Marriage often begins with a feeling of euphoria. A long-awaited day of unity sparks a life-change which puts two people on one path. The honeymoon period is followed by a new, shared routine —two lives learning to intertwine. The less selfish and immature each of them are, the closer they can become. Their capacity to grow as a couple depends on common priorities, empathy, mutual respect, trustworthiness, openness of heart, and willingness to continually work for the best interests of the union. [There is a lot more to it, but these are some foundational truths.]
The fresh excitement of the new beginning gives an extra measure of happiness to help propel a couple along their newly-chosen path, but as time goes by, life-challenges have a way of popping up to make progress in unity more difficult. Amid the pressures of demanding jobs and the distractions of outside influences, new homes and the joyous arrival of little ones often bring the strain of mortgages and new large expenses into the mix. This is all just part of “doing life” together. The joys and the struggles are shared …and either serve to bring a couple closer together or drive a wedge between them. It can take a great deal of work to keep two lives lovingly aligned. In many ways, the Spirit-filled life is like a marriage —but with a significant difference. One in the partnership is perfectly loving and unfailingly faithful in every way (hint: it’s not us)! Although peace and joy are fruits of the Spirit, we must work —doing spiritual battle— to remain on our chosen path and stand firm on the truths we know. To grow in this bond, the effort of focus and the discipline of obedience —an active submission— to the holiness of the union must be applied. Some days, this will feel easy; other days, not so much. Jack Lewis spent considerable time exploring the issue of human emotions and how they relate to living a Spirit-filled life. “Don’t imagine it is all ‘going to be an exciting adventure from now on.’ It won’t. Excitement, of whatever sort, never lasts. This is the push to start you off on your first bicycle; you’ll be left to lots of dogged pedaling later on. And no need to feel depressed about it either. It will be good for your spiritual leg muscles. So enjoy the push while it lasts, but enjoy it as a treat, not as something normal.” ~ from Letters of C.S. Lewis “…even genuinely religious emotion is only a servant. No soul is saved by having it or damned by lacking it. The love we are commanded to have for God and our neighbor is a state of the will, not of the affections (though if they ever also play their part, so much the better).” ~ from Letters of C.S. Lewis “The act which engenders a child ought to be, and usually is attended by pleasure. But it is not the pleasure that produces the child. Where there is pleasure there may be sterility; where there is no pleasure the act may be fertile. And in the spiritual marriage of God and the soul it is the same. It is the actual presence, not the sensation of the presence, of the Holy Ghost which begets Christ in us. The sense of the presence is a super-added gift for which we give thanks when it comes, and that’s all about it.” ~ Letters to an American Lady by C.S. Lewis “Don’t bother much about your feelings. When they are humble, loving, brave, give thanks for them; when they are conceited, selfish, cowardly, ask to have them altered.” ~ from Letters of C.S. Lewis As I’ve written before, living a Spirit-filled life frees us from living under the burden of the law. With God’s priorities written on our hearts and shared through Spirit-promptings, we are freed from a rule-book way of life!
God’s heart-written holiness doesn’t promote an anything-goes lifestyle, by any means. We must be careful. The Spirit can give feelings —of peace and joy, of love and mercy. The Spirit can nudge with warnings and reminders of how it felt to live disconnected from God’s grace. And the Spirit can lay on our hearts feelings which urge us to reach out to others in specific and timely ways in order to minister to needs. However, the fact that the Spirit can communicate through feelings doesn’t make a god of our emotions! A faith based on feelings is nothing but flimsy and fleeting; human sentiment is nothing solid to build a life upon. (It’s funny that those living very uninhibited bohemian-hippy lives are called “free spirits” —when they’ve actually turned themselves into slaves to their own emotions.) An “if it feels good, do it” philosophy is a recipe for disaster. Many a selfishness has been committed by claiming a Spirit-leading which simply wasn’t there. Even our good thoughts and resolutions are weak, and if we place our hopes in our own feelings, we’ll end up bitterly disappointed. Like a castle built of sand, it doesn’t take much to wipe our happiest moods and best intentions away. No, living a Spirit-filled life has nothing to do with relying on mere feelings. {Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.} ~ Romans 14:22b {…everything that does not come from faith is sin.} ~ Romans 14:23b Spirit-promptings can be tested. Do they align with Scripture? Can they be affirmed by other Spirit-filled believers? The indwelling Spirit is Holiness itself! This living connection realigns our every priority, placing the ways and purposes of our God far above our own emotions. The closer we live aligned with His Spirit, the more we hate and dread all that is hurtful to our God —so finely tuned to His heart that we develop an intolerance for words that go in circles, deeds that are thoughtless, for the waste of time of halfheartedness. When the parameters for thoughts and deeds are based on godliness, our standards are raised —not lowered. With less “rules” comes more need to keep alive and well our Spirit-dependence! Living Spirit-powered leads somewhere wholly unworldly — a place called Holiness. We are unbound from old ways and can follow more faithfully in Christ’s out-of-step-with-this-world priorities. But —as with all freedoms— this gift comes with great responsibility. {If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.} ~ James 4:17 {…set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.} ~ 1 Timothy 4:12b {Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.} ~ 1 Timothy 4:15 The Spirit-filled life is God’s plan for sharing Himself with all people. We are His salt and light in this world. To the extent that we allow Him to season and to shine through us, His good and loving purposes are fulfilled for the sake of a holy life which is eternal. For those with the barest of beliefs, they acknowledge a Divine Creator —even if they limit Him to the role of a clockmaker-God, setting the universe on its course and then being on His merry way. For those with the insight to recognize an attention to detail and loving, guiding Hand in the ways of this Providential Being, He can be correctly envisioned as the Source of wisdom and strength —to be sought after and reached out to!
