1 Peter 2:22-23
"He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth."
When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He trusted Himself to Him who judges justly.
How do you face suffering? As children of God, we may face suffering because we have sinned, because of consequences of our own actions or simply because we are living in a fallen world. Christ lived His life here without sin......therefore, the suffering that was brought upon Him was the result of a fallen world. He left us the greatest example of how to suffer......especially during times when it isn't our fault.
Within each of us it seems, there is the need to justify ourselves. From the time we are kids on a playground, insults are hurled freely back and forth to clarify who we really are.... Lies are spread that ruin reputations, deceit regarding well- lived lives start to take root....and satan has succeeded in creating havoc. Havoc that does not lend itself to well to the nurturing of our souls but rather the destruction of them and those around us.
Jesus has left us a living example to face suffering with patience, compassion and confidence.....knowing full well Who is in control..... He knew, I mean really knew and trusted, who really held His future....God. So when suffering came His way, He didn't try to talk His way out of it, He didn't meet their accusation with equal hatred.....He didn't call down a legions of angels to save Him....He walked in obedience.
Not everyone will like us. In fact, most probably will not. Live a life set apart from this world and you will suffer for His name..... You will. Choose to make decisions that glorify Him and you will find that the world will distance itself from you....and for some, that's a scary thing. But realize, as you are being treated different, as lies or slander is being hurled your way.....as you choose to walk a different path....they will be watching. They will watch your reaction, they will watch your response.....just as Jesus was watched. And what they see from you will either pull them towards Christ or will assist satan in pulling them away.
Tae's death has been the most difficult circumstance on this earth that we have had to face. When we lost Tae, I imagined Mary, Jesus' mother, I imagined Abraham instructed to take Isaac to the mountain as a sacrifice, I imagined Job as all of his boys and girls were gone in an instant,..... For the first time, I knew, really knew, their pain. I could feel it...the breathlessness of suddenness, the heartbreak of finality, the emptiness of a parent's arms......and.yet, there was something else....the thing that empowers the ability to carry on.......obedience in knowing in the core of their being who was really in charge. Their faith was unmovable, unwavering.......more than words in a song that they had sung, a good sermon they once listened to or words in a Bible that they owned. Their faith was a faith that was interwoven into their very being.....
We must strive daily to have that faith....I believe that it is achieved by continual daily communion with our Father.....just like Abraham, Moses, Noah, Sarah......Jesus. Scheduled quiet times are wonderful but I believe the intent is that it is to be carried on into the rest of your day. You don't have to "go before the Father" when you've been walking and talking with Him all day. So when insults, slander, deceit, lies and hurt feelings come our way, we have been continual bathed in His thoughts, His desires and we respond in a manner that glorifies our Father....instead of the fleeting satisfaction of knowing that we got the last word.
Today, talk to Him as you go about your day. It may seem strange at first but it will become second nature.. Sometimes we live our lives thinking He is so far away, when really it is us who have chosen not to include Him in our every moment......free will. He won't push Himself on you. He's already there.
"He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth."
When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He trusted Himself to Him who judges justly.
How do you face suffering? As children of God, we may face suffering because we have sinned, because of consequences of our own actions or simply because we are living in a fallen world. Christ lived His life here without sin......therefore, the suffering that was brought upon Him was the result of a fallen world. He left us the greatest example of how to suffer......especially during times when it isn't our fault.
Within each of us it seems, there is the need to justify ourselves. From the time we are kids on a playground, insults are hurled freely back and forth to clarify who we really are.... Lies are spread that ruin reputations, deceit regarding well- lived lives start to take root....and satan has succeeded in creating havoc. Havoc that does not lend itself to well to the nurturing of our souls but rather the destruction of them and those around us.
Jesus has left us a living example to face suffering with patience, compassion and confidence.....knowing full well Who is in control..... He knew, I mean really knew and trusted, who really held His future....God. So when suffering came His way, He didn't try to talk His way out of it, He didn't meet their accusation with equal hatred.....He didn't call down a legions of angels to save Him....He walked in obedience.
Not everyone will like us. In fact, most probably will not. Live a life set apart from this world and you will suffer for His name..... You will. Choose to make decisions that glorify Him and you will find that the world will distance itself from you....and for some, that's a scary thing. But realize, as you are being treated different, as lies or slander is being hurled your way.....as you choose to walk a different path....they will be watching. They will watch your reaction, they will watch your response.....just as Jesus was watched. And what they see from you will either pull them towards Christ or will assist satan in pulling them away.
Tae's death has been the most difficult circumstance on this earth that we have had to face. When we lost Tae, I imagined Mary, Jesus' mother, I imagined Abraham instructed to take Isaac to the mountain as a sacrifice, I imagined Job as all of his boys and girls were gone in an instant,..... For the first time, I knew, really knew, their pain. I could feel it...the breathlessness of suddenness, the heartbreak of finality, the emptiness of a parent's arms......and.yet, there was something else....the thing that empowers the ability to carry on.......obedience in knowing in the core of their being who was really in charge. Their faith was unmovable, unwavering.......more than words in a song that they had sung, a good sermon they once listened to or words in a Bible that they owned. Their faith was a faith that was interwoven into their very being.....
We must strive daily to have that faith....I believe that it is achieved by continual daily communion with our Father.....just like Abraham, Moses, Noah, Sarah......Jesus. Scheduled quiet times are wonderful but I believe the intent is that it is to be carried on into the rest of your day. You don't have to "go before the Father" when you've been walking and talking with Him all day. So when insults, slander, deceit, lies and hurt feelings come our way, we have been continual bathed in His thoughts, His desires and we respond in a manner that glorifies our Father....instead of the fleeting satisfaction of knowing that we got the last word.
Today, talk to Him as you go about your day. It may seem strange at first but it will become second nature.. Sometimes we live our lives thinking He is so far away, when really it is us who have chosen not to include Him in our every moment......free will. He won't push Himself on you. He's already there.
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