"Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." - Proverbs 12:18
"Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry." - James 1:19
"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. ... Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." - Ephesians 4:29&32
I have been needing this reminder lately - and it came, all at once...from a friend, in my quiet time, and through a book I've been reading. Lord, help me to be more careful with my words. Help me to use them to build others up instead of tearing them down.
As my friend said: I pray that I would respond today with this kind of love and grace.
"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." - Psalm 19:14
Monday, August 13, 2012
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
"Impressive or Impressed?"
I was struck this Sunday, as we were out of town and visiting a church, how much the message related to things I have been learning lately - about myself, and about how I view myself and what it says about my worship.
The sermon was based off of John 3:27-30, which says this:
John answered, "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.' The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease." (emphasis added)
The pastor asked the question: "Is the aim of your life/day/moment to be impressive, or to be impressed?" He also asked how we define success. I thought I had a good definition of success, that was certainly not based on money...but it was actually misguided in other ways. I judged my success based on the grades I made and whether people like me. Those are not necessarily bad things, but I was focused more on my own honor (or lack of it) than on Christ and what He did for me. I was more inwardly focused than Christ-focused.
Verse 27 says that "a person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven." Whatever intellectual ability I may have, and whatever qualities I have that may make me a good friend - I received them all from the Lord. Yet I have taken personal pride in such things, instead of thanking God for His grace in my life. I want my joy to be complete in Him - simply (wonderfully!) in Him.
I must share a few more quotes - from the pastor and from others that he quoted. 1) The pastor said that "the fight of the Christian life is not to become stronger or better or faster, but rather to become peripheral in your own existence." This is what I want - to become focused on Christ.
2) From Martin Luther: "It is certain that man must utterly despair of his own ability before he is prepared to receive the grace of Christ."
3) And this delightful one from John Piper: "They showed me that the highest mental health is not liking myself but being joyfully interested in everything but myself. They were the type of people who were so amazed that people had noses - not strange noses, just noses - that walking down any busy street was like a trip to the zoo. O yes, they themselves had noses, but they couldn't see their own. And why would they want to? Look at all these noses they are free to look at! Amazing. The capacity of these men for amazement was huge. I marveled and I prayed that I would stop wasting so much time and so much emotional energy thinking about myself."
And this is my prayer as well...that I will "stop wasting so much time and so much emotional energy thinking about myself." I want to be amazed by others and look toward Christ and live in worship, instead of always thinking about how I measure up and trying harder to be what I think other people want me to be, and so always feeling like I've failed.
This may seem like nothing new to some people, but it was a big eye-opener for me, and it also helped to set me free a little. I feel less of a burden to try to be "somebody," and more free to simply be and to worship the Lord.
The sermon was based off of John 3:27-30, which says this:
John answered, "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.' The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease." (emphasis added)
The pastor asked the question: "Is the aim of your life/day/moment to be impressive, or to be impressed?" He also asked how we define success. I thought I had a good definition of success, that was certainly not based on money...but it was actually misguided in other ways. I judged my success based on the grades I made and whether people like me. Those are not necessarily bad things, but I was focused more on my own honor (or lack of it) than on Christ and what He did for me. I was more inwardly focused than Christ-focused.
Verse 27 says that "a person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven." Whatever intellectual ability I may have, and whatever qualities I have that may make me a good friend - I received them all from the Lord. Yet I have taken personal pride in such things, instead of thanking God for His grace in my life. I want my joy to be complete in Him - simply (wonderfully!) in Him.
I must share a few more quotes - from the pastor and from others that he quoted. 1) The pastor said that "the fight of the Christian life is not to become stronger or better or faster, but rather to become peripheral in your own existence." This is what I want - to become focused on Christ.
2) From Martin Luther: "It is certain that man must utterly despair of his own ability before he is prepared to receive the grace of Christ."
