I'm sure I am not the only person in the world who thinks about the "if only" situations I have experienced. Today as I was reading in Isaiah the "if only" jumped off the page at me. Isaiah 48:18 says, "If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea."
If only. Those two words are small in their grammatical placement but enormous in their tragic implications. They mean that things could have been different. Much different. They mean that if the reponse of God's people had been other than it was, much heartache could have been avoided. You see, blessing would have flowed, but it did not. If only...
Even if we haven't spoken those words, I'm sure the thought of them have crossed our minds. Everyone has regrets. That's part of living in a fallen world. We know if we had been more diligent, or more faithful, our lives today could be radically different than they turned out. Even if we are happy right now, we wonder what could have been and what would have been. Why? Because sooner or later we come to a melancholy realization: Life can always be better.
We seek the God of comfort to tell us why bad things have happened....why we are in debt, why the job was lost, or why one didn't get hired for the job, why your family isn't a happy one---at least it doesn't seem as happy as someone else's, of why our dreams aren't fulfilled. I think, deep down, we know. It isn't because God let us down; it's because we let Him down. We didn't live up to His instructions. That dreaded rebellious streak that we all seem to have has led us in futile directions contrary to the explicit teaching of our Maker. I know I shake my head when trying to remember exactly what was I thinking when I went away from Him. I always desire to come back. His plan is always better than one of my own. I know that. I want to be restored to a place of peace like a river and righteousness like the sea.
That's the beauty of the gospel of grace. It never, ever puts me/us in an unredeemable position. Whenever I say, "If only," God says, "Now you can." Maybe you are one who has some lost years, but they are past. God can redeem them for a bountiful future. The important thing is that we've learned that His voice is not demanding for His own ego but insistent for our own good. I/we can follow Him with trust that His way leads to peace and righteousness. I must follow Him with that trust. If I can, I'll be blessed. If only.
"A guilty mind can be eased by nothing but repentance." ~~Benjamin Whichcote
Whenever God does a great work, either in your heart or in your world, it will be greatly opposed. Those who are His servants will face the opposition firsthand. What is the key to victory? It is NOT in retaliation or rebuttal. We, as believers who claim God as our Defender, must not take up our own defense.
Have you ever been under attack? It may be the overt work of aggressive people, or it may be the subtle work (or not so subtle) of devious spirits. Either way, our response is to be godly. God has allowed the attack, not to punish us, but perhaps to strengthen us, to teach us godly warfare, or to instill faithful patience, or to have you learn that our vindication can only come from God. When we try to work it out ourselves, it loses its savor.
Much of the anxiety we feel is the product of a restless guilt deep within. We don't trust God because we are convinced we have failed Him, or we deserve to be punished, or ......list whatever your excuse is. Our conscience will not let us rest. And we cannot trust anyone else, either. We are jumpy and paranoid, ready to flee. We are sure our sins, however large or small, will find us out.
What is the rememdy? The cleansing that comes from the One we flee. He pursues us, but not for vengeance. It's for redemption! He wants to replace our guilty conscience with a heart of peace. "Oh, it can't be done," you cry, "for my sin is far to great for His forgiveness!" As a Christian, it is quite presumptuous of us to think we know more than God. Or that we know of a better way to resolve our guilt than does God.
God's will for our lives is freedom in Christ. We can be faithful to God and centered in His will, yet still be attacked by the enemy. Sometimes our enemy attacks the weak and wandering believers because they are easy prey. Other times he attacks competent, fully surrendered servants of God for the challenge and the possible contagious effect of a fall.
Our actions, both good and bad, will have consequences after we are absent from this earth. While we are enjoying the bliss of heaven and the mercy of God's grace, our children and grandchildren still could be reaping painful consequences of situations we have sown. Or, on the other hand, they could be enjoying the benefits of faithful lives by their parents and grandparents.
If our liberty in Christ is going to be a reality in life, we are going to have to learn to walk in the freedom of Christ. Christ continues His saving work in us for the rest of our lives. Everything that concerns us is God's domain.
Look at 2 Corinthians 3:17..."where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." Christ sets us free by the power of His Spirit; then He maintains our freedom as we learn to live day to day in the power of His free Spirit. According to Isaiah 61 and Luke 4, only Christ was appointed by God to offer this kind of freedom.
A Christian is held captive by anything that hinders the abundant and effective Spirit filled life God planned for him/her. So trust Him. Believe that His promises are true. Commit Scripture to memory so you can fortify your mind when the enemy seeks to trip you up. Let Him make you bold before Him. His righteousness is freely offered to you. We, as believers, are not worried about the judgment of God because we know His righteousness, and we are not worried about the judgments of men because we know God's love. A clear conscience is always at peace, and it feels the power of the Almighty.
I saw this picture of this plant growing out of a brick wall. It made me think how difficult it must be for this plant to bloom and thrive. Let's face it, the circumstances under which it blooms is not exactly ideal. Think about the flowers you have planted in the beds around your home. They have ideal soil conditions, the sprinkler waters them on a set schedule, and you probably fertilize them when needed.
