Hard Getting and Easy Staying

Sunday’s Monday

Hard Getting and Easy Staying

I was in a Christian meeting on 9-15-20 when a brother was giving an update for a local non-denominational Christian boarding school for girls. He was explaining how that kids from all over the nation are having a hard time dealing with life’s situations. Bad parents, dysfunctional families, no parents, foster homes and so on, but for the staff it’s when the child develops a rebellious attitude toward help that their misery is multiplied tenfold. He went on to tell us about a particular girl who was forced to enroll and willfully had a difficult time accepting and adjusting to her new surroundings. However, after being there for a number of weeks she made this profound statement, “This is really a hard place to come to, but it’s an easy place to stay in.” I can’t remember the girls age, but she was in her teens (or close to it) and glory be to God she is already discovering the difference in this worlds (temporal) conditional love (if at all) and God’s (ever enduring) unconditional love. She is personally receiving Ephesians 4:2-3 (ESV), 2- with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3- eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, through the staff of this school.

What this young lady is discovering firsthand is how wrongly and strongly those who do not know Jesus battle for the futile things of this world to base their joy in. But for those of us that have been around the block (so to speak), we know only this world’s happiness can be found within the confines of this world’s confines. Worldly happiness is on the wheel (so to speak), today you have it and tomorrow you may not! This happiness is merely a temporary feeling of comfort, as is explained in merriam-webster.com; happiness: a pleasurable or satisfying experience. However, God’s joy is ours as long as we hold fast to God, which is explained in John 16:22 (ESV), So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. This kind of joy is placed deep within us and cannot be manufactured by man or lessoned by that which goes on around us.

This young lady is being introduced to God’s truth! She could become a witness for God over the lies of this world which may be all she has known up till now. Which is not likely that different from when many of us first met. I know, I fought tooth and nail to hang on to the worlds system of happiness, even though (as a grown man) I cried myself to sleep in heartbroken agony over the events of most days. My life was such a mess, my thinker worked part time however my pride was working overtime and I feel I had something in common with this young lady. I couldn’t stand where I was but fought tooth and nail to remain there, because I knew of no other place I could be. Yes, as people we can become so damaged, we choose to sit where we are rather than try to escape the misery. As for me, I got hold of Hebrews 12:2 (ESV), Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Jesus chose the cross for “ME!” I made it personal and today I own it as part of my personal testimony.

I can’t express how important it is for me to always be aware of my witnessing Jesus to the world. It’s time to stop putting on that King James Sunday go to meeting suit and cease confidently spouting long prayers or bible and reacquaint ourselves with the love of God. Again, using this young lady’s profound point of view, it’s hard enough to simply get there! But, then to get to that point where you recognize God’s love for you through the actions, care and concern of those who don’t have to, but deeply want to example God’s Love for the people of this world. That brings hope of God’s promises into her view granting even more validity to her statement. “This is really a hard place to come to, but it’s an easy place to stay in.” Everyone can recognize the love of God!

My prayer for the week is for God to help us all to be a better example of His love to this hurting, misguided world. Help each of us to not try and be better but to be the real conduit God created us to be. Allowing your love Lord to naturally flow through us, no matter what that looks and or feels like. Giving us and others the assurance that you’re will, will be done as long as we’re allowing you to do it through us. I pray we all find Ephesians 1:18-21(ESV), 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. Amen

HAVE A BLESSED WEEK BY BEING A BLESSING TO OTHERS!

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