3) And this delightful one from John Piper: "They showed me that the highest mental health is not liking myself but being joyfully interested in everything but myself. They were the type of people who were so amazed that people had noses - not strange noses, just noses - that walking down any busy street was like a trip to the zoo. O yes, they themselves had noses, but they couldn't see their own. And why would they want to? Look at all these noses they are free to look at! Amazing. The capacity of these men for amazement was huge. I marveled and I prayed that I would stop wasting so much time and so much emotional energy thinking about myself."
And this is my prayer as well...that I will "stop wasting so much time and so much emotional energy thinking about myself." I want to be amazed by others and look toward Christ and live in worship, instead of always thinking about how I measure up and trying harder to be what I think other people want me to be, and so always feeling like I've failed.
This may seem like nothing new to some people, but it was a big eye-opener for me, and it also helped to set me free a little. I feel less of a burden to try to be "somebody," and more free to simply be and to worship the Lord.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Twice As Good
"Twice As Good" by Sara Groves
When I am down and need to cry 'til morning
I know just where I am going
When I'm in need of sweet commiseration
To speak out loud
Raise a glass to friendship
And to knowing you don't have to go alone
We'll raise our hearts to share each others' burdens
On this road
Every burden I have carried
Every joy - it's understood
Life with you is half as hard
And twice as good
With my good news you're dancing on the table
Babies born, to celebration
The joy of life, oh what a sweet communion
Shared with you
Every burden I have carried
Every joy - it's understood
Life with you is half as hard
And twice as good
I know we're growing older
Can you imagine what that will bring?
It's all a mystery to me now
This one thing will be half as hard
And twice as good
I am a big Sara Groves fan. Her songs are so meaningful and real. Every time I hear this one, I am so thankful that I have relationships like this. I am extremely grateful for the depth of friendship with, and the love and support of, my good friends and family. This is fellowship in the Body of Christ. So I say thank you to them for being this to me - for living life with me and making it "half as hard and twice as good."
I love you guys (you know who you are)...a lot.
When I am down and need to cry 'til morning
I know just where I am going
When I'm in need of sweet commiseration
To speak out loud
Raise a glass to friendship
And to knowing you don't have to go alone
We'll raise our hearts to share each others' burdens
On this road
Every burden I have carried
Every joy - it's understood
Life with you is half as hard
And twice as good
With my good news you're dancing on the table
Babies born, to celebration
The joy of life, oh what a sweet communion
Shared with you
Every burden I have carried
Every joy - it's understood
Life with you is half as hard
And twice as good
I know we're growing older
Can you imagine what that will bring?
It's all a mystery to me now
This one thing will be half as hard
And twice as good
I am a big Sara Groves fan. Her songs are so meaningful and real. Every time I hear this one, I am so thankful that I have relationships like this. I am extremely grateful for the depth of friendship with, and the love and support of, my good friends and family. This is fellowship in the Body of Christ. So I say thank you to them for being this to me - for living life with me and making it "half as hard and twice as good."
I love you guys (you know who you are)...a lot.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Important lessons
Over the past few months, I have really been struggling with my sense of self-worth. I have always been a people-pleaser, but it has really been recently that I've realized how much I allow peoples' opinions of me (or what I perceive to be their opinions) to dictate how I feel about myself. I have put my trust and sense of self-worth in the wrong things, and when I felt like those things were stripped away, I came away feeling empty, inadequate, and like a total failure. The Lord has been reminding me that I need to put my trust in Him alone, and remember who I am in Him.
As I have gone to Scripture to regain that understanding, this is the main point that I have come away with: I have been bought with a price. I am a ransomed child of God. That's all that matters - and in light of that, I shouldn't put myself down or let other peoples' opinions of me decide what I am. I shouldn't be arrogant, but I can have confidence in who I am in Christ.
With that lesson, though, I have learned another one as well. Forgiveness. I have been brought back to Jesus' parable of the unforgiving servant, as well as to Colossians 3:13, which says "as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive." I have been bought with a price, and forgiven...and so just as I have been forgiven, so I also must forgive. It has all been hitting me at once, it seems, but recently I realized that I have been holding on to hurts from years ago - petty things, really - and as cliche as it sounds, I know that my bitterness is really only hurting me.