Seekers of Him in our era can find Him in Scripture. Histories are told and letters of both encouragement and admonishment shared. God’s word is filled with parameters, poetry, proverbs, parables, prophecies, and promises. Through it, we can begin to know Him. And through His word, we learn of His great Gift to us —the Word come-to-life! The great God of heaven who rules over all His creation shared a piece of Himself —a Christ conceived by Spirit-blessing. He faithfully reproduced Himself in a version we human beings could relate to; God Himself became a created being! We can follow the SEEN God —the part of Him who walked and talked, healed and warned, lived and died …and came to life again! He was seen by many. His words and actions were recorded from multiple viewpoints by reliable witnesses. And all those who genuinely seek His ways and truths can find them, sharing in the godliness of His eternal life. Since His resurrection, seekers of Him can find Him in Scripture and through accepting the gift of our God’s own Holy Spirit. Placing our trust in His truths in this intimate, interconnected way gives feet to our faith, taking us from head-knowledge to heart-wisdom —providing tangible proofs of an intangible Living Being! We can live a re-born, renewed life by accepting God’s Spirit and allowing His transforming power to rid us of our old, selfish human natures and to fill us instead with His mercy, grace, and love. Our God’s Spirit is a complex Being, of course. We can’t be too surprised when we discover that living a Spirit-filled life is both extremely simple and laboriously difficult. On the one hand, nothing could be more effortless! After all, the power of our risen Lord reminds of important truths, helps shield against temptations, and fights spiritual battles on our behalf. There is only one way for Him to be limited, I believe —and that is by our own heedlessness. The interconnectedness is a partnership. But while He is unfailingly faithful, we can falter. We can fail to honor His presence in our (and others’) lives and thus quench the work of the Spirit. …And therein lies the struggle of the Spirit-filled life: to listen unceasingly, to focus unwaveringly, and to follow consistently. Like most things in this life, it comes down to priorities —the filling of the soul, the intentions of the heart, the training of the mind, and the habits of the body. {…train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.} ~ 1 Timothy 4:7b-8 God’s Spirit answers every seeking. He’s the only Source of any real wisdom and strength and holiness on this earth …and it’s a good thing for us that He has plenty to spare! An entire week spent dealing with yet another health issue has meant no great productivity physically, mentally, or spiritually. …Only enforced rest and chosen trust.
{He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.} ~ Proverbs 2:7-8
Walking in the Way of the Son of God is the only possible way to heaven. It is also the only possible way to live a truly good life —most actually loving, most intentionally holy. It is, however, not the easy way. To set aside our own selfish desires to be the ones being served rather than serving others does not come naturally to the earthbound human race, fallen from our God’s good grace. In fact, it is impossible without the help of God’s indwelling Spirit, and any measure of success in a truly altruistic endeavor in this world (without any taint of a self-centered benefit derived from it) is entirely a Spirit-work. The Holy Spirit —being the intangible version of our unseen God— is easily rejected by a cynical world which (devil-inspired) lumps Him in with space-aliens and the like. But our God Himself is a supernatural Being! We must accept this truth; it’s what makes Him GOD. It is BECAUSE He is otherworldly that we can believe Him when He promises that a life turned over to His saving grace can be transformed by the power of His indwelling Spirit into a holiness which transcends our earthbound humanity! {Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: …to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.} ~ James 1:27 I love this verse because it reminds me that I was rescued out of a rule-focused way of life. Holiness has nothing to do with legalism; it is a Spirit-thing, a condition of the soul. The kind of faith which transforms our human-nature responses isn’t some mere intellectual exercise. It isn’t a meticulous checklist of dos and don’ts. Yes, thoughts are affected, but it’s a worldview change on a soul level. Through His Spirit, God has written His laws on my heart! I am HIS. I simply need to remember this truth. In every annoyance, frustration, and hurt, to the extent that I recall whose I am, I’m empowered to respond with Holy-Spirit grace. “One mustn’t make the Christian life into a punctilious system of law, like the Jewish [for] two reasons. (1) It raises scruples when we don’t keep the routine. (2) It raises presumption when we do. Nothing gives one a more spuriously good conscience than keeping rules, even if there has been a total absence of all real charity and faith.” ~ Letters to an American Lady by C.S. Lewis While on this earth, Jesus showed us how God’s Spirit gives a holy standard which transcends mere rules. For instance, He healed and gleaned on the Sabbath, doing the work of the Father whenever and however there was need. His Spirit demonstrated for us that obeying in technicalities doesn’t reflect the heart of our God. “How little people know who think that holiness is dull. When one meets the real thing (and perhaps … I have met it only once), it is irresistible. If even 10% of the world’s population had it, would not the whole world be converted and happy before a year’s end?” ~ Letters to an American Lady by C.S. Lewis How sad it is that so many look at Scripture as just a big, old rule book! …When it is a treasure trove of wisdom and love which frees us to connect with our Creator and prompts the longing to reflect the holiness of His Spirit. Happy Easter Sunday! He is risen indeed!
