Everyone has days when they need to be picked up. Its like they are hitchhiking on the side of the road with a large bag and hoping that someone will drive by and take them a couple miles so they can continue on their journey. Some days are hard and you may be traveling down life's path and those bags you're carrying are really getting heavy and it would be so nice if someone would just drive by and offer to give you a ride for a couple miles. There's actually a couple verses that talk about this.
Psalm 68:19
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.
Galatians 6:2
Carry each other’s burdens...
When life is getting tough and the journey is getting difficult, God will bear your burdens with you. That means that you can jump in His car and He will give you a lift whenever you need it. Take comfort in that. The second verse though is just as important. Because God carries our burdens we should help others carry theirs. This doesn't mean that we take responsibility of each other's troubles. It means that we lend them a hand, ask to share the load. God doesn't want you to carry someone else's problems for them, He wants you to be available to them, to encourage them, to give them water breaks when they need it, to offer them comfort. We all have our own burdens to carry, sometimes we just need to offer a helping hand, drive someone a couple miles, or walk with them for company. Sometimes people just need that small moment of encouragement to get them through the day with a smile on their face.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Rebirthing Love
Most humans always exclaim about how great relationships are and how those relationships are necessary for existence. Some people need lots of close friends and then some acquaintances to spice things up. Others just need a few friends and could care less about the next person they meet. But I'll admit, there are times when I get drained from relationships. People let you down, expectations change, Satan begins to take over and change your perceptions, teasing you, giving suggestions about what feels right, and clouding your mind with doubts. He literally plays with your emotions and uses them against you to get you caught in a rut, and I'll be honest its not a fun place to be and it can be even worse for those around you. So what do you do when you feel like you can't love anymore? When you're so twisted around mentally by Satan that you don't feel the need to care? The first thing to do is to turn to God, and here's a great verse to start at: Luke 7:47 "Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” In this verse, Jesus explains that your forgiveness determines your love. When you understand that God has forgiven you of a great many sins, you learn how to love like never before. The same is true of forgiving others. The more you forgive others, the greater opportunity for them to love you back. Another great verse is 1 John 4:19 "We love because He first loved us." God loved you first, and because of that you can find the strength to recharge your love meter and share that with other people. Just think about it. God loves you. He loves you enough to forgive all your sins. He has promised to forget them. He has also promised to bless you, to protect you, and strengthen you. God has your very best interests at heart, despite how you respond, react, or even neglect His truth in your life. NO matter how much you ignore God, He cares for you continually. Think about it.....ponder that thought before going on.....let it sink in........
Do you feel better? Do you feel refreshed? So here's the next step. Ephesians 5 says "Follow God’s example....and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us." Let God's love envelope you so that you want to share it with others so that you follow this example: "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Think about that.....have you been compassionate to others? Are you forgiving? Being a forgiving person isn't about liking someone. It's about not remembering what that person did that hurt you and not holding it against them. The first step, is to stop thinking about it, and every time you think about it change your thoughts to something else because then you will harden your heart towards that person and that relationship will be strained, particularly for those who are close to you. Sometimes this will take patience but according to 2 Peter 3:9 God is super patient with us: "Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." God is always looking out for your best interests. He's concerned about you and He wants to talk, comfort, and uphold you. "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us." (1 john 4:16) Rely on God's love because it will renew you. So getting back to those relationships you have that maybe strenuous at the moment. What are you thinking now? Let God's love soak through you so that you are able to fully love those around you. Otherwise you're setting yourself up for failure because without love everything you do will be like a "clanging cymbal" it'll just be noise to that person. What do you want to do? Help those around you recharge through the Love of God? or be constant "noise" that only causes them to be more frustrated at their situation further pushing them into Satan's grasp and cunning.
Do you feel better? Do you feel refreshed? So here's the next step. Ephesians 5 says "Follow God’s example....and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us." Let God's love envelope you so that you want to share it with others so that you follow this example: "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Think about that.....have you been compassionate to others? Are you forgiving? Being a forgiving person isn't about liking someone. It's about not remembering what that person did that hurt you and not holding it against them. The first step, is to stop thinking about it, and every time you think about it change your thoughts to something else because then you will harden your heart towards that person and that relationship will be strained, particularly for those who are close to you. Sometimes this will take patience but according to 2 Peter 3:9 God is super patient with us: "Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." God is always looking out for your best interests. He's concerned about you and He wants to talk, comfort, and uphold you. "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us." (1 john 4:16) Rely on God's love because it will renew you. So getting back to those relationships you have that maybe strenuous at the moment. What are you thinking now? Let God's love soak through you so that you are able to fully love those around you. Otherwise you're setting yourself up for failure because without love everything you do will be like a "clanging cymbal" it'll just be noise to that person. What do you want to do? Help those around you recharge through the Love of God? or be constant "noise" that only causes them to be more frustrated at their situation further pushing them into Satan's grasp and cunning.
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