Anger

“The end of a matter is better than its beginning;
Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.”
Eccl. 7:8

Anger held onto becomes bitterness and bears a prideful heart.  Anger is often misplaced judgment.  God says to be angry but to sin not, but He also says not to let the sun go down on your anger.  This is because He knows that if we hold onto that anger, then we are poisoning ourselves and placing ourselves as judge rather than letting Him be Lord and Judge.  Letting go of anger begins with a volitional choice - I will forgive.  Sometimes it takes a while for the emotions to catch up.  In the meantime, talking it out, praying for a humble heart, reminding ourselves that we have chosen forgiveness, and doing something nice for the person can all help bring the emotions in line. 

I have been prideful and guilty of judgment.  I have laid that before the Savior’s feet at the cross.  It will happen again.  But hopefully this lesson is learned and it won’t be such a struggle next time!

Are you willing to let go of the right to be angry because of another person's actions?  Even if they don't apologize?  Are you willing for the Spirit of God to humble your heart?  Are you willing to let go of judgment and allow God to be the Judge?  Here is freedom.  Here is joy.  Here is peace.  May you have the strength today to forgive and let God work. 

All Things Beautiful

"He has made everything beautiful in its time."
Eccl. 3:11

We have had a difficult couple of weeks at our house as one of our boys got life out of sequence and we find ourselves going to be grandparents just 6 months after the wedding.  I have agonized for the sins of this beloved son and his wife, but I also grieve what they have lost - their wedding day joy, their wedding night magic, their relationship with God, and the broken relationship with my husband and I.  But through it all, God keeps reminding me that He will make it beautiful in its time.  This child will be a beautiful gift and when the couple repents and is restored that will be beautiful as well.  We look forward to a deeper relationship with them in the future, and we are hanging on to hope in this time of disappointment and grief.

God makes everything beautiful in its time.  That is according to God's time table - not ours.  Life's hurts happen and we are confused and knocked sideways.  But God promises that "...God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28  Looking back to times in my life that were tough either by life's circumstances or by my own sin, I find that God has truly turned each to good.  No I don't like physical pain, but it has made me who I am and has taught me to rely upon my God day by day.  No, I don't like the pain of broken family relationships, but God has shown Himself to me as Father in a very real way because I had to go to Him and climb into His lap for love and healing and grace and compassion. 

In God's time, all will be made beautiful for those who rely upon Him.  I choose to humble myself today before Him and wait upon Him.  He will make this last event beautiful in His time.  I just need to get out of the way and let Him work.  How about you.  Are you still trying to control the events of your life and others?  Or are you ready to surrender to God all control and allow Him to make all things beautiful?

Growing Up

“For I am confident of this very thing,
 that He who began a good work in you
will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 1:6

I always told you that you have three parents and that the ones here on earth are not perfect, but the One in heaven is.  Our job ended when you became adults.  His will not end until you meet Him in heaven!  He is with you always.  He loves you and will not let you go.  He may discipline, but it is born out of love.

“Thus you are to know in your heart that the Lord you God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son.  Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him.  For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills,..” Deut. 8:5-7

The old covenant promised land here on earth to the Jewish people.  But God has promised the New Testament believers a forever land of great wealth and beauty – heaven.  We cannot obtain it as long as we are here on earth, but we are just journeying through.  Remember that you are aliens here and that your home is really heaven.  Allow God to do a good work in your life now, respond to His discipline, and learn that you might obtain that greater land.  It is not about doing good to earn heaven.  It is about following Christ and His commandments to become the grown up child of God that He will be able to use in heaven.  He who began a good work in you at salvation, will perfect it until you get to heaven!  That perfecting Is a process.  Don’t buck it; embrace it!

 

You are Light

“…for you were formerly of darkness,
but now you are Light in the Lord;
walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth),
trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.”
Ephesians 5:8-9

Several things really stood out to me in this passage.  First of all, “Light” is capitalized – this signifies a person rather than a thing.  Jesus is Light, and we are the temple of that Light!  We are now the Light of the Lord here on earth.  Are you letting that Light shine through your life? 

The next thing that stood our was the fruit of the Light – goodness, righteousness, and truth.  Only goodness is mentioned in Galatians 5:22 where the fruits of the Spirit are listed.  But the Light (Jesus Christ) is our righteousness and He is truth personified.  It makes sense then that our lives should be lived out with bearing these fruits.  2 Corinthians 13;5 says, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!”

Are you living your life in righteousness and truth?  Do you delight in being good? 

Also note that just because we are now Light in the Lord, we still have to choose to walk as children of Light.  It is always a choice.  You can choose to continue after darkness and there will be no righteousness, no truth, no goodness in you, or you can choose to walk in the Light and bear fruit of righteousness. 

It is not an automatic change in our lives.  We must continue to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.  We do this by reading His word and fellowshipping with others.  We are to plan our path and let God direct us. (Proverbs 16:9 and3).