LOVE-ARRAYED Head thorn-crowned Hands nail-raised Sacrifice offered For sin not His own Head cloth-wrapped Hands death-stilled Set low in the grave In short-lived demise Head glory-shined Hands scar-displayed Presented to doubters Through Spirit-will alive Head up-lifted Hands grace-outstretched Heartfelt blessings flowing When timely heaven-raised Head God-crowned Hands wide-spread Forgiveness offered To all who shunned Him ~~~ Head low-bowed Hands prayer-stilled Gift glad-accepted With heart penitent ~ Juliana L. Locke “She takes such good care of herself,” (as in describing a woman whose appearance is highly groomed and polished) is far more likely to be considered a positive in our current culture than “She takes such good care of others” (as in describing a woman who prioritizes the needs of others over herself). The one is focused on self-care and the other pours her energies into the wellbeing of others (much less tweezed, combed, and manicured); the first is highly praised while the other is often considered a frump, a doormat —and yet, a woman of God is to:
{…dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.} ~ 1 Timothy 2:9-10 {Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.} ~ 1 Peter 3:3-4 “He’s a real go-getter” (as in describing a man who is ambitious and driven) is far more likely to be considered a positive in the workplace than “He is such a caring man” (as in describing one who takes the time to really get to know his co-workers or employees and prioritizes their needs). [These comparisons can go either way, of course; a man can over-prioritize his appearance and a woman her career ambitions…] The one is focused on climbing the corporate ladder and the other is after a team success rather than an individual triumph; the first is respected and admired by the world while the other is often overlooked —and yet, one who belongs to God is to: {Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.} ~ Philippians 2:3-4 {…whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. …not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.} ~ 1 Corinthians 10:31b & 33b {…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve…} ~ from Matthew 20:28 I know from 1 Corinthians 13:5 that love honors others and is not self-seeking. And I know that the measure of true success in both this world and the next comes from the Son of God Himself. On the day we celebrate as Palm Sunday, Christ rode into Jerusalem with triumphant fanfare and loud-shouted praises (well-deserving of all of these and more). He had arrived (in every sense of the phrase)! However, Jesus then overturned every worldly expectation by stripping down to the garb of the lowliest of servants and proceeding to wash His disciples’ feet. Choosing not to care how it appeared or what personal advancement He was rejecting, Jesus instead demonstrated the very heart of our God —humble, selfless, and truly loving. I can set for myself this day the most worthy of goals: to follow in His footsteps. He freely gave His life, finished His work, and completed His task —telling us and showing us (through every word and deed) the good news of God’s selfless grace …which leads to glory! {Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.} ~ 1 Timothy 3:16 We can either choose to try to shine ourselves (and no amount of spit and polish can actually achieve this) or we can choose to reflect the truth of our God’s glory.
As human beings, we all set goals; it’s as natural for us as breathing. (Even those who think they don’t aim for anything have set themselves the goal of aimlessness!) The most worthy of goals: seek His face by faith and continue on His path, aligning all lesser goals with His Way. {…one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.} ~ Philippians 3:13b-14 {…I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.} ~ Acts 20:24 Situations turn stressful when they slap us with our own limitations; if easy for us to resolve on our own, there would be no struggle.
