Clinging to Faith
By the grace of God, we cannot quite pull it off. In the quiet moments of the day we sense a nagging within, a discontentment, a hunger for something else. But because we have not solved the riddle of our existence, we assume that something is wrong-not with life, but with us. Everyone else seems to be getting on with things. What's wrong with me? We feel guilty about our chronic disappointment. Why can't I just learn to be happier in my job, in my relationship, in my church, in my group of friends? You see, even while we are doing other things, "getting on with life," we still have an eye out for the life we secretly want. When someone seems to have gotten it together, we wonder, How did he do it? Maybe if we read the same book, spent time with him, went to his church, things would come together for us as well. You see, we can never entirely give up our quest. My world has been turned upside down lately and I say to myself, as a Christian, my joy shouldn't be shaken by these things.. What is going on?
...."you chose to be happy". Make that choice, speak it and believe it!
Lent is often associated with some kind of fast. You’ll hear people say, “I’m giving up something for Lent”—chocolate or coffee or computer games or Facebook. “I’m giving something up for Lent.” Perhaps you’ve heard people say that. Perhaps even you've said that.
Some people fast during Lent just as a means of a discipline or self-control and don’t attach any spiritual significance to that—something like making New Year’s resolutions.
Then there are others who believe that by observing a Lenten fast and denying themselves during these weeks, they can somehow merit the grace or the favor of God. Of course, we know that Scripture says that it’s “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5, KJV). So it’s not a bad thing to fast, but we know from God’s Word that fasting will not earn us the favor or the grace of God.
Then I know of others who fast during Lent as a way of remembering the sufferings of Christ on our behalf. As we come up to the Passion Week of Christ, where we commemorate the death of Christ on our behalf, some people fast as a means of reminding themselves of what Christ has done for us. They deny their flesh during these weeks as a daily reminder that Christ died and He rose again to deliver us from our slavery to self and from our flesh.
I think there is value, no matter how you observe these weeks, in taking periods of time where we just clear out the clutter of our lives, where we say “no” to things that may have become too important in our lives, and we focus on cultivating a greater heart for Christ. As a side bar, and something I need to do more of, say "no" just to have more time to say "yes" to yourself and your relationship with Christ and others around me.
Sometimes we don’t give God a chance to talk. Our minds are made up, our hearts are hardened, and we’re unwilling to listen. We have the hardened soil of a closed mind. What can cause us to have a closed mind? There are three mental blocks:
Pride. We decide we don’t need God’s help because we can handle things on our own. We don’t pray because our pride says we can take care of the problem.
Fear. We’re afraid of what God might say to us. What if he asks us to do something we don’t want to do?
Bitterness. When we hold on to a hurt and choose not to forgive, our hearts grow hard. We become defensive and resistant God’s love, his Word, and his voice.
What is the antidote to a hardened heart? “Get rid of all filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the message God has planted in your hearts, for it is strong enough to save your soul” (James 1:21 NLT). Get rid of all the garbage, the TV, movies, books, magazines, games and websites you shouldn’t be indulging in, and humbly accept God’s Word.
God loves us so much that somethimes he gives us what we need and not what we ask... Something to think about; especially for me right now.
(thanks to Pastor Doug Parsons and Workplace Warriors for insight and contributions)
...."you chose to be happy". Make that choice, speak it and believe it!
Lent is often associated with some kind of fast. You’ll hear people say, “I’m giving up something for Lent”—chocolate or coffee or computer games or Facebook. “I’m giving something up for Lent.” Perhaps you’ve heard people say that. Perhaps even you've said that.
Some people fast during Lent just as a means of a discipline or self-control and don’t attach any spiritual significance to that—something like making New Year’s resolutions.
Then there are others who believe that by observing a Lenten fast and denying themselves during these weeks, they can somehow merit the grace or the favor of God. Of course, we know that Scripture says that it’s “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5, KJV). So it’s not a bad thing to fast, but we know from God’s Word that fasting will not earn us the favor or the grace of God.
Then I know of others who fast during Lent as a way of remembering the sufferings of Christ on our behalf. As we come up to the Passion Week of Christ, where we commemorate the death of Christ on our behalf, some people fast as a means of reminding themselves of what Christ has done for us. They deny their flesh during these weeks as a daily reminder that Christ died and He rose again to deliver us from our slavery to self and from our flesh.
I think there is value, no matter how you observe these weeks, in taking periods of time where we just clear out the clutter of our lives, where we say “no” to things that may have become too important in our lives, and we focus on cultivating a greater heart for Christ. As a side bar, and something I need to do more of, say "no" just to have more time to say "yes" to yourself and your relationship with Christ and others around me.
Sometimes we don’t give God a chance to talk. Our minds are made up, our hearts are hardened, and we’re unwilling to listen. We have the hardened soil of a closed mind. What can cause us to have a closed mind? There are three mental blocks:
Pride. We decide we don’t need God’s help because we can handle things on our own. We don’t pray because our pride says we can take care of the problem.
Fear. We’re afraid of what God might say to us. What if he asks us to do something we don’t want to do?
Bitterness. When we hold on to a hurt and choose not to forgive, our hearts grow hard. We become defensive and resistant God’s love, his Word, and his voice.
What is the antidote to a hardened heart? “Get rid of all filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the message God has planted in your hearts, for it is strong enough to save your soul” (James 1:21 NLT). Get rid of all the garbage, the TV, movies, books, magazines, games and websites you shouldn’t be indulging in, and humbly accept God’s Word.
God loves us so much that somethimes he gives us what we need and not what we ask... Something to think about; especially for me right now.
(thanks to Pastor Doug Parsons and Workplace Warriors for insight and contributions)
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