Bitterness and passing judgment on others is not worth it, at all. God is judge, and only He knows the motives in our hearts. We cannot control the way other people act toward us, but we are absolutely responsible for our own actions. This doesn't mean we should turn a blind eye when people do things that are wrong. I am extremely thankful for the friends and family I have who over the years have been willing to lovingly confront and correct me. Those who didn't condemn me, but gently pointed out my mistakes - they are my best friends, and I will be eternally grateful to them for helping me grow.
So here's to letting go, and learning (with the Lord's help) to forgive...because God knows I have been forgiven MUCH.
As I have gone to Scripture to regain that understanding, this is the main point that I have come away with: I have been bought with a price. I am a ransomed child of God. That's all that matters - and in light of that, I shouldn't put myself down or let other peoples' opinions of me decide what I am. I shouldn't be arrogant, but I can have confidence in who I am in Christ.
With that lesson, though, I have learned another one as well. Forgiveness. I have been brought back to Jesus' parable of the unforgiving servant, as well as to Colossians 3:13, which says "as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive." I have been bought with a price, and forgiven...and so just as I have been forgiven, so I also must forgive. It has all been hitting me at once, it seems, but recently I realized that I have been holding on to hurts from years ago - petty things, really - and as cliche as it sounds, I know that my bitterness is really only hurting me.
Bitterness and passing judgment on others is not worth it, at all. God is judge, and only He knows the motives in our hearts. We cannot control the way other people act toward us, but we are absolutely responsible for our own actions. This doesn't mean we should turn a blind eye when people do things that are wrong. I am extremely thankful for the friends and family I have who over the years have been willing to lovingly confront and correct me. Those who didn't condemn me, but gently pointed out my mistakes - they are my best friends, and I will be eternally grateful to them for helping me grow.
So here's to letting go, and learning (with the Lord's help) to forgive...because God knows I have been forgiven MUCH.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Marriage and Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Since getting married, my eyes have been opened to how selfish and unkind I can be sometimes. During one week in particular, a couple weeks ago, I felt like I was constantly finding fault - especially with my husband. It really hit me in the face, and I asked the Lord to help me. As I was in my quiet time, I read this wonderful passage from some writings by Dietrich Bonhoeffer:
" 'Welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God' (Rom. 15:7). In a word, live together in the forgiveness of your sins, for without it no human fellowship, least of all a marriage, can survive. Don't insist on your rights, don't blame each other, don't judge or condemn each other, don't find fault with each other, but accept each other as you are, and forgive each other every day from the bottom of your hearts. From the first day of your wedding till the last the rule must be: 'Welcome one another ... for the glory of God.' That is God's word for your marriage. Thank God for it; thank God for leading you thus far; ask God to establish your marriage, to confirm it, sanctify it, and preserve it. So your marriage will be 'for the praise of God's glory.' Amen."
It was exactly the word that I needed, so I wrote down and framed the italicized section as a reminder for myself, and this passage has become my prayer for my marriage, as well as learning to become more thankful, encouraging, and appreciative.
" 'Welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God' (Rom. 15:7). In a word, live together in the forgiveness of your sins, for without it no human fellowship, least of all a marriage, can survive. Don't insist on your rights, don't blame each other, don't judge or condemn each other, don't find fault with each other, but accept each other as you are, and forgive each other every day from the bottom of your hearts. From the first day of your wedding till the last the rule must be: 'Welcome one another ... for the glory of God.' That is God's word for your marriage. Thank God for it; thank God for leading you thus far; ask God to establish your marriage, to confirm it, sanctify it, and preserve it. So your marriage will be 'for the praise of God's glory.' Amen."
It was exactly the word that I needed, so I wrote down and framed the italicized section as a reminder for myself, and this passage has become my prayer for my marriage, as well as learning to become more thankful, encouraging, and appreciative.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Lost Reverence...