When most days of late bring battles in which I strive to keep stressors in their place (and must deal with physical issues —ranging from annoying to debilitating— triggered by these external pressures), and I fight to keep myself on the path of holiness which alone provides God’s peace, there is a definite side-benefit. I must walk in the keen awareness of my dependence on my Savior. Not only am I reminded of how much I needed His redeeming grace in the first place but of how much I must rely upon Him constantly in order to live fearlessly and contentedly in this frustratingly anxiety-inducing world. My present circumstances reveal the truth to me: I can do nothing good without the help of an Almighty God! I can do NOTHING without Him —not move, not even sit still! The ability to do ALL things comes from HIM. The knowledge of this truth is a gift! For most of us believers and followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, the over-the-top examples of the devil’s evil influence on this earth can seem rather distant. Through television or the internet we might see blatant instances of the antichrist spirit hard at work in great injustice and acts of cruelty. On a daily basis, this spirit is much more difficult to recognize. We’ve been so conditioned by our society from birth to accept as normal certain ways of thinking that we sometimes struggle to identify the anti-God spirit in the subtle everyday-evil mindsets around us —in our workplaces, neighborhoods, and homes. Case in point: a self-focused self-reliance is highly praised in increasingly universal ways. People love stories of “self-made” successes. Those who pull themselves up by their own bootstraps are highly commended in our society. …And it is hard to not appreciate the hard work and dedication which many are capable of achieving in this world (especially since our Creator gifted us with the ability to apply ourselves devotedly to whatever goals we choose to pursue). Hard work and dedication are, actually, neutral qualities; even the devil and his minions are hard workers, very committed to their cause, after all! Worthiness of a goal (using God’s measure only) is the factor which determines whether attributes are a positive or a negative —a good or an evil. By this Divine gauge, even aims which don’t seem bad can fail to qualify as a true good; if a goal is not within God’s best place and time, it simply falls short. Anything self-focused cannot be God-focused. Anything built by self-reliance has a foundation of sinking sand —and can fall like a house of cards! Without the Rock, all applications of God’s good gifts eventually crumble into nothingness. Beyond the basic target, a key problem is the self reliance which cuts a loving God out of the equation. Self-made success stories receive many accolades …and back-patting leads to pride-puffing. Anything wrapped up in self leads to arrogance —a distortion of reality and lack of gratitude for the blessings which made possible any and every so-called self-achievement. (Notice that every single beastly attribute is wrapped up in arrogant pride; and in sharp contrast to this arrogance which grows from every self-focus, every single aspect of God’s Son’s visit to this earth was marked by humility —from His birth to His death.) Since, on our own, we can do nothing good, it’s important that we acknowledge that anything we think we’ve achieved or made or planned or originated or designed is nothing less than a gift from our God —a reshaping of what He alone has shared with us! Any other mindset allows evil to thrive and spread. There are probably two main reasons people turn away from God. …Anger: He won’t give something wanted or He wants something we don’t want to give. …And self-satisfied self-sufficiency: we simply (and stupidly) think we don’t need Him. {It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.} ~ Mark 10:25 …Not just finances, I believe; anyone rich with resources which become a distraction from the Truth are at an increased risk of believing that their “enough” is enough —that this world is enough. Those gifted with talent in the arts which offers them time in the limelight; those with the capacity and determination to fill their heads with knowledge of some subject; those who are regarded as very good-looking or especially adept at some sport; those blessed with exceptionally supportive relationships; those matched with employment opportunities where their skills are in great demand… All these and more can be used by Satan to distract a person from seeking to fill the God-shaped void in their soul. This truth makes the heightened awareness of my own limitations —and the humility that comes from it— into a treasure! I can thank God that I am poor in spirit so that I can be made rich in His Spirit. To learn to be humble is a pricelessly valuable lesson in an arrogant world in which over-confidence is prized and pride in self-sufficiency is the standard. {if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.} ~ 2 Timothy 2:13
Perfect holiness is the only thing that can permanently defeat the devil —a level of perfection promised us on the heavenly side of God’s Kingdom …but a worthy lifetime goal for all of His people. These spiritual battles are well worth the winning for future Kingdom glory but also in order to live our lives increasingly free from our anger- and anxiety-triggers and be lifted into the holiness of our perfectly loving God in the here and now. I wish I could say I “lived” there, but I’d no sooner emerged from enduring one spiritual battle than I’ve found myself entrenched in yet another worry-inducing situation. (This one merely affects my home and belongings and finances). Although it can certainly be true that whenever I get lazy and let my spiritual guard down a new anxiety-riddled assault is likely to present itself, this particular set of stresses is simply the result of living in a decaying, troublesome world …combined with the limitations of my own resources. And although these circumstances aren’t likely a result of Satan’s workings, he most definitely is active in stirring up fears and frustrations about it (and gleefully enjoying my sorry state of affairs). I have to pause and wonder why the devil feels the need to keep me under such constant assault right now. I believe that all painful circumstances have a purpose, and God would not allow this bombardment of stress-triggers if not for my own ultimate good —to grow and stretch me in His direction! So, what great thing does God have planned and what good thing is God preparing me for? I must keep my soul-eyes lifted up in order to see… If all that I have is truly His, then these are His problems as much as mine; this is truly a burden shared —and shared with One with infinite strength, wisdom, and resources! The Lord I follow will show me the way through. Whenever worries well up, I need only seek His face, allowing all else to drain into its place, insignificant in comparison to His glory. He alone can turn my worry into wonder. The God who provided a timely car [see my Battle Truth #377] will make sure that I have all that is needed for each and every one of my days. I am weak, but He is strong. …Always, every minute of every day, endlessly. He is not ruled by any whims. He has no moments of worry or fear, and His goodness never rests. {Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.} ~ Hebrews 10:23 In my experience, although Satan will get bored and tired of failing, his retreats won’t last indefinitely as long as he has any hope of eventual success. So, he’ll come back and try again, turn tail and run away, and then later creep back to try once again (maybe with some new twist on his sneaky tactics).
