before the Lord...you might worry about the mess you'll have as you confess sin, and pride and you deal with the depths of a depraved mind and heart. But guess what? No matter the mess...you aren't the one cleaning it up. In fact...the One who is cleaning up the mess...is the only One who can take your ugly disgusting stinking mess and turn it into a beautiful shining testament of God's glory! Just like the messes of spilled milk, sometimes it's layers upon layers of cleaning until you get to the very bottom of the mess and see that shiny floor again.
The Lord is so gracious to our family, because as we go through the dailyness of life and the turmoil of trying circumstances...He constantly draws us before Him, and uses His word to search our hearts. Not only that, but He continually calls us to search our own motives. Sometimes we want something so bad, we can get so clouded by self-righteous ideas...and justifications for our wants that we can't see the forest through the trees so to speak.
Over and over as I've been praying for our family, both my immediate and extended...the Lord has graciously brought to mind Romans 12:18, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all."
Sometimes I'm tempted to "justify" myself. Share my true motives and heart. Sometimes it is appropriate...sometimes it's not. Let's be honest...most of the time when we feel we have to justify ourselves or our actions it's out of fear of man or pride. Either man's judgement on our actions (whether real live actions or perceived....I'm sure we've all experienced both).....or the slander and viciousness of others that for one reason or another may not be our biggest fan stir within our hearts a desire to clarify things.
The older I get, the more constant the Lord speaks to my heart about compassion. Perhaps the one who is so quick to judge me for my sin, is inwardly struggling with that very same sin and has yet to remove the plank. Perhaps....the one who so quickly assigns sinful actions to my account...themselves are guilty of that very sin. Perhaps...we ought to spend more time looking in the mirror of God's word than the companions in our household of faith...after all...Christ Himself is the standard..not other believers.
I love in Romans 12, the "subtitle" of the section this verse comes from in my bible is "Marks of a True Christian" Somewhere along the journey dear friend, Jesus is calling you to lay down the fight for your "self" and to simply choose love, grace and TRUTH. That truth comes from the Word of God. And the only way we can ensure that the word will be on our lips..is if it is truly in our hearts. It gets there not by osmosis dear friend, it gets there by passionately pursuing Christ in His word!
Next time your mouth or in our day and age...your fingers (via text...email...twitter...facebook....or whichever social media you choose) is tempted to run rampant with judgement....why not stop..and pause...and PRAY...asking the Lord for compassion on the one you are passing judgement on....grace to REMOVE your own log....and perseverance to truly empty ourselves at the cross and make His priorities ours.
If I'm going to err in my walk with Christ, let it be said that I trusted Him too much, let it be said that I extended too much grace, let it be said I loved to passionately. Not that I cast stones of judgement freely at the body of Christ, the family of God.
Sweet sweet sojourner....it is the very love of Christ that MUST control us...2 Corinthians 5:14
You might be hesitant to just pour yourself our before the Lord...you might worry about the mess you'll have as you confess sin, and pride and you deal with the depths of a depraved mind and heart. But guess what? No matter the mess...you aren't the one cleaning it up. In fact...the One who is cleaning up the mess...is the only One who can take your ugly disgusting stinking mess and turn it into a beautiful shining testament of God's glory! Just like the messes of spilled milk, sometimes it's layers upon layers of cleaning until you get to the very bottom of the mess and see that shiny floor again.
The Lord is so gracious to our family, because as we go through the dailyness of life and the turmoil of trying circumstances...He constantly draws us before Him, and uses His word to search our hearts. Not only that, but He continually calls us to search our own motives. Sometimes we want something so bad, we can get so clouded by self-righteous ideas...and justifications for our wants that we can't see the forest through the trees so to speak.
Over and over as I've been praying for our family, both my immediate and extended...the Lord has graciously brought to mind Romans 12:18, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all."
Sometimes I'm tempted to "justify" myself. Share my true motives and heart. Sometimes it is appropriate...sometimes it's not. Let's be honest...most of the time when we feel we have to justify ourselves or our actions it's out of fear of man or pride. Either man's judgement on our actions (whether real live actions or perceived....I'm sure we've all experienced both).....or the slander and viciousness of others that for one reason or another may not be our biggest fan stir within our hearts a desire to clarify things.
