Tag: encouraging articles

“Walk on Your Unique Path”

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I don’t pray anymore for faith like Abraham’s or courage like David’s, or for any other qualities modeled by someone else.

Their lives are significant, and we can learn from them—but God is writing something personal in each of us. Every one of us carries aspects of ourselves that God wants to shape, refine, and bring to life. When we yield to His molding process, we become the version of ourselves that He intended from the beginning.

I want to become the best version of me that God desires. I’ve realized He has placed a unique beauty and originality within every person. Together, we each bring a distinct “flavor” to the larger story of humanity.

The stories of others can inspire us and offer guidance, but trying to replicate someone else’s journey can leave us discouraged when our path doesn’t look like theirs. And that’s because it was their story—not ours.

God sees the beauty in who you are and in the path you walk with Him.

We honor the footsteps of those who have gone before us, but we also embrace the truth that our road may look different. The beauty of your life rests in who God designed you to be.

The best version of you isn’t found in imitation—it’s found in His intention.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

Blessings ~

Photo by jasmin chew on Pexels.com

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, X, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc, to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details. 

Is It a Sign?

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Image by 巻（Maki） from Pixabay

Have you ever noticed how much we depend on signs? They tell us which way to go on highways. They give us directions on streets. They advertise products and services on billboards. And they tell us the names and purposes of buildings.

Signs are also indicators announcing the changes of seasons. They can be a signal to personality traits of another person to determine whether they are for or against us. And they can be used in some instances to determine the onset of some illness.

Signs were also referred to heavily in the Bible. Jesus used signs or miracles that pointed to the very real fact that He was the Christ, the Son of God: “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:30, 31; see also Acts 2:22).

The disciples/apostles also performed many signs: “And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people…” (Acts 5:12; see also 2 Corinthians 12:12). These signs demonstrated to the people the truth of Christ and His Word (Mark 16:20; see also Acts 2:43; 14:3).

While the association with signs was used in a positive sense many times, the Bible gives us warnings about relying just on signs.

As Moses was preparing the Israelites to enter their promises land, he gave them this warning:

“If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,

And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;

Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.”

Deuteronomy 13:1-4

Jesus also warned, “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matthew 24:24; see also 2 Thessalonians 2:9).

So, how can we know if it is a sign?

The way we can tell if something is from God is to refer to the Word of God, verifying the truth in its proper context. Not manipulating the Word or taking it out of context to sign off on a wrong desire.

This is what Moses taught the children of Israel. Going back to Deuteronomy, he told them, as noted above, “Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him” (v. 4). In that, we see, if there is a sign or wonder that doesn’t align with God’s Word, God’s commandments, then it is not of God.

God will NEVER contradict His own Word (Numbers 23:19; Hebrews 6:18). This truth alone is our solid basis on whether something is right or wrong.

Moses warned that if the sign or wonder that was performed is drawing hearts away from God and His truth, then it is not of God: “And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods… Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet” (Vv. 2-3a).

We must stand solidly on the truth of the Word. If a sign, wonder, teaching, etc. contradicts the Word, then it contradicts everything God stands for.

Everyone must be determined to follow the truth of God in their own heart and not just by what they see with their eyes. Moses told the Israelites, “The Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (v. 3; compare Deuteronomy 10:12, 13; Joshua 32:5; emphasis added). This is what Jesus tells us is the “first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:37, 38).

Therefore, to find out if it is a sign, we must ask, is this drawing us away from God, out of His will, or is it drawing me closer? Because if we love Him, if our hearts are for Him, we don’t have to rely on signs. We rely on pleasing God in whom our heart is connected.

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, X, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details. 

“Before there was Egypt, there was a promise!”

Many times when we discuss the land of Egypt within the confines of the Bible, our minds automatically track back to the time when the children of Israel were in bondage there.  We see them under the weight of the taskmasters, dealing with oppressive circumstances that are beyond their control.  They stand by and watch as some are beaten, others are killed; lack and degrading situations run rampant throughout their time there.  Fear, hatred, and jealousy by others drove them to the place where they are residing; a place where tough days seem like they will never come to an end.

Oftentimes, when people find themselves in a hard spot of life, or when they find themselves coming up short and just not happy with the way things are turning out at this particular time, they refer to that circumstance as their place of “Egypt.”  This is where heartbreak and troubling times lie.  This is the place where it seems everything is fighting against them, and no matter what one does, it just doesn’t appear that they will ever come out on top.  People may not have taskmasters’ whips to deal with, but other things just lash and lash out at them, making it hard to get back up again.