Of late, the devil has been causing me to fight many spiritual battles, but it is less often my anger which he is using to try to twist into a weapon against me; it is worry. It’s been tried before, of course. There have been health, relationship, and financial concerns which’ve arisen and threatened to overwhelm. Recently, it has been maternal anxieties —although my children are no longer little kids but grown and capable adults, raised to make their own decisions (and suffer their own consequences). Being lovingly supportive of adult children, though, means being ready to offer advice when asked and to sometimes step in to provide assistance when needed. How much and in what form that help ought to take is often a tricky thing, requiring much wisdom. In the face of a worrisome situation, I pray for my child and I pray for the wisdom to know how best to help them. But, as a mother, I’m particularly vulnerable to falling into the anxiety-trap (and speaking to other mothers confirms this truth). We can reach out with some kind and thoughtful words and deeds, but it never feels like enough. It’s not a rational thing; even when physical or practical considerations prevent us from doing more, a nagging uneasiness can sneak up and torment us. This feeling is likely a holdover from the days when we had charge of their little lives. It was appropriate then that we actively try to fix every problem and wipe away their every tear. But now, they have other people in their lives who must be trusted to provide aid when needed. Our grown children are also more resourceful and resilient than we often give them credit for, and they don’t really need us to come rushing to their rescue, I know. And yet still… I’ve just spent the past several weeks in the trenches of this particular spiritual warfare. I prayed, and wisdom was given to enable me to provide what assistance I could —and should— at this time, in this particular situation. But I longed to be able to do more. I was battered by feelings of ineffectuality and of frustration at my own limitations, discovering that it is one thing to learn humility in many areas of my life, but admitting weakness as a parent really hits me where it hurts! The turning point in this extremely emotional battle actually was achieved through the same acceptance I’ve learned in my time fighting anger-triggers. My most effective weapon was forged by God’s Spirit-reminders that my own weakness in any of these areas only provides another opportunity for God to reveal His strength in my life. As my loving Heavenly Father, no one understands parental concerns like He does —and He reached out to comfort me in my distress —reminding me that my children are HIS children, and as such, He deals with them just as completely lovingly as He has dealt with me. I was weak with worry, but HE stayed strong! I’m not God; HE is. Trusting in Him means putting my most beloved in His hands …and keeping them there. Many times, our own anger isn’t righteous. Sometimes, it is based on selfishness —on not getting our own way. Lack of sleep, needing a snack, small stresses and frustrations adding up… Like little children, our tempers can flare over extremely small and petty things.
These feelings of anger are still acting as our dashboard lights. The message may be as simple as: You need to slow down and take better care of yourself! Maybe we’ve failed to set some healthy boundaries and are now suffering the consequences. If we have been lazy, distracted, or self-absorbed, our life-situations will usually eventually reflect it. Something needs to change. Then, there are the circumstances where our frustrations are valid and understandable; but our knee-jerk responses —not so much. Rather than repair a wrong, a hasty reaction can potentially cause great harm. A loss of camaraderie, affection, and trust can result from lashing out in the anger and annoyance of normal, everyday struggles and conflicts. You are going along with your day …when a project you’ve spent a considerable amount of time on falls apart, and no matter what you do, you can’t seem to fix it. You are intensely focused on the trickiest part of your task at hand …when someone interrupts your train of thought, causing you to have to start all over. Instructions you have given (and provided ample reminders) are once again ignored …when you are certain to be especially inconvenienced by this making of additional work for you. Others take out their own frustrations on you …when you did nothing to warrant their vexation. We certainly can’t say that the Holy Spirit doesn’t receive a great many opportunities to help us grow in the godliness of our reactions! Often, it isn’t the major catastrophes but the daily grind of living which gets the best of us. Rather than reaching up in prayer for patient attitudes and gracious words, we snip, we snap, we meltdown. We find our triggers anyplace anytime —sharing the road, shopping, at work, in our own homes… (Sometimes, we can’t even get along with ourselves.) One of the ironies of the transformational faith-walk in our Savior’s footsteps: Satan will spend a chunk of his (and his demons’) time actively working to trip us up, using strategies to derail our progress and hinder our fruitful good works. These tactics range from belittling our efforts to puffing us up with pride —and, yes, even resorting to attempt to spark angry responses from us. And the more closely, the more faithfully, we are walking, the more interested the devil becomes in working against us. The more we are our God’s, the more Satan wants to make us his own. Being naturally greedy, grasping, and petty, even when he knows he can’t have our eternal souls, the evil one will still make an effort to undermine every truly good God-thing …and we must fight to allow God’s transformative power to continue to shape us into the reflection of His righteousness which we really long to be (which is, of course, why I call these blogposts battle truths)! I’ve had quite a bit of experience with these spiritual skirmishes, I have to say. And in my own life, my own natural emotion of anger has been one of the major areas under attack — with the devil and his henchmen doing their best to twist my every annoyance and outrage into tools they can use against me. Although I’m still not perfect at it (and sometimes experience some glaring setbacks), the Holy Spirit has successfully been thwarting these tactics in my life as I make great strides in learning to increasingly trust in God’s truths. Leaning on, hiding in, and battling by the humility of my awareness that I’m God-armed and -armored, I need only improve the hearing in my soul-ears to become strengthened in the Spirit-whispered wisdom needed for each particular assault. And when I fail, I’m learning to simply allow my slip-up to humble me all the more. I thank God for forgiving my moment of weakness, and I request His mercy and grace to empower me yet again for my next spiritual battle, rededicating myself to the wise God-truths with the goal of a Holy Spirit win for every anger-inducing encounter, knowing that without any foothold Satan will have to eventually accept complete defeat. (Hallelujah!) {Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.