I just read Psalm 7, and the verse that stood out to me the most was the last one, verse 17 - "I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High." (emphasis added)
I recently had a conversation with my husband in which he was telling me that he feels like people have lost reverence for God. He reminded me how, in Biblical times, even God's name was holy, and people were careful about when and how they used it. I'm ashamed to admit that I was kind of flippant about the issue during our conversation - but it showed me how I, too, have lost that reverence. All around me, all the time, His name is used casually. In fact, when I get frustrated, I have a tendency to say "Good Lord"...to which my husband always replies, "One of these days He's going to answer you." Yes, that is somewhat amusing, but not so when I realize what it says about how I'm treating the only, Almighty, Creator of the universe. When He spoke, people trembled. When He walked by, Moses was only allowed to see the back of Him, because His glory was too much to behold, and even the reflection of His glory on Moses' face had to be covered up. We tend to like to think of Him as our close, loving friend, and yes, He loves us, but we also forget sometimes Who He is. He deserves all the praise and honor we have to give, so my prayer is that I will learn to "give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness."
On a side note - I've been married about 3 and half months (I know, not so long yet!), and I am constantly humbled as I live with and learn from my husband. This is not the first time he's seriously challenged me by his attitude or things he's said. I admit that I don't always receive it with grace, but I am grateful. Marriage is truly refining - which can be equally hard and wonderful. All that to say, I'm truly thankful for my husband and all that I'm learning from him.
I recently had a conversation with my husband in which he was telling me that he feels like people have lost reverence for God. He reminded me how, in Biblical times, even God's name was holy, and people were careful about when and how they used it. I'm ashamed to admit that I was kind of flippant about the issue during our conversation - but it showed me how I, too, have lost that reverence. All around me, all the time, His name is used casually. In fact, when I get frustrated, I have a tendency to say "Good Lord"...to which my husband always replies, "One of these days He's going to answer you." Yes, that is somewhat amusing, but not so when I realize what it says about how I'm treating the only, Almighty, Creator of the universe. When He spoke, people trembled. When He walked by, Moses was only allowed to see the back of Him, because His glory was too much to behold, and even the reflection of His glory on Moses' face had to be covered up. We tend to like to think of Him as our close, loving friend, and yes, He loves us, but we also forget sometimes Who He is. He deserves all the praise and honor we have to give, so my prayer is that I will learn to "give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness."
On a side note - I've been married about 3 and half months (I know, not so long yet!), and I am constantly humbled as I live with and learn from my husband. This is not the first time he's seriously challenged me by his attitude or things he's said. I admit that I don't always receive it with grace, but I am grateful. Marriage is truly refining - which can be equally hard and wonderful. All that to say, I'm truly thankful for my husband and all that I'm learning from him.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Pride goes before the fall...
I don't get angry very easily. I'm the type of person who takes a long time to get angry...but once my long fuse is burnt up, watch out. I'm not proud of how I react when I do get angry. I'm just telling what I know of myself. I'd like to think that I try to look for the best in people. I try to show respect to others and learn to love them for who they are. There is one thing, however, that will easily make me lose all respect for others. I don't have any respect for those who make themselves look good by making others look bad, whether it be individuals, organizations, or nations. As I get older, I realize more and more the depravity of the human race, and especially my own depravity. At the same time, I have not lost sight of the good that people do as well. I am eternally grateful for God's grace in our lives...in MY life. I only pray that God will help me to teach my kids (when I have them) to treat others with respect and dignity.
This post started out as a rant against something in people that makes me really angry. However, God graciously and gently humbles me and reminds me that nobody is perfect, and while it still makes me angry, I am as much in need of grace as those people are. I don't have to respect that kind of behavior in others, but I do need to treat them with love.
This post started out as a rant against something in people that makes me really angry. However, God graciously and gently humbles me and reminds me that nobody is perfect, and while it still makes me angry, I am as much in need of grace as those people are. I don't have to respect that kind of behavior in others, but I do need to treat them with love.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)