We don't go through pain for the sake of just being in pain. We experience pain for God's glory. Our pain has a purpose but during that gut wrenching redefining process we can't see far enough down the road to see the reason for that pain nor the beauty and comfort that awaits us.
I'd rather experience pain with a purpose and that is why I lay all my troubles---all of my hurts at His feet. For when I do He takes my mess and restores me in such a way that my box-like thinking can't comprehend.
Jeremiah 30 says "Restoration is Promised". No where does it say that restoration is possible---but that it's promised. If God cared enough for the people of Israel how much more do you think He cares for you.
Further, we are under a covenant called prevenient grace which means that before a man could seek God, God must of first sought out man. God knew this before drawing Himself to us with a specific purpose in mind. Surely, if God cared enough to seek man, He cares enough to restore the man He has created.
This road is narrow which also means the pursuit of God is as intense as a narrow, steep path rounding the most challenging mountain. It is dangerous with a lot of risks but once you reach the end of the road you will see why it had to be so.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Heartbroken: Jesus is the Cause and the Cure
I bet you all though I was done talking about LOVE!!! Love is the most important thing to me!! My prayer to God has always been "Lord, break my heart for what breaks yours".
Why do we crave love so much??? Love is always the solution to the problem.
What is our motivation to seek things we think will make us happy? Busy lives, pets, drugs, alcohol, pushing others away? When we do these things how long does this satisfaction last? What do we do next when that thing doesn't work? When we seek to fill this huge void with temporary fixes it is like we are seeking a superficial high to feel like we matter.
When did we first notice this void in our life? It can be like a trickling effect of unrealistic expectations on other humans. Humans are not perfect yet we expect perfection especially from close people to us like our parents. We are constantly expecting a certain perfection. One of my most favorite quotes to prove this point is from C.S. Lewis:
We have this expectation of perfection and seek this perfection in our lives but there is only one man who can fill this and that is Jesus.
This void is also our greatest inherent desire which is to be LOVED. When I say Love I mean it on much more than just a physical level. This desire can only be remedied by Jesus!
We know we need love to survive like we know we need air to breathe and a lack of love results in feelings of rejection, depression, sickness, lack of motivation to do anything, suicidal-no reason to live, alone, and worthlessness.
We determine how loved we are by the physical evidence of the way others show that love to us. It also determines if we love others and furthermore, it determines if we respect others.
As Christians we are loved! We have been set apart because HE loves us. He wants us to seek Him so that this life is nourished. We will always be lost unless we depend on God to quench this thirst. We are seeking a big streak dinner--when it's only prepared by God. He can satisfy this desire to be loved at such an extreme level it can only be felt by the heart.
Filling the Void
To be Loved
To be Accepted
To be Recognized
What is our motivation to seek things we think will make us happy? Busy lives, pets, drugs, alcohol, pushing others away? When we do these things how long does this satisfaction last? What do we do next when that thing doesn't work? When we seek to fill this huge void with temporary fixes it is like we are seeking a superficial high to feel like we matter.
When did we first notice this void in our life? It can be like a trickling effect of unrealistic expectations on other humans. Humans are not perfect yet we expect perfection especially from close people to us like our parents. We are constantly expecting a certain perfection. One of my most favorite quotes to prove this point is from C.S. Lewis:
“My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust?”
We have this expectation of perfection and seek this perfection in our lives but there is only one man who can fill this and that is Jesus.
This void is also our greatest inherent desire which is to be LOVED. When I say Love I mean it on much more than just a physical level. This desire can only be remedied by Jesus!
We know we need love to survive like we know we need air to breathe and a lack of love results in feelings of rejection, depression, sickness, lack of motivation to do anything, suicidal-no reason to live, alone, and worthlessness.
We determine how loved we are by the physical evidence of the way others show that love to us. It also determines if we love others and furthermore, it determines if we respect others.
As Christians we are loved! We have been set apart because HE loves us. He wants us to seek Him so that this life is nourished. We will always be lost unless we depend on God to quench this thirst. We are seeking a big streak dinner--when it's only prepared by God. He can satisfy this desire to be loved at such an extreme level it can only be felt by the heart.
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