} ~ James 4:7-8 Test this truth for yourself and see how steadfastly reliable it is! When anger-inducing life-situations emerge (whether naturally or demonically manipulated) we can pray to receive the extra measure of wisdom and love which is a true God-thing. Anger is what prompted Cain to kill his brother Abel.
{An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.} ~ Proverbs 29:22 Why did our Creator give us the emotion of anger when it comes with such a potential for inflicting harm? In chasing down this verity, God reminded me that anger is one of His own emotions, shared with us. And like everything else He provides, it was given for our benefit. Whenever our God gets angry, isn’t it because He’s keenly aware of someone’s wrongdoing? …That something needs to change —to be made right? Like a dashboard light, anger is a sign demanding that our attention be given to a particular situation or relationship. Broken promises, injustices, cruelty —these ought to trigger our anger just as they do our Lord’s! In these cases, we simply add our well-founded indignation to His own. And if we remember that He is the only truly righteous Judge, we bring our petitions before Him in prayer, requesting His intervention. We also seek His wisdom for our responses. Sometimes, we must speak out (calmly and rationally …but loud-and-clearly); sometimes, we need to bravely step in to protect; and sometimes, we can (and should) only continue to pray to speed along the judgement we know is coming! {For a fire will be kindled by my wrath, one that burns down to the realm of the dead below. It will devour the earth and its harvests and set afire the foundations of the mountains.} ~ Deuteronomy 32:22 A healthy fear of His righteous judgment ought to help us to steadfastly determine never to trigger our Almighty God’s anger! …And to desire with all our hearts to only love and hate what He loves and hates, aligning ourselves at all times and in all ways with Him. The evidence of true faith is found in actions —our responses to those around us (see James 2:14-26). …The Word of God so alive and active in our lives that our words and deeds are harmonious and serve as a mirror of His wisdom, mercy, and love.
{My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.} ~ James 1:19-21 What’s the problem with freely expressing our every natural feeling of anger? I think the danger lies in the fact that, of all our emotions, anger can be so easily twisted into sin —resentment and bitterness and hurtfulness. Anger, given a free rein, can so easily bring out the worst in us. (We all probably know someone with Donald Duck tendencies, muttering, sputtering, and temper-tantrum-ing their way through life!) {In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.} ~ Ephesians 4:26-27 Although our emotions are God-given, we are a weak people with an extremely undesirable tendency to allow our reactions to hurt others. This is our curse —and we desperately need our loving Creator’s saving grace to lift us out of our fallen state of humanness and empower us to deal graciously with an entire world of other cursed human beings (some of whom seem to actually enjoy spreading strife and inflicting hurtfulnesses). Do you want to be blessed by God? Choose Him. Every day. Live in HIS Way. Follow the example of the Living Word. {Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.} ~ James 1:22-25 The key truth to remember in this particular mirror is that all of our wrongs have been paid for by Christ —those done by and to us. He suffered so that we can be healed; He was cursed so that we all can be blessed! His feet punished for everywhere we have gone but shouldn’t have His hands wounded for every misguided action we have done The crown of thorns piercing our every selfishly wayward thought His side-stabbing marked our bent to be led astray by our hearts ~ Juliana L. Locke The wisdom to live in submission to this truth helps us to become less judgmental of others —and less prone to react harshly when angered. {Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. / There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?} ~ James 4:10 & 12 We’re loved as we are but rescued to become better, to become more. Accepting this truth gives freedom from our curse and the capacity to extend grace just as He did (and does), as we cling to the knowledge of the reality of His blessing. We become known as God’s own by our commitment to His good works —by how we treat the lonely and overlooked, the widows and orphans in dire need. God notices …and blesses those who put their faith into practice to help the helpless. And we are known by how we treat those who disagree with us and those who anger us —by how we speak to and about them. Only a very mighty God has the power to transform hurtful human beings into a holy people. Only a very loving God could offer us the opportunity to truly change, to live above our own natural reactions and to be set apart from the ways of this world. And only a completely Great and Awesome GOD would allow us to host His life-changing Spirit, transforming us for an eternal Kingdom …in a moment …and day by day. I can’t help but feel disappointed when I share about a difficult time I’m going through and the hearer responds by sending me their “good thoughts.” That they might wish me well (as opposed to wishing me ill, I suppose) is meant to make me feel better, but it’s certainly not what I need —like a pat on the head when it’s medicine that is required. (Political correctness watering down actual goodness.) The truth is that human thoughts are weak; prayers are powerful because they’re heard and responded to by an Almighty God! Our weaknesses don’t need human well-wishing but the energy, strength, and potency of God’s blessings.
