Remedy for frustration and discouragement

Has anyone else noticed that people seem to be meaner towards each other than they used to be? Sarcastic barbs, name calling, quick judgments that fit into neat "sound bytes" have become the norm, and not just in the entertainment news. Politics, the "blog world," are filled with people's opinions that are too often unkind and inflammatory.

Mama Bev, are you mounting your own "negative tirade?" That is not my intent, I assure you. I was thinking about this subject today, as I received yet another letter from a "Christian leader," decrying the potential loss of freedoms in America and how we Christians must take a stand and strongly oppose, etc. I cried to the Lord, "How long, Lord. . ." I could sense discouragement rising in my soul; I knew that, left to myself, anger would soon follow, with bitterness and cynicism not far off. "Lord, what's the answer for this? What do I do and think?"

Finally. . .whatever is true (honest, upright, sincere)

whatever is noble (dignified, qualities which do not repel, but invite, attract)

whatever is right (following God's rules and ways)

whatever is pure (free of deceit, not suggestive)

whatever is lovely

whatever is admirable

if anything is excellent or praiseworthy (of high moral quality)

think about such things (concentrate on, give careful attention to)

Whatever you have learned

or received

or heard from me

or seen in me

put it into practice

And the God of peace will be with you.

(Philippians 4:8-9 NIV)

If this passage is familiar to you, it's probably in the context of "don't watch horrible movies; don't gossip about people; don't flirt, and such" and it certainly does apply.

However, without sticking my head in the sand, how much "brain power" is spiritually healthy and necessary to expend on the seemingly endless negativity encountered on the news (especially), talk radio, even on the internet? What's the answer? Where's the balance?

Paul encountered "negative press" while in prison writing to the Philippian church. He heard reported that "some were preaching Christ out of envy and rivalry. . .out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. . ." (1:15-17 NIV) And Paul's response:

"What does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. . ." (1:18 NIV)

Paul was in prison; what people were saying or doing outside the prison walls were beyond Paul's control. He left the results to his God, and chose to rejoice in what was true, noble, etc.

The following are a few things that are "true":

It's foolish to expect those who are not God-followers to have the same moral and ethical standards as those who do;

God is sovereign; He knows what is being said and done; He is not unaware or surprised by anything happening. All injustice will be rectified in the end.

So, to "put into practice" Paul's example, I should remember that God makes me aware of incidents so that I can be faithful to pray, not so I can get irate and frustrated that the world is not working "my way;"

I can choose to rejoice in anything God-honoring that I see (even if it means I have to look carefully);

I can continue to absorb God's Word, so that when the temptation to be frustrated and discouraged arises, the Holy Spirit can bring to mind the truth.

I feel more relaxed already!

More Soul Care

This year I've been reading a devotional, "At His [Jesus] Feet," by Tiegreen. I've been so challenged and encouraged to look daily at Jesus! I purposely took an aside from my two long-time "friends," My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers and Daily Light on the Daily Path compiled by Samuel Bagster. However, I recently read an article that took me back to "My Utmost" and was again struck by its timeliness, and the Holy Spirit's Sovereign "nudging at my soul. . ."

The following is an excerpt from Oswald Chamber's classic devotional, dated May 15:

God is the Master Engineer; He allows the difficulties to come in order to see if you can vault over them properly - "By my God have I leaped over a wall." (see Psalm 18:29)

God will never shield you from any of the requirements of a son or daughter of His.

Peter says - "Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you."

(see 1 Peter 4:12-13)

Rise to the occasion; do the thing. It does not matter how it hurts as long as it gives God the chance to manifest Himself in your mortal flesh.

May God not find the whine in us any more, but may He find us full of spiritual pluck and athleticism, ready to face anything He brings.

We have to exercise ourselves in order that the Son of God may be manifested

in our mortal flesh.

God never has museums. The only aim of the life is that the Son of God may be manifested,

and all dictation to God vanishes.