As hard as this may be to believe, I assure you your Egypt will not last forever.  I’m sure the children of Israel had doubts about this.  After all, their time there lasted about four hundred years.  Yet, even before this family of seventy ventured into the land and grew to the astronomical numbers we see in Exodus, God knew all about their time there before they were even there.

In Genesis 15:13 God told Abram, “Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years.”  Outside of that prophecy God also said, “And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance,” (Genesis 15:14).  In this we see, there was a promise before they even set one foot in Egypt; before they even encountered a problem, God already had a blessing lined up for when they came out.

Today, we fight against so many unknowns.  We deal with all the this’s and that’s of life that simply weigh one down.  One might not find themselves in a literal state of captivity, but something just sits on them heavy, becoming an almost unbearable burden, and they just don’t know what to do.  With a feeling of exasperation, some just give up, content to go through the motions of life, without grabbing hold of the feeling of hope because of the fear of being let down again, just to drift back into that state of uncertainty once more.

But, I am here to tell you today, continue hoping and never give up.  Your “Egypt” is not lost on God.  God knows what you are facing.  He knows every disappointment you are dealing with.  He knows every struggle you are battling.  He knows everything that you are fighting through, and that’s fighting against you.

It may be hard to see the proverbial silver lining in a dark cloud at times or the light at the end of the tunnel, but we have something better.  We have a promise!  God told Abram that when his people came out, they would be coming out better than when they went in.  God was going to judge those who did them wrong, and God was going to bless them greatly.

Another promise Abram received was in a few verses before those noted above.  God told him, “Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be,” (Genesis 15:5).  Not only were they going to be blessed, but they were going to come out increased in the people they were.  To go from one individual to the millions they would come out to be, they were going to grow not only in number but in experience through their troubling times.  They would have to learn to endure some stuff to be the people who would eventually be fit to take on the Promised Land.

While it may at times seem like the hard times are breaking you, they may actually be making you.  So remember, before there was Egypt, there was a promise.  And, I don’t know about you, but I will take a promise of God over a so-called silver lining any day.  The promises of God are sure.  Through our relationship with Jesus Christ, we are told, “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us,” (2 Corinthians 1:20).

In other words, no matter what you are facing today, Jesus has you covered.  No matter the obstacles or hard places that make you feel like you are in Egypt and you just want to give up, God has an unfailing promise of His love, grace, mercy, peace, and deliverance through even the most difficult circumstances.

Reposted from April 19, 2020

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details.

 

 

Limiting God | Reposting Encouragement

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Today, I am reposting encouragement. May you walk in the fullness of God’s unlimited blessings, because almost everybody wants to see a mighty move of God in their life.  But often, some things get in God’s way; obstacles that act as barriers to blessings.  There are two very specific items I want to deal with in this article that the Bible clearly shows us to be things that limit God’s power to work in an individual’s or a people’s life.

But, before I move any further in this article, I want to clarify a few things: 1) Just because one may be in the waiting process, it doesn’t mean these items that are going to be discussed apply to that individual or their situation.  Sometimes, for His own wise reasons, God just has us waiting for His right time to move.  And, 2) The two items that are going to be listed here are not the only things that form themselves as a blockade to one’s blessings.  A truly seeking heart will prayerfully peel back the layers of self for a close-up examination of the inner man to see if there is anything else that may be getting in the way.

As I was reading my Bible, I came across Psalm 78:41, which states, “Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.”  This psalm recites Israel’s history, and it highlights several of their rebellious moments.  Particularly, God’s deliverance of them from Egypt, and their provocation of Him in the wilderness, through sin.  The verse above brings out those same disobedient actions as limiting God.  Their sin made a mark or drew a line, prohibiting them from the fullness of God and what He had to offer.  Rather, they ended up provoking Him to anger.

Disobedience is one thing that will definitely limit God’s ability to work in you, through you, and for you.  Disobedience evicted Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-11) when God’s blessing was for them to live in paradise.  Disobedience turned Lot’s wife into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:17, 26) when God’s blessings wanted to deliver them from that city of sin.  Disobedience caused Jonah to end up in the belly of a fish (Jonah 1:3, 15-17) when God’s blessing was for him to be a great witness to a great city.  And, there are oodles of more cases noted in the Bible.  Disobedience will always forfeit God’s best in one’s life.