That we will feel hurt and disappointed by others is as inevitable as our disappointing them. It is one of the most frustrating things about being human. And while we’re on this earth, our emotions have the unfortunate tendency to rise up and take charge of our responses. Now, don’t get me wrong; I believe we were designed with emotions and meant to express them —even anger. …Not to pride ourselves on bottling them up and/or using passive-aggressive means to convey them. But I can’t help but inwardly cringe as we head into another major election year, knowing that thoughtfulness tends to fly out the window and the offensiveness of ridiculously bitter political battles will leave many wounded in its wake. {All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.} ~ James 3:7-8 Since we can’t be trusted to control our own reactions, we need to put ourselves under the authority of The Only One with the wisdom and power to appropriately direct our responses. At times, Jesus felt and expressed anger while on this earth. Did He shout? …Possibly. It can be difficult to discern volume and tone from a reading of Scripture. But we do know of a very dramatic example of His righteous indignation vented at those defiling the spirit of worship and disrespecting His Father which took both verbal and physical expression! (See John 2:13-17) I don’t see where we are called to “do the same” in this instance; it seems to me very much a Son-of-God preview of some Divine justice enacted as much as it is a long-time-coming attempt to set things right in this extremely warped world. No, we’re not called to make (physical or verbal) whips but to wield powerful prayers! Jesus was pretty specific about our need to redirect our emotions, channeling our responses to hurtfulnesses by the mighty love of our God. We’re called to patiently endure and to turn the other cheek, giving up our right to justice for the sake of our trust in the Lord of lords who will ultimately set every wrong right. {Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.} ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:13b-15 {May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.} ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 Caring for others while recovering far more slowly than I’d like…. My January is slipping by nowhere near as planned. (It cracks me up that there are those desperately trying to “rule the world,” when it’s obvious that none of us even truly controls any tiny part of our own little lives!)
I’ll be back soon —only if God is willing. Well, there is nothing like cold-and-flu season to highlight human frailty! As illness makes its rounds through my household right now, I can’t help but long all the more for my future heavenly home —where an eternity completely devoid of sickness, hardship, and pain will reign …and sinful selfishnesses will never again prevail.
Because of the working of God’s Spirit, every day brings a fresh newness —the sort of clean slate people long for at their celebrations of the arrival of each new year. More than just some excuse to party, a new beginning should be a refreshing time of introspection and reflection —a reevaluation, a measurement, and a course-correction.