Our Lord never dictated to His Father, and we are not here to dictate to God; we are here to submit to His will so that He may work through us what He wants. (emphasis mine)

When we realize this, He will make us broken bread and poured out wine

to feed and nourish others.

I don't want the reputation for being a "spiritual whiner." Actually, isn't that pretty embarrassing for a "mature" person? Now, please understand, that by no means implies that we don't take our hurts, our frustrations, our sorrows to God. As a parent, I want to know when my child hurts. . .and my "baby" is almost 22 years old and married! However, unending "poor me, I'm so miserable" litanies would get old and, frankly, annoying. She's an adult; she has the Holy Spirit indwelling her; she has options.

I have the Holy Spirit indwelling me; I have God's Word at any time I choose to read. I have so much more than so many in this world have. I want to be that vessel that manifests Christ, and points the world to the Eternal God.

The reason for the title "More Soul Care" is this is actually a continuation of the previous post. Reminding my soul that the Christian life is never promised to be a life of ease and no effort actually does bring "light to my eyes. . ." Knowing that I am here for a divine purpose and that my God will be with me always is about as ". . .unfailing love. . ." as it gets.

This is Memorial Day weekend, and Monday is the official remembrance of all those soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who have paid the ultimate price for our national freedom. Shouldn't every day be a "memorial day" to remember the One who paid the ultimate, eternal price for our eternal freedom?

May God be glorified in your life and mine.

P.S. Mom sends a special "thank you" to Diana in Kyrghystan; Charlie and Seth in Iraq. My prayers are constant for you. . .

A little bit of "Soul Care"

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

How long, O LORD

Will you forget me forever?

How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts

and every day have sorrow in my heart?

How long will my enemy triumph over me?
Look on me and answer, O LORD my God.

Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;
my enemy will say, "I have overcome him,"

and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

But I trust in your unfailing love;

my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing to the LORD,

for he has been good to me.

(Psalm 13 NIV)

Please bear with me while I take an "aside" from Psalm 119. Has your week been as exhausting as mine has? Have you felt overwhelmed, underqualified, emotionally spent, physically weary, mentally numb and, worst of all, spiritually discouraged?

As I was crying out to God with the most eloquent of prayers, "Please, Help!" I read this psalm. What an encouragement! I took David's inspired advice, and started counseling my heart. . .

God, I can trust in your unfailing love, because You are absolutely trustworthy.

Oh, my heart does rejoice in Your salvation! I don't deserve Your love; I can't do anything to earn it; but You have graciously saved me; You love me; You have promised to never leave me.

Despite only one working vocal cord, I can still sing to You, precious Lord (and I even put my CD of Valley of Vision songs to help me out).

Sure enough, listening and "singing along" with the tape did lift my soul!

Oh, Lord, You have been good to me in the past; You are good to me now; You will be good to me tomorrow, next week, in the months to come, as long as You give me breath.

Oh, my, I seem to have a spring in my tired step, and a bit of a smile on my face. What was it that I was so burdened about? Is it bigger than Almighty God? Is it more than the Sovereign King of the Universe can handle? Has it been troubling me longer than the Ancient of Days?

Lifestyle Prayer

Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes;and I will keep it to the end.

Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.

Lead me in the path of your commandments,for I delight in it.

Incline my heart to your testimonies,and not to selfish gain!

Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;and give me life in your ways.

Confirm to your servant your promise,that you may be feared.

Turn away the reproach that I dread,for your rules are good.

Behold, I long for your precepts;in your righteousness give me life!

(Psalm 119:33-40 ESV)

What a prayer! In all the things the psalmist asks God to "do," not only does he admit total dependence on God, but also a desire to live a life that reflects God's power in him.

I want God to teach me His ways; my ways get me into so much trouble!

I want God to give me understanding, so that I can obey Him. Without the teaching of the Holy Spirit in my life, I'm so clueless!

God's leading in my life -- how much I depend upon Him to show me the way to go, the words to speak.

