We are never called on to parade our doubts or to express the hidden ecstasies of our life with God. The secret of the workers life is that he keeps in tune with God all the time. (Oswald Chambers)
So even though Jesus was Gods son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.
(Hebrews 5:8 NLT)
Many times growing spiritually is a process of working through some part or time of our life when we experience pain. It could be physical pain, mental pain, emotional pain, or the spiritual pain of not being in tune with God. As my AA sponsor says, When the pain exceeds the pleasure we change. Change might not always be considered growth. Many times as we desire to move away from pain to a path of lesser resistance, we learn as we take steps that are not painful. That is growth. I have found in my life that even though I grow spiritually in an area, it doesnt mean that the growing lesson sticks. I have had to take at times, the same lessons over. Sometimes over and over until I learn. Today as I read the passage of scripture from the Book of Hebrews I am reassured knowing that even Jesus learned from the things He suffered. Jesus no doubt made the right decisions at the right times, where as in my life many times when I experienced pain I made the wrong decisions. Thirty some years ago I remember experiencing the pain of breakups in relationships. Not being fully aware of the consequences of alcohol, I would drink away the pain of a broken heart. That is one example of making wrong decisions as a result of experiencing pain. I then had to learn the lesson about the results of drinking, which I did not learn quickly. As a result I had legal problems because of the drinking and more lessons to learn. Eventually my life snowballed to the point of no escape. I could not hide in the bottle, I could not hide from the authorities, and I could not hide from people. I was faced with the reality of my own existence. Eight years ago I daily started searching the Scriptures for answers to my dilemma. As I read them over and over they still speak to me, often just as they did the first time. Today I needed to hear exactly what I read, is that odd or is that God? It is God working daily in my life. God is doing for me what I could not do for myself ..JRE
Jesus .had to go through a painful growing and learning process that culminated in his death on the cross. His success in that process lends us great hope as we pursue recovery. He is the one who goes before us and has prepared the way, and he is with us in every step we take. (Life Recovery Bible, page 1494)
So even though Jesus was Gods son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.
(Hebrews 5:8 NLT)
Many times growing spiritually is a process of working through some part or time of our life when we experience pain. It could be physical pain, mental pain, emotional pain, or the spiritual pain of not being in tune with God. As my AA sponsor says, When the pain exceeds the pleasure we change. Change might not always be considered growth. Many times as we desire to move away from pain to a path of lesser resistance, we learn as we take steps that are not painful. That is growth. I have found in my life that even though I grow spiritually in an area, it doesnt mean that the growing lesson sticks. I have had to take at times, the same lessons over. Sometimes over and over until I learn. Today as I read the passage of scripture from the Book of Hebrews I am reassured knowing that even Jesus learned from the things He suffered. Jesus no doubt made the right decisions at the right times, where as in my life many times when I experienced pain I made the wrong decisions. Thirty some years ago I remember experiencing the pain of breakups in relationships. Not being fully aware of the consequences of alcohol, I would drink away the pain of a broken heart. That is one example of making wrong decisions as a result of experiencing pain. I then had to learn the lesson about the results of drinking, which I did not learn quickly. As a result I had legal problems because of the drinking and more lessons to learn. Eventually my life snowballed to the point of no escape. I could not hide in the bottle, I could not hide from the authorities, and I could not hide from people. I was faced with the reality of my own existence. Eight years ago I daily started searching the Scriptures for answers to my dilemma. As I read them over and over they still speak to me, often just as they did the first time. Today I needed to hear exactly what I read, is that odd or is that God? It is God working daily in my life. God is doing for me what I could not do for myself ..JRE
Jesus .had to go through a painful growing and learning process that culminated in his death on the cross. His success in that process lends us great hope as we pursue recovery. He is the one who goes before us and has prepared the way, and he is with us in every step we take. (Life Recovery Bible, page 1494)
