I realised yesterday how easy it is to be frustrated with God, but not really acknowledge it. I've been frustrated over a particular issue for a number of years (related to sickness / suffering). But it occurred to me yesterday that I was in fact holding it against God, for allowing it to happen and not intervening. Subtle thoughts can run deep in your subconscious, which you dismiss and bury because they're not "text book", but somehow they won't go away.
Had to acknowledge and repent of it, which felt really good. Felt a new freedom with my relationship with God. Feels like a real weights been lifted.
It occurred to me that a very dangerous type of anger is the one you feel but don't acknowledge. Because then it just seethes under the surface and you don't deal with it.
Tuesday 22 October 2013
Background Noise
Wheels of Sorrow
A friend made me laugh when he came out with the following quote:
"Money will never make you happy, but it does help to oil the wheels of sorrow".
Life and Peace
A verse I've been chewing over these last couple of days:
"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace."
Romans 8:5-6
This verse has really spoken to me as I definitely feel the weight of conviction that I'm more caught up in the physical world (the flesh) than I should be. Preoccupied with material possessions, benefits, pursuits and pleasures, the Spirit is so often shoved into second place.
And this verse says that is death.
Death!!!
That's not good. And the truth is you can feel a death within you when you get preoccupied with the physical. Because it doesn't satisfy, at all. When time with God gets squeezed out you feel very hollow.
These last few days I've reprioritised a few things and it's been really liberating. Setting my mind on the Spirit has been very refreshing. Physical, material things fall out of focus. All of a sudden, they're not so important. Your weight, fitness, bank balance and leisure time — when you set your mind on the Spirit you remember they're just temporary things. This physical world is all passing away.
"but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace" — how awesome is that promise! Life and peace are two things that everybody craves. To be alive spiritually and at peace with God is very, very good. There's an eternal ring to that phrase.
Friday 22 February 2013
There is nothing difficult
This morning I was thinking about God and the concept of difficulty. We often say phrases like "nothing is too difficult for God". Like some things for him are harder than others, but nothing manages to overwhelm him.
But then you think, does the word 'difficult' even apply? Does God find anything remotely hard? God just speaks and the Universe obeys. In fact, the whole universe was created by his word. God speaks, stuff happens, there is no 'difficult'.
As I was thinking about this I had the book of Psalms open and happened to read Psalm 29:
3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over many waters.
4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
7 The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.
8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bare, and in his temple all cry, "Glory!"
10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.
11 May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace!
When we think about prayer, no request is bigger or harder or more difficult for God than any other. And nothing is too small, because his love is great and his capacity is infinite. We just need God to speak, to hear his voice.
Get with the times...
"In the whole of world history there is only one really significant hour—the present... If you want to find eternity, you must serve the times."
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, p80-81
Growing and Shrinking
Had an interesting conversation with my brother-in-law yesterday. We were talking about various opportunities in life that can be very nerve-racking and challenging. Challenges that basically throw you in at the deep end in a sink-or-swim scenario. Challenges that freak you out a little bit, and threaten you with a good dose of humiliation should it go bad.
They're the sort of challenges that can offer something amazing, and make you feel like a king, but where the risk of failure is quite high.
When those opportunities are presented to you, there's no going back. You will either shrink or grow as a person. If you take it on, you will grow and learn, whatever happens. And it may go very well. If it goes badly, you will still grow as you will no doubt learn something. And you had the courage to give it a go.
But it you decline such an opportunity, you inevitably shrink as a person. You reject a new experience, and perhaps reinforce your fearful tendencies. The opportunity may never come round again.