Oh, how I want God's ways to be the ways that I desire! I want my inclinations, my hopes and dreams, to be those that are pleasing to my Savior.

Lord, confirm Your promises to me; make me convinced to the marrow of my bones that Your ways are right; that You are good; that You are my very life!

Are you convinced that He is your life? Are you ready to trust Him to teach you His ways? I so want to pray this prayer in honesty.

God's Mercy and Grace -- will I do likewise?

It's a beautiful Sunday. I was challenged at worship this morning with Jesus' words in Luke 6. How counter-cultural is the call to be a disciple: to display forgiveness when vengeance seems reasonable; to give with no thought or expectation of repayment; to show compassion when condemnation seems normal. By following Jesus' "call to action" . . .you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:35,36 ESV)
Wow! How often do I depend upon God's unconditional love to me, when I am ungrateful. I so depend upon God's mercy, and I certainly don't deserve it. My mandate, as a Jesus-follower, is to display mercy to those who don't deserve mercy; to be kind to the ungrateful (even amongst my family members) and the wicked.
In case I somehow can ever feel that these words do not apply to me (because I'd rather look at the speck in your eye than the log in my own eye) this scathing question must be answered:
"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46 ESV)

I'm including a "commissioning" from Beth Moore, given during her recent Living Proof Live conference in Omaha, NE. It's from Philippians 4:4-13

Beloved, in the Name of Jesus

I commission you

To rejoice in the Lord always

And again I say rejoice.

Stop worrying about everything!

Dump your anxiety

And start praying like mad.

Start thinking about

What you're thinking about!

Start feeding your spirit

And stop feeding your flesh.

Never forget the true Secret:

Christ in you, the Hope of Glory!

You, Dear One, have the supernatural CAN DO!

Now, believe God

And turn your CAN DO

Into WILL DO!

You are NOT a wimp.You are a warrior.

In the Name and power of Christ

Go out there and act like one.

Precious God, thank You for the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit! I can do all things [those things God has called me to do] through Christ, Who gives me strength! (from Philippians 2:13)

Ever aware of what I'm saying when I call Him Lord,

Mama Bev

Finishing Well

I have recently (within the past month) said good-bye to two of my faithful "prayer warriors" who have since gone on to glory. Archie (85) has prayed faithfully for me and my family since 1976, and Aunt Dorothy and her "prayer team" have lifted us before the throne for numerous years. The sense of loss I feel is not just for the end of conversations and stories; but I greatly will miss the comfort of knowing that there are "someones" who are praying for me and for the ones I love.
This "greatest generation" as Tom Brokaw so aptly calls them, is gradually passing from this earthly scene, as they have ". . .served God's purpose in [their] generation. . ." (from the book of Acts, chapter 13, verse 36). They understood commitment, even long-term commitment, and sacrifice, in prayer, in service, in work, in family. Who will pick up the baton, and continue the race of joining God in His work?
By God's grace, and through the strength of the Holy Spirit, I want to pick up that baton! Our world, the church in this generation, need faithful prayer; I want the privilege of watching God at work in our world. I look forward to the strengthening of my faith as I exercise the "prayer muscles." Please, God, give me the perseverance and hope and faithfulness to uphold those You give me in prayer. Help me not to drop the baton and quit the race before You say I've crossed the finish line. Thank you for the immense privilege of serving You in this way.

I want to close with a poem that Archie wrote some years ago --

When Loved Ones Leave

When facing death's dark hour,

and you can't let them go --

when you'll be left alone

and your spirit is low,

Then quiet be to God's still voice,

"My child, my child, this is My choice --

Trust Me."

When the days pass so slowly,

and you don't know what to do --

find someone whom you can help;

let them see God's strength in you,

and find God's peace -- in Him rejoice

in His still voice, "This is My choice --

Trust me."

- Archie Cumings

Milestones

The month of May. . .and June. . .and summer
graduations
anniversaries
closing programs

I think these times cause me to "stop and think" even more than the beginning of the year (you know, that whole 'resolutions' period). As I read graduation announcements and "class mottos," receive wedding invitations and share in anniversary memories, I can't help but think about what God has done and is doing in my life. How will I spend the future milestones, if God allows there to be any more?