As I was pondering this verse in the Psalm about limiting God, I was reminded of a time when Jesus wasn’t able to do great works in Nazareth, His hometown.  Matthew 13:58 tells us, “And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”  He was limited by their unbelief.

Now, we all know by now Jesus’ ability to do absolutely anything.  One thing He won’t do is infringe, encroach upon, or overstep one’s belief.  Mankind is a creature made with free will.  It is His hope and desire that one would fully believe who He is and all that He says He can do.  But it is a choice that every individual must make, by faith, for himself or herself.

The Bible tells us in no uncertain terms that, “Without faith it is impossible to please him:” (or, to agree with Him), “for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him,” (Hebrews 11:6).

God is the God of all possibilities, but a lack of faith and belief will hinder those possibilities.  Unbelief caused the first group that attempted to enter the Promised Land to be made to turn back (Hebrews 3:19).  God’s best wasn’t for them to wander in the wilderness for forty years.  His blessing was for them to go in and possess it at that time.  Their own unbelief refused the blessing for them.  Going back to Psalm 78 in the recitation of their history, there are other noted instances where the unbelief of the people came to the forefront (Psalm 78:22, 32).

In the New Testament, if it had not been for Jesus on the boat with His disciples, they may have perished in the storm.  Jesus had already done miracles and even taught many powerful parables, but when the storm blew, they freaked out and asked Jesus, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4:38).  But after Jesus stilled the storm He asked them this one question: “How is it that ye have no faith?” (Mark 4:40).  Faith matters.

Back to Jesus’ experience in Nazareth, in parallel verses found in Mark, the Bible tells us, “He marvelled because of their unbelief” (Mark 6:6).

God, throughout the Bible, wants the best for His people.  God would rather add blessings to our account rather than subtract them.  If God blesses and takes care of the birds of the air and the grass in the field (Matthew 6:25-29), “shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith,” (Matthew 6:30).

But He says in Matthew, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you,” (Matthew 6:33; emphasis added).  Go after a life of obedience and faith!  Reject those hindrances to the blessings.  The things that stand in one’s way and limit God’s moving in their life have to be put down so that He can raise His people higher.

We hear a lot of inspirational messages dealing with the subject of “No Limits.”  And, that’s wonderful!  But, in order to have a life of no limits, one needs to make sure God isn’t being limited in their life through disobedience and unbelief.

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details.

Community of Believers | We are here for one another!

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Dear Reader, the challenges of this life come in many shapes and forms. Regardless of how it comes or what it appears like, the blow of difficulties can often be softened when another will come alongside to help shoulder the load. I am resharing this post to encourage us in our need to look out for the welfare of one another:

Races can take you through many terrains. Running uphill is hard. The more you go, the steeper the incline, the harder it gets. Breath after breath, your chest heaves for relief. Push after push, your muscles cry out for mercy. And, just when you thought you had no more in you, just when you thought you couldn’t go any farther, imagine for a moment, from behind there comes these hands out of nowhere that steady your stride and help propel you forward. On the side of you come these smiling faces with encouraging words, grabbing hold of your arms and helping pull you up that incline so that you might finish your race. They want to help you make it.

Just as runners need each other on the steepest climbs, so, too, do we need each other in our spiritual journey. We rely on our association with fellow believers to not only run well, but to finish well.

The Apostle Paul often described our Christian life as a race (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). We run it. We press for it. But, sometimes the way gets hard, and if it had not been for the grace of God, we would not have made it. 

As the community of racers pushed and pulled the struggling runner uphill, so, too, God will minister to us to help us run our race. Often this is done through the community of believers who will come alongside the one who needs support.

In this world, as they say, the struggle is real. May we, as a community of believers, recognize the support that each one needs. May we join our fellow Christian race runners and offer the help and encouragement they need to make it. May we see beyond our own race and allow God to use our hands and smiling faces to help bolster someone’s faith as they strive to make it up the inclines of this life.

