Life happens, and you realize you're not reacting well. You're upset when you shouldn't be, or frustrated over nothing (or what should be nothing).
What do you do?
I suspect it is not enough to say to yourself "I shouldn't feel this way, so I won't." It is good to perceive you shouldn't feel this way, but emotions don't turn off just because you decide to stop feeling them. I think the way to proceed is to say to God, "I shouldn't feel this way, but I do. Help me." This expresses our reliance upon God, rather than assuming we can independently control our feelings.
Dwelling in unity
How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! Psalm 133:1
How good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters care about each other, not just about getting the job done or about doing what the boss wants.
How good and pleasant it is when you can express your concern that someone is being treated unfairly, and you are heard, even if you don't have all the right words to express it.
Unity is not when people agree on every detail -- that probably rarely happens. Unity is when colleagues trust each other enough to express what they really feel, and trust each other enough to listen to how the other feels, without being disappointed or threatened.
How good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters care about each other, not just about getting the job done or about doing what the boss wants.
How good and pleasant it is when you can express your concern that someone is being treated unfairly, and you are heard, even if you don't have all the right words to express it.
Unity is not when people agree on every detail -- that probably rarely happens. Unity is when colleagues trust each other enough to express what they really feel, and trust each other enough to listen to how the other feels, without being disappointed or threatened.
Do you remember the first time you read Scripture aloud?
We're in Uganda right now, helping some new Bible translators learn how to translate into their languages. Last weekend, each team visited some other speakers of their language with their draft of the Good Samaritan story.
One man read the passage aloud, as someone in our group recorded him. He asked to have a copy of the recording for his computer. He said it was the first time he's ever read Scripture aloud in his own language, and he wants to be able to share that moment with his children.
One man read the passage aloud, as someone in our group recorded him. He asked to have a copy of the recording for his computer. He said it was the first time he's ever read Scripture aloud in his own language, and he wants to be able to share that moment with his children.
Fenelon on God's grace
God performs everything in us, but does it with and through us. It is his grace when I do what I should and do not what I should not; when I endure difficulties, resist temptation, believe and hope in God’s presence even when I don’t feel it. He invites my cooperation, he does not regularly transform me or my circumstances until I ask for it, until I lay my heart open before him and admit my present weakness and awkwardness.
A paraphrase from Francois Fénélon.
http://www.iinet.com/~passtheword/DIALOGS-FROM-THE-PAST/innerlife.htm (to find the passage I'm paraphrasing, do a search for "grace" on that page.
A paraphrase from Francois Fénélon.
http://www.iinet.com/~passtheword/DIALOGS-FROM-THE-PAST/innerlife.htm (to find the passage I'm paraphrasing, do a search for "grace" on that page.
A prayer of thanks
Oh Lord, remembering you makes such a difference.
It hurt when my friend mocked my secret weakness.
Did he know, how dare he?
When I remembered to give you this care,
You took it, and soothed the pain,
Now I can offer peace to others,
Not demand that I be soothed.
It hurt when my friend mocked my secret weakness.
Did he know, how dare he?
When I remembered to give you this care,
You took it, and soothed the pain,
Now I can offer peace to others,
Not demand that I be soothed.
A good poem
Tim is a colleague that I've friended on Facebook, but may never have actually met. He wrote a poem which struck me this morning:
Read Tim's whole poem.
The second line grabs me. How I long for attention and distraction. Surely the love of God should fill up my need to be noticed. But it doesn't. I want attention now.
And when God loves me so, why am I so eager for distraction, to escape and kill time?. Why do I not appreciate the gift of this life God has given me?
Lord, open my eyes again to see the length and height and breadth of your love for me.
Be still, my soul.
Let my self with its need for attention, distraction and connectedness
Melt into the background
Like hard wax becoming molten in the presence of your flame.
Be still, my soul,
Relax the hand that grasps
Into an open hand
From which my empty trinkets can be taken
And into which blessings dropped easily.
Read Tim's whole poem.
The second line grabs me. How I long for attention and distraction. Surely the love of God should fill up my need to be noticed. But it doesn't. I want attention now.
And when God loves me so, why am I so eager for distraction, to escape and kill time?. Why do I not appreciate the gift of this life God has given me?
Lord, open my eyes again to see the length and height and breadth of your love for me.
Job's faith
I've marveled at Job's faith in Chapter 19, when in the midst of his pain he suddenly confesses hope: "I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God." (Job 19:25-26)
I've just noticed he had a similar moment of hope in chapter 16:
"Even now my witness is in heaven;
my advocate is on high.
My intercessor is my friend
as my eyes pour out tears to God;
on behalf of a man he pleads with God
as one pleads for a friend." Job 16:19-21.
Job sees even in his suffering that God is more than the righteous judge, but also the one who takes our side, who seeks to be merciful. We can have faith in life's perplexing moments that God, our advocate and intercessor pleads for us.
I've just noticed he had a similar moment of hope in chapter 16:
"Even now my witness is in heaven;
my advocate is on high.
My intercessor is my friend
as my eyes pour out tears to God;
on behalf of a man he pleads with God
as one pleads for a friend." Job 16:19-21.
Job sees even in his suffering that God is more than the righteous judge, but also the one who takes our side, who seeks to be merciful. We can have faith in life's perplexing moments that God, our advocate and intercessor pleads for us.
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