The stripes of God are far better than any kiss of man.
I have a great family.
I have a wife that loves me, children that are healthy and last, but really first, a God who Loves me more than I can ever know or understand. Is there any words to describe how wonderful Jesus is? I deserve to be rejected out of hand by Him, turned away and cast into the pit, but that is not what I get is it?
Jesus loves me…
Yes, Jesus loves us with an undieing Love, That knows no bounds, The Father’s Love. Yes, He loves us, he’s not left us Alone He’ll be coming back, to take us home. But, until That Day, His Spirit within will keep us close to Him.- Repeat that as many times as necessary.
So we know this; We are indeed His children, and cared for beyond understanding…
So why then this resentment?
You know what I speak of; This underlying anger reveals itself in a myriad of ways; The Spirit will not let it remain hidden. For us, for our family, for me, this lack of surrender has shown itself in piles of clothes around the house. They are clean clothes, but they are in baskets, in all of our bedrooms, not being put away. Now, in my wife’s defense, she has a (then) 1 year old, and a ten year old, and an unemployed hubby, the time: Her plate was full. So what is my problem then with folding and putting away the laundry? Why am I refusing something so menial? Why? Why would I be so petty as to refuse to die that little bit, for those I claim to love?
How ever will I be able to die for another I don’t know when I cannot for those I do?
It’s a Resentment, an “I’m not going to do THAT!” attitude that reveals a deeper problem: a lack of total surrender in an area.
I am unemployed today. I had a struggle over that; I repented. Suffice to say, I worked in a company that just treated me, and everyone else there (but of course, much more importantly me), so despicably as to defy my explanation. I would, normally, go into great, painful, happy, detail, but that is not wise and has been warned against multiple times. Suffice to say, I was not happy about the situation. Once repented of I was able to move on.
Now why was that? Has not the LORD of all, Jesus Himself, not taken my sin upon Himself to free me from everlasting torments? Did He not use a tough job to pay my bills for FOUR years? Yes, yes he did. So why, then, was I being such a… noodge? In a word, Sanctification. Sanctification is a process, not a goal to be reached.
Yes, we are talking death of self here; The Christian’s ongoing, daily struggle, that must be dealt with, my dear Brother, or you can bet your bottom dollar the Spirit will not let you rest until you do. Whatever you refuse to handle He will bring back around until you do (Hence, my being up at 7 am writing this.). You are Christ’s and He can do with you as He chooses, remember? But really, what do you have to be worried about?
The stripes of God are far better than any kiss of man
(Job 5:17)
Bitterness is an evil thing, but God uses everything to His ends when you are His.
Rest in that knowledge. Ponder that carefully. Even your struggle with bitterness can be useful in His Hands as He molds you into what He wants.
Malice is anger unchecked. Bitterness can be such a problem that, if not faced in reality and repented of, that it poisons every relationship. Like a festering sore, you must handle the anger, the bitterness, or face the very painful results.
My middle son recently got a cut on an index finger. It was not big and not too noticeable at first. But sure enough, as he didn’t tell me, it was red and angry and sore soon. Once he (we) dealt with it; once he told Daddy; once he faced the music he thought was coming -but wasn’t real-, and stood up to the pain -which was MUCH smaller than he expected- well then he had a resolution.
I bandaged the wound with some ointment and in a few days the cut was gone.
So what have we learned here, “Ladies and germs?”
We have learned that we are all the same and not one of us doesn’t need to grow up a bit every day. Sanctify us God.
Guess what? You are NOT unusual! Congratulations, take a bow. 🙂
So what do you do now? How do you handle what needs to be handled before it goes any further?
Is this a stupid question?
Yes, yes it is. Because, if you really don’t know at this point, then you have a much deeper problem.
Let gratitude be your attitude…
I have to go now, it’s time to start “folding”….as soon as I get some sleep… but first a “laundry” list to talk with Jesus about… again?
God is good.
Patrick Burwell
OnlyJesusSaves.org
How will you do on Judgment Day?
Test yourself and see at http://HowWillYouDo.org
