- Oct 4, 2010
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Hi elixer,
One of the great lessons for believers, I believe, as to how we are to live our lives, is that it is backwards from what the world teaches. Now, please understand that we're all human and we all are subject to falling into the web of the world's desires from time to time. However, sitting back and realizing that some of the things that we strive for in our lives, isn't really what God asks or desires of us.
Seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.
It's a hard lesson when we hear and see all around us that our parents and our friends and our loved ones want us to be worldly successful in the things that we so often strive for. But God's economy, is different.
Blessed are the poor...
Blessed are the hungry...
Blessed are those who are persecuted for my name's sake.
We don't want to be poor, or hungry, or persecuted. In Christ, we are never poor because we have the richness and fullness of the promises of God in Christ. In Christ, we are never hungry because we have the word of God which is for us like the manna that God poured out on Israel.
But, persecuted? Yes, we can expect to be persecuted for Christ's name. But, we can rejoice that such persecution is a blessing to God in the living of our lives.
I believe that the easiest way to not feel like a nobody, is to concentrate on others. Get out of our pity, pity me because I'm so lonely. Rather, ask God to give you a ministry to others that will make you somebody to the Lord. A pleasing sacrifice of our very hands to others.
Yes, that kind of thinking often requires a complete resetting of what we hold as our most important values, but I think it's what God asks of us.
God bless you,
In Christ, ted
Blessed are the poor...
Blessed are the hungry...
Blessed are those who are persecuted for my name's sake.
Hi elixer,
Let us encourage one another in righteousness and truth!
God doesn't want us to feel alone or lonely. However, it's a different understanding of loneliness. We often feel alone in this world because it seems like no other person wants to relate with us or be a friend. Often times we can exacerbate the problem because we also don't want to put ourselves 'out there', so to speak, to be a friend or companion. Often times we equate loneliness not to whether or not we have friends, but rather, not having a romantic attachment.
When Jesus promises us that we will never be alone, he is not speaking of the kind of relationship that we generally have on the earth. He is with us in our spirit. We have a deep abiding understanding that no matter what we're going through, Jesus is there with us and knows what we're going through, but it isn't as a physical presence like we might have with a close friend among people.
So yes, I would agree that there is a certain amount of 'readjustment' necessary to understand that we, believers, really aren't ever alone. But we can feel lonely as to earthly relationships. From your post, I'm gleaning that you are about 30 years old. I know when I was 30, worldly relationships did seem more important to me than they do today.
There are, I believe, pretty good examples that a lot of believers have felt lonely in the world. Elijah cried out to the Lord that no one was with him. The Lord, however, rebuked him and told him that there were 5,000 who had yet not bowed the knee to Baal. Paul speaks of times when he felt alone. But both of these men knew, that despite their loneliness among other people, God was with them.
God bless,
In Christ, ted
Enjoyed that one!