Blooming in/through adversity. Isn't that what we as believers are encouraged to do? I think it was Henry Ward Beecher who said, "It is trial that proves one thing weak and another strong." When adversity strikes, our true spiritual maturity comes to the surface. So many people can play the game of godliness, appearing to be mature yet undisciplined attitudes rage within. However, when adversity hits, all is exposed to the world. Our true feelings about God come out in the questions we ask and the actions we take. Ouch!
In my book, Job was a genuine saint. His faith surpassed all others of his time, and many in our time today. Crisis came, and Job guarded his thoughts and his words. He did not sin by accusing God of doing him wrong.
Can I say the same? Can you? Often, when we're in a crisis, we ask God, "Why are you doing this to me?" Sometimes it is an honest question, but often it has undertones of accusation in it. We are so sure we don't deserve the trials that have come our way, unaware that often trials have nothing to do with what we do or do not observe. Our trials can be, as they were in Job's case, an opportunity to demonstrate the validity of our worship. They can develop our character and help us grow closer to God. When we assume that our trial is an unfair judgment or repayment from God, we expose our true feelings about ourselves. It means we were in a quid pro quo relationship with Him based on rights rather than grace.
Have you ever thought about adversity? Adversity tells us a lot about what we really believe. Perhaps that's why God allows it to strike us from time to time. It answers the questions we need to have answered. It displays the accurate measure of our growth and the true nature of our relationship with God.
How do you react when you are in a crisis? Is your first impulse to charge God with unfairness? Or do you immediately turn to Him, seeking His face, His strength? Go back to the Cross and remember that His righteous judgment against us would have been fair. God gave us grace instead. The crisis you are dealing with means something else. Worship God in the midst of it, and let Him use your trials to draw you closer to Him.
She is just now getting around to saying Happy New Year? Fess up. That's what you are thinking, even if you don't say it out loud. I have to share with you about my wonderful Christmas, and consequently, my fabulous New Year!
I know I have been absolutely horrible about being regular with my posting on my blog. I haven't even taken time to answer the few who have bothered to comment! Let me assure you that I haven't ignored you on purpose. Rest assured, I truly have not been able to do much of anything for about the last 3 to 4 months. You see, I have felt awful. Not only have I felt awful but I was sleeping all the time. If it was possible I would have slept 24/7. Absolutely no energy. I felt like I must be going on 90 years of age. Friends who would share that they just "didn't/couldn't get as much done anymore" only made me realize that I wasn't doing anything! Even my eyesight was affected!
At my regular scheduled doctor's appointment a few weeks ago (middle of December) I had to do my normal blood/lab work for my diabetes. Well, right before Christmas I received a call from my doctor telling me I had to begin insulin immediately! That little bit of news went over like a lead balloon. All I could think about was how much work that would entail, which meant that I wouldn't be able to follow through with this new regime because...it was going to be too much work.
Are you ready for a little science lesson? Being a Type-2 diabetic means that my body still produces insulin but my cells are not letting the insulin/sugar into them. So my liver reads that my cells don't have any sugar, thus it kicks into overdrive and begins pumping out more and more sugar, even though I'm taking pills to slow the production of sugar by my liver. All that sugar/insulin isn't able to enter my cells which means that my blood is basically this sugary, thick "sludge" trying to enter my narrow veins. Guess what the insulin/sugar produces when it IS in the cell? ENERGY!!! What if a person doesn't have any insulin/sugar in their cells? Absolutely no energy at all! You become a zombie. You cannot even think straight. Your thinking is so muddled you can't figure out simple things because it is too much work!! A person's A1C level should be 7 or below. Ideally they like it to be 6 or 6.5. Mine was 14.4 which means my blood sugar levels were running, on average between 550 - 600. Normal would be 70 - 120. It's a wonder I didn't drop dead!
All this time I thought I was still depressed. You know, about the last 2 years or so of my life. But God is SO good!! Yes, He is! After taking my first dose of insulin (my long acting kind which I take at night) (I take two different kinds) I awoke the next morning like my old self! I wasn't still depressed! It was just my body's way of telling me I needed insulin. Tonight, over dinner, I was sharing with hubby how I can't even imagine how I was feeling just a few weeks ago. All those symptoms just seem like a bad dream, way back in my past! I have so much energy now I am running circles around everyone. I think hubby gets tired just watching me!
So thank you to everyone who has emailed me or commented on the blog wondering if I had fallen off the face of the earth. Your encouragement has meant alot to me.
All of this has caused me to be reflective about how intricately our bodies are designed by God. Psalm 139:14 states, "I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." The intricacies of our body and how it works is awe inspiring...as it should be. To look at the complexities (of our body) is to recognize the greatness of God. It should cause us to fall down and worship Him. For me, Psalm 146:1-2 sums it up well, "Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. While I live will I sing praises unto my God while I have any being."
I'm a daughter of the King and saved by grace alone! My ♥'s desire is to bring God glory in all that I say and do. Every day is a gift which I want to savor and delight in. Come in and visit, put your feet up, and rest awhile. My prayer for you is that you will leave refreshed.
I'm sure I am not the only person in the world who thinks about the "if only" situations I have experienced. Today as I was reading in Isaiah the "if only" jumped off the page at me. Isaiah 48:18 says, "If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea."
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