God is Just

Anger toward a beloved enemy is too dangerous for you to carry; you will inflict and receive harm if you do not cast this care upon the Lord. When Jesus was mocked and scorned, He made no reply but "...entrusted himself to him who judges justly" (1 Peter 2:23).

If you give vent to your pain, you will then endure additional hurt akin to participating in the surgical removal of your own heart without benefit of anesthesia. Roll your burden onto the Lord. That which Christ accepts from you as a burden also becomes a case in the court of God's perfect justice.

Love is the more excellent way to cope with the searing pain of having been rejected. When Jesus was wronged He made no reply, but stretched out His arms in love. He took upon Himself the full burden of the sins of those who had rejected Him.

He will bear this burden for you. The success of your ministry, hope for your future, and the state of your heart do not depend upon on whether or not other human beings obey God. The fulfillment of God's promises arrive through the power of the Holy Spirit; "No one can deliver out of my hand" (Deuteronomy 32:39).

Scripture: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills his purpose for me. Psalm 57:1-2

Don't Focus on Your Sin

Dear One, you just begin to comprehend that you need not fear the sins of other human beings, but you still make an exception for your own sins.

Christ's death on the Cross has encompassed even your sins, Child, even yours. Your shortcomings will not diminish the power God's message through you. Do not be afraid of other human beings, and do not be afraid of yourself.

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart...

“Do not say, ‘I am only a child. You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

"Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “Now I have put my words in your mouth…”

“…I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.

“…They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord." (Jeremiah 1:5a, 7-9, 12b, 19).

Don’t set a higher standard for your own behavior than you set for others; this is a form of pompousness. Do you see that pride could creep in cloaked as false humility? “I am a Christian and so I must be more perfect than you.”

You think to stay a step ahead of those who might see your shortcomings. You are afraid that if they see your faults that they will discount the Lord's words spoken through you. This fear of being judged causes you to attempt to analyze yourself in order to find your own faults so that you can make excuse.

You can’t do it. No one can analyze themselves properly or completely. It’s like attempting to focus on an object that is one millimeter from your eye—you can’t see clearly. Don’t try. Place your focus on the Lord, be tolerant of others because you know of the grace in which you walk, because you know that your sins have required the death of the Son of God…and do not forget His resurrection. He is not always dying (He died once, for all), but He is always living (He lives forever). Christ's death is eternal fact, but it is the resurrection that brings victory.

Christ died for you, and He lives for you. The death made the life possible; the seed brings forth the flower, and the flower brings forth the fruit. You cannot eat a seed and be nourished; it is the fruit that brings health and strength. Stop eating the “seed” of His death and partake freely of the fruit of new life that the Holy death provided for you.

Now is not the time for mourning; death is in the past for the Christian and you need fear it no more. Let the memory of the grief and horror recede and let the New Life begin. Sin has lost its power! You are being renewed day by day; you can choose to focus (or attempt to focus) upon the remnants of sin that remain, or you can see and rejoice in the signs of new life.

Scripture: "'Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?' The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through Our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, becasue you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:55-58).

God is (was, will be) With You

Because you are coping well, you sometimes come to believe that your life is easy when compared to that of others. Your life is not easy, Dear One. You have learned to walk through the valley.

Do not repine. If the years were rolled back and you had the opportunity to make your life decisions once more, the outcome would be the same. You would do it again, not only for the sake of those who will follow you, but also for Christ's sake. And in the end, the great blessing that will rest on your shoulders because of Him will be enough. You would do it again. The Lord knew this, even as you walked into your life circumstances with faith but innocent of understanding. The responsibility for the outcomes of your decisions rests with God alone; but He knows you so completely that He knew what you would do if you had been in possession of all the information and understanding that will one day be yours. He directed you, and you listened; He led, and you followed. Great reward will be yours because of the faith and obedience you exhibited as you walked into the circumstances in which you now live; He has seen, He has blessed; He will bless, He is blessing.

God is with you right where you are today.

Scripture: "'Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,' declares the Lord. Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, 'Now, I have put my words in your mouth" Jeremiah 1:7-9.

Difficult Times

If you are progressing through difficult times, don’t stop
to stare at the barren scenery; it is important to keep
moving forward, to continue to affirm your faith in God,
and to continue to do the task He places closest
to you.  Keep doing the next thing.  There is no rest in
the Valley of the Shadow of Death but that which is
found in the Lord."

Find your rest in Him.  There are days of peace ahead.