The older I get, the more constant the Lord speaks to my heart about compassion. Perhaps the one who is so quick to judge me for my sin, is inwardly struggling with that very same sin and has yet to remove the plank. Perhaps....the one who so quickly assigns sinful actions to my account...themselves are guilty of that very sin. Perhaps...we ought to spend more time looking in the mirror of God's word than the companions in our household of faith...after all...Christ Himself is the standard..not other believers.
I love in Romans 12, the "subtitle" of the section this verse comes from in my bible is "Marks of a True Christian" Somewhere along the journey dear friend, Jesus is calling you to lay down the fight for your "self" and to simply choose love, grace and TRUTH. That truth comes from the Word of God. And the only way we can ensure that the word will be on our lips..is if it is truly in our hearts. It gets there not by osmosis dear friend, it gets there by passionately pursuing Christ in His word!
Next time your mouth or in our day and age...your fingers (via text...email...twitter...facebook....or whichever social media you choose) is tempted to run rampant with judgement....why not stop..and pause...and PRAY...asking the Lord for compassion on the one you are passing judgement on....grace to REMOVE your own log....and perseverance to truly empty ourselves at the cross and make His priorities ours.
If I'm going to err in my walk with Christ, let it be said that I trusted Him too much, let it be said that I extended too much grace, let it be said I loved to passionately. Not that I cast stones of judgement freely at the body of Christ, the family of God.
Sweet sweet sojourner....it is the very love of Christ that MUST control us...2 Corinthians 5:14
11.03.2011
those sneaky piles
My sister has recently shared pictures of her son with me, that show how he makes all these piles throughout the house with his toys. At first I just had to laugh because, what kid doesn’t just pile up all their toys and beaming with accomplishment show their parent? They have no idea what they are really doing, all they know is they made something!
The more I looked at the pictures, the more I thought about how I am a piler. You know, I think oh this is so important, and I'll get to it later. Do you pile things? If you came to my house, you would see a neat and orderly home. It will be clean on any given day, because I am somewhat of a neat freak and I enjoy order and also because I feel confident that this house I live in, though my name is on the deed, it belongs to the Lord. I want to be a good steward of this house and keep it inviting to whoever the Lord brings over. That said, after observing my nephews’ work, I began to look around my kitchen. I had several piles. Different things that were so “important” I couldn’t put away just yet, they needed attention and I guess I thought if I left them out, I’d take care of it.
This realization of course coincides with my study through 1 Corinthians. What a beautiful letter Paul wrote to the Corinthian church. I am continually refined by God’s word. Read with me:
“Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” 1 Cor 9:25-27, ESV
So as I mentioned before I am somewhat of a neat freak. I am somewhat of a disciplined person. But as I glanced around at my piles, and as I studied in God’s word, and in my bible study at church, I started seeing I was not as self-controlled as I thought.
Self control in this verse in the greek means: to exhibit self-government, conduct, one’s self temperately. See, for me, I enjoy a clean house. So it’s really easy to keep our home neat and tidy. I enjoy the health benefits of exercising so it’s easy to do.
So I began to ponder…am I really exercising self-control the way I should and in a way that honors God? Well…I looked around at my piles and I thought…no not really. I began to reflect in my own heart…if I am ‘naturally’ inclined to have a clean house because I enjoy it am I not just cleaning out of my own selfishness rather than out of a love for God and respect for what He has provided me with. Yeah…let me be blatantly honest…I did NOT like my own answer. It was out of selfishness. I want my home clean because I enjoy it. I can honestly say, it started out that I wanted to please God and honor Him, but over the years in the hurriedness of keeping up with three small children and a spouse, I’d lost the zeal to honor the Lord with the cleaning of my home, and just felt the need to keep it clean for my own sanity. Thus…the piles everywhere. Here a pile...there a pile...a little here, a little there. I’ll get to it. I’ll take care of the necessities. In some cases I did, in some I didn’t.