Once again, the Puritans put my thoughts into their words. Hear the updated version of this meditation from "The Valley of Vision"

Christ Alone

O God, Your main plan and Your ultimate will

is to make Christ glorious and beloved

in heaven where He is now ascended,

where one day all the elect will behold His glory

and love and glorify Him forever.

Though here on earth I love Him a little,

I look forward to loving Him completely!

In this world You have given me a beginning of loving Christ,

one day it will be perfected in heaven.

You, God, have helped me to see and know Christ,

though obscurely,

to take Him, receive Him,

to possess Him, love Him,

to bless Him in my heart, my mouth, my life.

Please let me study and stand for discipline,

and all the ways of worship,

out of love for Christ;

and to show my thankfulness to Him;

to seek and know God's will from love,

to do God's will in love,

and daily to care for and keep this attitude.

You have led me to place all my nature and happiness

in oneness with Christ,

in having my heart and mind centered only on Him,

in being like Him in doing good to others;

This is my heaven on earth.

But, God, I need the force, energy, impulses of Your Holy Spirit

to carry me on the way to my Jerusalem.

Here on earth, it is my duty and privilege

to be as Christ in this world,

to do what He would do,

to live as He would live,

to walk in love and humility,

so that Christ would be known and loved and worshiped.

Then, I could die in peace.

What a worthwhile mission! What a lifetime goal!

Freedom to run

It is good to be writing again. Though my hands were slowed by illness and fatigue, God has continued to renew and challenge my mind and my heart. When He says ". . .I know the plans I have for you. . ." in Jeremiah, I believe those "plans" include illness, fatigue, isolation, confinement, as well as the more obvious plans of career, children, marriage, location.

Psalm 119 has become my prayer book, my personal "cry to the Lord." I so long to have a passion for God's Word and His ways that the psalmist had. I was recently meditating on these verses "Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me. I cling to your testimonies, O Lord; let me not be put to shame! I will run in the way of your commandments [for you set my heart free]." Psalm 119:29-32 ESV

Put false ways (anything contrary to God and His Word) far from me. . .what false ways do I bring near to me that I need to "put far?" feelings of invisibility? lack of usefulness? discontent with illness or disability or restriction? I want to get rid of the false and only think God's thoughts about me. . .

. . .graciously teach me Your law. . . God is so patient! He goes over and over His truth with me until I get it! How quickly do I want to give up on others who "don't get it?" Am I willing to graciously share God's truth in the same fashion that He is gracious with me?

I have chosen the way of faithfulness. . .ah, here comes the matter of the will. Yes, I don't just stumble onto living God's way; I make a choice, and every choice I make has an impact.

I set your rules before me . . . keeping God's rules ever before me certainly helps me make right choices. When I'm not in God's Word and in communication with Him, it's easy for me to choose my own way, and forget Who is truly in charge of my life.

I cling to your testimonies . . . "stick like glue" is the word picture that comes to mind. Is God and His Word the first place I run when I need wisdom, comfort, discernment?

I will run in the way of your commandments . . .when you were a child did you love to run in the fields? I would run through the grape vineyard. The smells in the summer were grand, and there were delicious Thompson seedless as a reward when I tuckered out. However, it was foolish for me to run through the vineyard until I had laid out a path unobstructed by protruding roots and gopher holes. As long as I stayed on the path, I could lift my eyes to the sky and pretend I was flying. Staying on God's path of His Word allows us to run free, and enjoy this life He has graciously given. It's when we choose to leave the path that we risk tripping over roots of bitterness, and twisting ankles on holes of doubt and unbelief.

. . .when you set my heart free. . . I want my heart set free. Thank you, precious God, for setting my heart free from bitterness, unforgiveness, criticism, self-righteousness. Please continue to do Your grand work in my life!