Sometimes I just ache for Jesus to come back! I want Him to return and save me and those I love from the pain of everyday life. Isn't pain avoidance a legitimate defense mechanism? Or is my prayer a cop-out?
As I was working on my Christmas gifts last night, I came across a quote which, well, to be honest, sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't. "Much of what [God] allows in your life is not for you to simply accept, but to get you to rise up!"
I'm not sure if this is a helping thing for me today or not. I kind of understand the idea behind the statement, but it doesn't make things easier to bear.
2 comments:
Not finding it, but the verses where Paul talks about being in the body or at home with the Lord come to mind. He longed for the Day of the Lord, but he also knew that his time on earth was well spent even so.
I know, perhaps an odd set of verses to bring up, but I think they apply. I am so challenged because "to live is Christ, to die is gain." I think American Christians' biggest sin is complacency--and I'm chief among that group! If nothing else, the pain that we are sharing with our friends right now has challenged us to be more available and more open with people than we were--because there are so many hurting people. Pain is part of the human condition; but, praise God, not only is to live a painful experience, but to live is Christ--because we enter into His sufferings in many ways (and this didn't hit me until I was writing this sentence): We enter into His "sufferings" when we feel the pain of others and love them as He did. WOW!
It has taken me a lot of years to get where I can say "Come Lord Jesus". Fear, immaturity, too many Hell Fire and Brimstone preachers...
I understand what you mean about the quote though, sometimes we don't want to rise up, we just want to lay down and have someone take care of us.
...you and those Christmas gifts..sheesh! LOL
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