So, when Paul says every athlete exercises self-control in all things, he wasn’t just saying the things that come easy to them. But he said ALL. As in everything. It’s tough, and it is something we as humans with unregenerate hearts can NOT do. Those of us with regenerate hearts, those who have the indwelling Holy Spirit, can exercise self-control in all things. Not on our own. Not at all. But because “The fruit of the spirit is . . . self-control.” Galatians 5:23 So it is the Holy Spirit in us as believers in Christ that gives us the self-control we need to honor God in all things.
Now, I am not suggesting that piling is a sin. What I am suggesting is that my lack of self-control in this area is a sin….and the “easy” self-control with the wrong motives and attitudes does not honor the Lord.
I encourage you ladies, as God to show you, are you really willing to submit to the Holy Spirit to bear fruit in Jesus name. Acting on the fruits of the Spirit and following the prompting of the Spirit so that in everything God may be glorified?
Friends, pray with me, pray for me…that we all would have surrendered hearts to passionately pursue God in His word, that we would be daily refined for His glory!!
The more I looked at the pictures, the more I thought about how I am a piler. You know, I think oh this is so important, and I'll get to it later. Do you pile things? If you came to my house, you would see a neat and orderly home. It will be clean on any given day, because I am somewhat of a neat freak and I enjoy order and also because I feel confident that this house I live in, though my name is on the deed, it belongs to the Lord. I want to be a good steward of this house and keep it inviting to whoever the Lord brings over. That said, after observing my nephews’ work, I began to look around my kitchen. I had several piles. Different things that were so “important” I couldn’t put away just yet, they needed attention and I guess I thought if I left them out, I’d take care of it.
This realization of course coincides with my study through 1 Corinthians. What a beautiful letter Paul wrote to the Corinthian church. I am continually refined by God’s word. Read with me:
“Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” 1 Cor 9:25-27, ESV
So as I mentioned before I am somewhat of a neat freak. I am somewhat of a disciplined person. But as I glanced around at my piles, and as I studied in God’s word, and in my bible study at church, I started seeing I was not as self-controlled as I thought.
Self control in this verse in the greek means: to exhibit self-government, conduct, one’s self temperately. See, for me, I enjoy a clean house. So it’s really easy to keep our home neat and tidy. I enjoy the health benefits of exercising so it’s easy to do.
So I began to ponder…am I really exercising self-control the way I should and in a way that honors God? Well…I looked around at my piles and I thought…no not really. I began to reflect in my own heart…if I am ‘naturally’ inclined to have a clean house because I enjoy it am I not just cleaning out of my own selfishness rather than out of a love for God and respect for what He has provided me with. Yeah…let me be blatantly honest…I did NOT like my own answer. It was out of selfishness. I want my home clean because I enjoy it. I can honestly say, it started out that I wanted to please God and honor Him, but over the years in the hurriedness of keeping up with three small children and a spouse, I’d lost the zeal to honor the Lord with the cleaning of my home, and just felt the need to keep it clean for my own sanity. Thus…the piles everywhere. Here a pile...there a pile...a little here, a little there. I’ll get to it. I’ll take care of the necessities. In some cases I did, in some I didn’t.
So, when Paul says every athlete exercises self-control in all things, he wasn’t just saying the things that come easy to them. But he said ALL. As in everything. It’s tough, and it is something we as humans with unregenerate hearts can NOT do. Those of us with regenerate hearts, those who have the indwelling Holy Spirit, can exercise self-control in all things. Not on our own. Not at all. But because “The fruit of the spirit is . . . self-control.” Galatians 5:23 So it is the Holy Spirit in us as believers in Christ that gives us the self-control we need to honor God in all things.
Now, I am not suggesting that piling is a sin. What I am suggesting is that my lack of self-control in this area is a sin….and the “easy” self-control with the wrong motives and attitudes does not honor the Lord.
I encourage you ladies, as God to show you, are you really willing to submit to the Holy Spirit to bear fruit in Jesus name. Acting on the fruits of the Spirit and following the prompting of the Spirit so that in everything God may be glorified?
Friends, pray with me, pray for me…that we all would have surrendered hearts to passionately pursue God in His word, that we would be daily refined for His glory!!
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