We all have the same goal in mind: to finish the race. We need each other to do it. As a community of believers, our job goes beyond spreading the gospel, being a light in this dark world, and all the other spiritual stuff it entails. Our job is also to seek the welfare of one another, to help those around us. We ought to be there for one another. We need to be present and involved in what they are going through, champion companions in this race, so that, as the Bible says, “that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it,” (1 Corinthians 12:25-26).

The hardest climbs can be conquered when we support one another. 

More encouraging verses and quotes:

“Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow . . .” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10a

“God has chosen us to help one another.” Smith Wigglesworth

“The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: ‘If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?’ But… the Good Samaritan reversed the question: ‘If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?'” Martin Luther King, Jr.

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, X, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details. 

Returning to the Familiar

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Returning to the familiar can be like a warm hug.  Its embrace is comfortable and welcoming and can give you a sense of belonging.

But what if you don’t belong in the familiar?  What if the place you are trying to return to is not the best for you?  What if you are trading the comfort of familiarity for the hard choice to move on to something new?

This time of year, many people seek to add new routines to their lives, new regimens to their health, and pursue fresh ideas about what they want out of life.  At the same time, many resolutions fall through because going after the new is not always the easiest thing to do.  The steps forward can be uncomfortable rather than exciting, and truthfully, it can be downright overwhelming.

In the Bible, God knew what was best for His people, but how often did we see that the children of Israel wanted to go back to what was not best, back to the familiar (Numbers 14:4)?  In Egypt, although it was hard, they knew what to expect.  Their routines were predictable, and they knew which course of action would produce which results.

God wanted better for them.  He desired to take them on a life-changing expedition.

But when God wanted them to journey through the wilderness toward their Promised Land, many became apprehensive and disillusioned with the many challenges they faced in order to reach that goal.  And even though Egypt wasn’t good for them and caused them great pain, when times got hard in going toward their place of promise, they wanted to return to the familiar.

With rose-colored glasses on, they talked themselves into believing that the old place where they had come from was not that bad (Exodus 16:3; Numbers 11:5).  They convinced themselves that things were okay with the way they were and to be content with a life that was less than ideal because the prospect of the new brought too many challenges.

In pursuing change, we too must be careful not to romanticize where we have come from or where we are going.  We must remind ourselves there was a reason for wanting change in the first place.  To continually look back and want to throw oneself into that familiar embrace can sabotage where you are trying to go and what you are trying to do (Proverbs 4:25-27; Luke 9:62). 

At the same time, to look ahead as if everything is going to be peaches and cream, as if moving forward is going to produce automatic results without hurdles to overcome, is setting oneself up for a fairy-tale ending without experiencing the tragedy of the plot in the middle.  It just does not happen that way.

Although this is just the beginning of the year, as it progresses, there will be a few times, if not many, when the pull to the familiar will seek to lure you back (Isaiah 43:18-19).

The familiar, when used correctly, can be an incredibly beautiful thing.  But, if you are after real change this year, and the familiar place is not what was producing it, challenge yourself to stay the course, to keep looking ahead (Philippians 3:12-14).

Prayerfully, seek God’s wisdom and guidance, and as with the children of Israel, He will gladly show you the way (Exodus 13:21; Psalm 25:4-5).    

Yes, this year, the new may have its challenging moments, but when you reach your place of promise, think of the beauty there to behold.

What to do with days when things just aren’t going right?

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What to do with this day when things aren’t clicking and time keeps ticking?  When things refuse to fall into the designated places you had for them?  When it feels like it’s completely squashed before it starts?  So many plans lay ahead but the weight, the feeling, and the pressure of it all leaves one with a sense of having things unaccomplished and unfulfilled.  To look on the outside, it seems that everyone else is getting on with this day and their doings, but the fight in here, right now, and the press that comes with it, it just doesn’t seem to want to work out.  All the gears for all the mechanics of this day are present, in place, and spinning, but they are just not grabbing correctly to move what we are trying to achieve successfully.

What to do with this day when there seems to be conflict and strain with one another?  When relationships don’t hug the way you want them to hug or love in a way you want to be loved?  When misunderstandings, assuming, and yes, even one’s own personal views on a matter put barriers between the spirit of fellowship and love.  When hurts cause one’s steps to move ever so fragile as if on eggshells, fearing the disappointment and disapproval of someone else?