I set myself quite a few goals in 2023 and made some inconsistent headway in developing some better habits in my life. This year, my plan is to soldier on, asking God to grow more of His patient endurance in me. The aims of last year were good; in 2024, I need the help of the Holy Spirit to further cement these resolutions into the very best aspects of daily routines —with no sense of drudgery but only a reliably beneficial pattern of faithfulness. This year, more than any other I can recall, I have sensed a disillusionment with the tradition of New Year’s resolutions. People have experienced over and over again the frustration of setting goals with the best of intentions …only to fail (oftentimes within the very first month)! This is because we are, after all, “only human.” We are limited. Inventors, athletes, scholars, and artists —all who persevere and accomplish worthy aims with great self-discipline— are applauded because of the rarity of the achievement! On our own, we human beings will always eventually disappoint ourselves and others. Sadly, this we can count on. However, this is not as much of a gloom-and-doom message as it sounds; our very limitations are purposeful! It is our reminder that we are not gods. {Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”} ~ Luke 18:27 Everything we lack is a need intended to be filled by our Creator. We need only ask. And like the Good Father He is, God delights in uplifting us, holding us close, and lavishing His powerful love upon us. Our own human frailties —when channeled through our God’s mighty love— become a positive. Within every fault and every failure is the potential for our redemption story, our reason to turn to and lean on Him! {But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.} ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 Did you bristle when I pointed out what accomplished failures we human beings are? Did you find yourself thinking, “Hey! I’m not so bad. After all…”? If so, it may be time for a reality check. A lifetime of gold stars given out for every minuscule achievement (even for managing to grow another year older!) has possibly warped your perspective. This year, a worthy goal would be to spend some time before your Creator getting real about yourself! Humbly accepting our own limitations can become the first step in the faith-journey to wisely tap into the transformative power of our God, following in the footsteps of His Son who demonstrated the greatest humility of all —in order to raise us far above …ourselves. {For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.} ~ Hebrews 4:15-16 Our weaknesses, when put into the perspective and under the power of our Savior, become a means of sharing in the sympathies of our Lord. Just as He has compassion on us because He knows how very difficult it is to live as a frail human being in this flawed and fallible fallen world, we can show care and understanding to others, forgiving those who disappoint us —just as we hope to be forgiven for disappointing them. In the spirit of seeking God’s refreshing newness… I’ve been spending time in prayer to confirm His will for a renewal in this website, an alteration which I’ve had laid on my heart to make. I’m not sure whether it’s a temporary or a permanent change, but beginning this month, I’ll be switching to a weekly rather than a daily format. (My postings will be longer, but the writing more cohesive, I hope.)
The goal which God set for me in the creation of this blog was “His words in His timing.” This hasn’t changed! From almost the very beginning of my Spirit-poured writings, I was able to envision three goals God had in mind. The first was all about drawing me closer to Himself. Through coming to Him with an open heart and refilled soul every morning, I am growing beyond a mere clock-watching devotional routine. Through the more difficult, unpopular messages, I’m learning to disconnect more from this world and aim for His approval before all others. Through researching themes and the excitement of discovering wise and fitting Scripture passages, my connection with Him deepens. Through the joy and peace I find only in Him, I increasingly desire to seek His face. And through the immense faithfulness He shows to me each and every day, I long to be all the more faithful to Him! It has also been my prayer from the start that God would use these truth-seekings of mine to enlighten and encourage others. My goal of reaching out in this helpful way aligns perfectly with God’s goal of turning hearts toward Him. Whether this blog has been effective or not, He alone can say. I can only continue to do my part; God has always been the Soul-reacher. And so, in guiding me to develop this habit of opening myself to the Holy Spirit and writing these words of encouragement and warning, it’s been easy to see the good intended to spur a deeper soul connection and the growth of more mature spiritual fruit in my own life; and, obviously, posting these writings on a public forum gives the benefit of potentially serving as a bright arrow, helping to point the way to our God through His almighty truths. There has been an additional purpose for these daily postings, however —suspected by me from the first but confirmed by the Spirit over the course of these past few years. This website was intended to act as a weaning aid for the one who chose underhanded stalking, hacking, and hijacking tactics rather than to accept the faith-and-love God and I extended. At first, this person was directed by God to reach out for my help (and I was being especially equipped at that time to respond), but in refusing to do so, God finally (after exhibiting more patience than I’d even known was possible!) declared that enough was enough. My loving Heavenly Father, never wavering in His loving care for me, severed a soulmate connection, drained my heart, and renovated my mind; He began the work of reshaping me, equipping me for some other task(s). Staying away from me, distancing from my life and my loved ones’, was the new (and still appropriate) directive for the miserable soul who chose pride, lust, and greed over faith & love. Ignoring this instruction will only ever result in a continual downward spiral for this beastly one’s life. In many ways, the status of his heart & mind can be measured by God based on any adherence to —or blatant disregard for— these warnings. This is how this blog-site was also intended to function as a helpful tool (since God never asks for anyone to do His will without also providing the means for doing so)! Instead of evilly invading my privacy, access to my very thoughts (and confirmation of my well-being) can actually be found here through my posts. Anyone wanting to connect with me —without actually connecting— could easily do so on a daily basis. —More evidence of God’s overwhelming thoughtfulness and generosity of Spirit! It has been years, however. Time is not standing still. God’s loving care is not being appreciated; warnings are not being heeded. It feels right and Spirit-led that this specific means of helpfulness is now to dwindle. I believe that a weekly format for posting will accomplish God’s goal in His timing. I trust that He has developed in me such a deeply ingrained truth-seeking habit that my daily connection will not ebb …but continue to flow from His Spirit. …So join me this new year in connecting to the Spirit of the God who seeks the renewal of His people! |
TRUTHS FOR SPIRITUAL BATTLESJourneying through this life with the desire of following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ amid the obstacles and distractions of this world is no easy goal. I’ve discovered for myself that it is not an objective for the shallow-minded or fainthearted! The bar has been set incredibly high: the perfection of the infallible God! However, He cares for us with a powerful love and rejoices in our every small, imperfect effort to honor Him. Categories
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