This is the question our Pastor asked us last night... And admittedly, I've been living on the wrong side for way too long...
The verse he was basing this question on is 2Corthinthians 4:8-9
"We are hard pressed, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not in despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed."
perplexed, but not in despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed."
The left side of the comma is living a life of fear, the right side, a life of trust....
Fear has been my constant friend for months, and unfortunately I've allowed that "friend" to overtake my life. I have given it full reign to control my thoughts and emotions as it desires. I start each day with good intentions, praying to be filled with the Fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control) only to allow a phone call, or a bill, or even someone else's good fortune to quickly squash any hope of a positive day and instantly send me into the swirling emotions of anger, bitterness and hopelessness.
Last night we were given a few definitions of the word trust, one of them being "to lean the weight of your soul on the faithfulness, reliability, integrity or friendship of another person." This says it all, why I am so bitter. We leaned not only the weight of our soul, but everything we own, against someone we thought was trustworthy. We were lied to, we were cheated, we were plotted against - we were betrayed... I want to justify the bitterness by claiming it comes from a "righteous" anger - don't I have every right to be angry and pray for the destruction of my enemies as David did all through the book of Psalms?
But....
I know that God tells me to let it go... to trust Him... He has a plan, one that I can't even comprehend right now... I put my trust at one time in the wrong person, now I need to trust in the ONLY person trustworthy...
So, as I said, I have been living on the fear side of the comma - every day I feel hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted and struck down. Financially we are in a place I never in a million years would have EVER thought we'd be in, but I'm finished, I'm done, I will not live on this side any longer...
Fear has been my constant friend for months, and unfortunately I've allowed that "friend" to overtake my life. I have given it full reign to control my thoughts and emotions as it desires. I start each day with good intentions, praying to be filled with the Fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control) only to allow a phone call, or a bill, or even someone else's good fortune to quickly squash any hope of a positive day and instantly send me into the swirling emotions of anger, bitterness and hopelessness.
Last night we were given a few definitions of the word trust, one of them being "to lean the weight of your soul on the faithfulness, reliability, integrity or friendship of another person." This says it all, why I am so bitter. We leaned not only the weight of our soul, but everything we own, against someone we thought was trustworthy. We were lied to, we were cheated, we were plotted against - we were betrayed... I want to justify the bitterness by claiming it comes from a "righteous" anger - don't I have every right to be angry and pray for the destruction of my enemies as David did all through the book of Psalms?
But....
I know that God tells me to let it go... to trust Him... He has a plan, one that I can't even comprehend right now... I put my trust at one time in the wrong person, now I need to trust in the ONLY person trustworthy...
So, as I said, I have been living on the fear side of the comma - every day I feel hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted and struck down. Financially we are in a place I never in a million years would have EVER thought we'd be in, but I'm finished, I'm done, I will not live on this side any longer...
We are not crushed
God WILL use ALL things for good (Romans 8:28)
We are not in despair
"In God I trust, I will not be afraid" Psalm 56:11
We are not abandoned
"Don't be afraid or discourage, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you." 1chronicles 28:20
We are not destroyed
"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11
God WILL use ALL things for good (Romans 8:28)
We are not in despair
"In God I trust, I will not be afraid" Psalm 56:11
We are not abandoned
"Don't be afraid or discourage, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you." 1chronicles 28:20
We are not destroyed
"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11
THIS is the side of the comma I will choose to live on - the trust side... Admittedly, there will be days this wont be easy to do, but I will hold on to the promises of the bible. I will lean the weight of my soul on the Lord, knowing full well I can rely on His faithfulness, reliability, integrity, friendship....
"In you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed" Psalm 57:1
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