What to do with this day when rogue feelings break away from the pack you had planned for the day and invade and try to rob you of the potential joy that lay ahead in the hours to come?  Thieves of insecurity.  Thieves of shame.  Thieves of feeling woefully torn.  These thieves come with many hideous and damaging names.  The day was brand new and fresh at the start, but that didn’t stop these unwanted parasitic nuisances from latching on and tainting it with the feelings of mess-ups, adversity, pain, and disappointments from your yesterdays.

So, what to do with these kinds of days when our plans, people, or feelings just don’t want to cooperate with the vision you had set for it?

Give it to God!  That one answer tells us how to deal with it, the proper response to it, and what to do with the rest of it.  This is not some Christian rhetoric or cliche.  It is a solid truth that we can stand on and base our faith upon.  We give it to God.

The real truth is that at any given time on any given day, we will all or have all experienced one or many of the daily upsets listed above (and sometimes even more than these).  It is all a part of life, a part that can really throw us off-kilter if we don’t process it right and deal with it in the right way.

Therefore, when everything is going absolutely bonkers, sometimes without rhyme or reason; when nothing within our power or control is working, we give it all to Him who has all power and control.  Not as a mythical genie creature whose bottle we rub to have things or people turn out how we want them to.  But, as releasing it to His majesty and sovereign will.  It’s saying, “I trust you, God.”  Whether this day turns out how I configured it or not, my plans, my people, my times, my heart, and my feelings are all in Your hands.

God is not only the Creator of all the universe and the Author of all mankind, but He is concerned about your daily needs for each individual day also.  All the areas that need filling, all the upsets that need dealing with, all the plans that need to be taken care of, and all the worries that bog us down – He’s concerned about it all.

But, as we release the day to Him we must also realize His best answer for us may be to not move everything or anything into the places where we see fit.  Sometimes, His best answer for what we are going through with this day is to let us learn from it, experience it, and still maintain trust in Him.  Regardless of how it goes forward, despite what we feel in the process, no matter who we are dealing with and how we are dealing with them – He still sees it all, knows it all, and has it all in His loving and powerful hands.

So, when days like this come, we give it to God, step back, and just trust Him for every part of it.

Here are some verses and prayers to hold in your heart when the days just aren’t going right for you:

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

Father God, I acknowledge that I don’t know everything about this day, my future, or even how to properly respond to it all.  I pray for Your leading to show me the right path to walk so that my life might be pleasing in Your sight.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

Father God, the end of all things may be vague to me or even remain a mystery.  Help my heart hold on to the very real fact that You knew me from the beginning and You know how my story ends; and that if I am in Your hands, then I am in Your plan.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Psalm 126:6 “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

Father God, my tears and confusion for the day, You see it all.  Help me to know that it is not all in vain.  Let my confidence be in You and Your love for me above all else, knowing that for every sadness, there will be joy.  When You restore, for every sorrow sown there will be a reaping of happiness and peace.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

Complaintus Interruptus Devotional + 7 Bible Verses that Deal with Complaining

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Now, if you grew up like me watching Saturday morning cartoons (which were the best) with a bowl of cereal in hand, you have probably spent your fair share of time being entertained by a certain coyote and a particular bird who were always trying to outwit one another.  One of the humorous things about the show was the fake scientific or Latin names given to these characters that expressed some funny trait about who they were or what they were doing.  Thus, in parodic form was the title of this article born of the humorous need to make it sound really scientific.

One day, I was walking with my husband and something was really bothering me I had dealt with during the day and I couldn’t wait for an opportunity to unload what occurred.  It was like I was trying to play double-dutch jump rope, looking for the right time when I could jump in and unleash my complaint.

Walking side by side with him to go into our church that evening, while right on the tip of my tongue, ready to come out, my complaint was interrupted.  We ran into another church member and what she said to my husband escaped me, but my husband’s response didn’t.  He said, “I won’t complain.”  And he wasn’t saying it in a lackadaisical church manner, for he put emphasis on his point by refusing to acknowledge the reason for the complaint.  Obviously, I was floored.  Here I am holding something that’s just itching to get out and I experienced a case of “complaintus interruptus.”

 And sometimes, that’s not a bad thing.

Often in life, we do deal with things and we look to unload the weight of it onto others.  Sometimes we feel that if we can just talk about it with someone, that act alone can help us to feel better.  And in most cases, that’s true as long as we are seeking to do it constructively, and not just to do it for the sake of wanting to complain.

