I can't tell you how happy I am to learn that many members of your congregation are diligent in living out the Truth, exactly as commanded by the Father...Anyone who gets so progressive in his thinking that he walks out on the teaching of Christ, walks out on God. (vv. 4, 6, 9)It's been a good holiday break. Not good as in easy, mind you, but good in respect to what I see God doing in my heart.
For some reason, I've had the mistaken expectation that my emotions would magically change toward the difficult people in my life. What became crystal clear this week is that the same old emotional reactions are there. The triggers haven't magically disappeared.
What I also discovered is that as I'm depending on God more in the middle of these hurtful memories and experiences, and inviting Him into these emotions, I'm seeing progress in my responses. And as a result, I'm more hopeful that the fleshly triggers will subside as I diligently live in the Truth and that He will empower me to love these people well.
"In this second letter through John, I tell you that My truth lives in you. What you know to be true (My focus in 1 John) is alive in you (My focus in 2 John), not always as passionate excitement but always as a strong and trustworthy anchor. When the storm rages, you can remain faithful, not thrown off course...
"The truth of My story and the words of My love were alive in [My Son], not always as happy emotions but always as an anchoring reality. He walked in truth. I call you to follow that lead." 66 LLThere's still that rebellious part of me that is somewhat resentful that I even have to put up with these dysfunctional relationships. When the storms are raging, I secretly (and sinfully) wish I could just walk away and not deal with them, but I know that's the world's way, not His way. He wants me to trust Him to lead me and to allow Him to sustain me through each one of the difficulties, not just look for the easy way out.
Rather than choosing myself, and my goal of an easy, carefree existence, God is calling me to be diligent in walking in the Truth regardless of circumstances, confident that He is sovereign and always present with me.
"Have nothing to do with purveyors of trouble-free Christianity, with teachers who claim to know the spiritual secret - through prayer or other means - of turning every misery into joy and every trial into blessing. For now, My plan is not to remove trouble; it is to sustain you through trouble, just as My Spirit sustained My Son in faithfulness through all kinds of difficulties. Never support in any way the message of people who believe they have advanced beyond the teaching of Christ [vv. 9-11], who invited you to live an easier life than My Son lived...
"To love in this world means to feel pain and lament failure, to enjoy blessings and celebrate My felt or unfelt presence, but to never let the way you feel determine the way you relate." 66 LL
1 comment:
So glad to hear the hope rising in you in the midst of our recent holiday. Although I was around my Dad for five days, it turned out really well. It was a good holiday. I found myself praising God throughout my time as I reflected on how He has continued to sustain my family and me.
I am very thankful for you and Staci too!!! I am going to try to blog more as a way to show my appreciation for the time you take to express your thoughts feelings. I enjoy reading them each weekday.
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