There is a big difference.  Out and out complaining is negative and tells those around us that I am just not happy about a situation and I want to gripe about it.  It’s not seeking resolution, it’s just seeking to show discontent, tear down, and spew out unnecessary drama.  Whereas, constructively telling someone of your concerns and upsets, not to unleash or accuse, but to seek counsel that will help you deal with the situation, is a positive move in the right direction to wrangle in the feeling of upset and misunderstandings one may be facing.

We find cases of both in the Bible to teach us the do’s and do not’s of what goes on in these situations.  First, we have the gripers, or murmurers, as the Bible calls them.  Those, who for the mere sake of wanting to expose their displeasure, pop the cork off their mouth and let the unhappiness flow.  We can find these types of characters throughout the Bible, particularly in those whom God delivered from Egypt. Yet, they constantly found something to complain about and it seemed they were never quite happy with what God was doing (see Exodus 14:11 and 16:2-3; Numbers 14:27 for some examples).

For these types of people, God was greatly displeased (Numbers 11:1; 21:5-7).  After only three days of their journey (compare Exodus 15:22-23) they expressed to God their discontent about their wandering situation even though it was these same people who cried out to God for deliverance because of their taskmasters.  It was hard for these people to overcome testing because their complaining spirit always seemed to win out over their emotions, thwarting their focus and devotion from God and His deliverance.

Then, we have those like King David who, in Psalms prayed, “I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.  I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble,” (Psalm 142:1-2).  He comes before God humbly, with a prayerful spirit, seeking help and consolation, not to grumble or show his displeasure about his situation.  Simply put, he was going through trouble and he took that supplication and situation to the Lord in prayer.

The Bible invites us to give our worries, upsets, and problems to God by saying, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you,” (1 Peter 5:7; see also Psalm 55:22).  This is a constructive and positive way of dealing with the hurts and disappointments of life.  We take it to the Lord in prayer and we leave it there.  We express to Him, reverently, how we feel, how we are hurting and upset, and we let Him take the wheel, and we leave it alone.  It is a matter of trusting God with our problems, and not demanding something from Him through our murmuring.

God loves those who sincerely seek Him in prayer but He doesn’t like complaining.  Sometimes we need to check ourselves and put a hand up to stop the words flowing before what we think we need to say comes out of our mouths.  Perhaps we need a case of complaintus interruptus to corral wayward thoughts and words.

Some Verses to Ponder:

Philippians 2:14 – “Do all things without murmurings and disputings.”

Ephesians 4:29 – “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

Lamentations 3:39 – “Wherefore doth a living man complain . . .”

1 Corinthians 10:10 – “Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.”

Psalms 39:1 – “I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.”

Philippians 4:11 – “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”

Hebrews 13:5 – “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

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Where Our Help Comes From

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“My heart trusted in him, and I am helped.” Psalm 28:7

Have you been helped? Where has the trust of your heart lain? Most forget that trust is not developed in times of peace and pleasure. Instead, true trust is developed during difficulties, disappointments, and pain. It is during these times when the faith of our hearts must be tied tighter still to that solid Rock upon which we are positioned through the blood stained banner. It is during adversity when we must purposely, and with great intention, place ourselves, our desires, and our troubles behind the Shield that never fails.

He is there, my friend, as our saving grace. He is the hope that will never be moved – even through eternity’s eternity. He is the place upon which we stand when all else fades away. He is the One who hears the voice of your cry and sees what you are carrying in your heart.

He is our strength and our refuge. ”In the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me,” Psalm 27:5. When enemies gnash their teeth or when tears overwhelm your heart – in Him, we are covered and safe. Nothing will have the final say over His authority, power, and might. If affliction has touched you, it is on a short leash and can only go so far as the Lord allows.

Be encouraged in He who is your help. You may not understand everything that is unfolding, or even what the end of the story may be, but let your heart rejoice with David because we know where our help comes from (Psalm 28:7).

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:1, 10

“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1, 2

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

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Alive in Us | The God We Feel!

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God is not only this great and wonderful God that we read and learn about, but in our walk with Him we experience Him; we feel Him in every area of our lives, and through every situation we face. Even if words escape us and we can’t properly explain it, and even if we don’t see it clearly right now, we know that He is there because we can feel Him alive in us, working around us and through us, covering us, carry us, and holding us through it all.

“The God We Feel!” — Word For Life Says…