Through my many illnesses, I have
learned over and over again that It’s not circumstances that determine my
response. I learned that it’s not
feeling that make up my mind. I say yes
to God, even when he doesn’t say yes to me. – p,19
What would you say to someone
suffering chronic illness – to encourage them NOT to give way to depression and
despair?
When I say
that it’s not feelings that make up my mind, it is because feelings lie to
us. So when I sense that God isn’t
saying yes to me, my feelings will often take control. So I need to be in
control of my feelings. I wasn’t always
able to do this. It came with
practice.
One of the
principles that I learned when I first received Jesus into my life was to
rejoice in all circumstances. 1
Thessalonians 5:16-17 rejoice always, 17 pray
without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. I practiced this.
Whenever anything went wrong I would immediately start “Praising the
Lord!” Consequently this turned into a
lifestyle.
But, we just
can’t tell someone who has chronic illness that if they would just pray more,
praise the Lord, or have more faith, or any of the platitudes we often tell
people who are in physical and emotional pain, but expressing genuine comfort,
building a trusting relationship by listening and praying for the individual
will open the door for us to speak into their life. So often we think we need to tell rather than
listen. Jesus was a great listener. What I would tell a person is this; I will
listen to you, and love you with unconditional love. And I will pray for and
with you. Let us be open to the Holy
Spirit and what He wants to do in your life.
Forgiveness is certainly one of those
ways in which saying yes to God makes little sense and crushes our flesh. – p. 42
It is so much easier to cling to unforgiveness
than to forgive someone who has hurt us deeply. Yet this one thing alone makes
saying, “yes” to God impossible. How
were you able to forgive those who had hurt you so deeply?
I once went
to a workshop for women who had been abused.
The room was filled with victims.
One lady had actually killed her husband and spent time in jail.
The leader
of the workshop told everyone that they should never forgive for if they do
they will let the perpetrator back into their lives. The room was full of bitter women. When I looked at the sadness in the eyes of
these women, I realized how important it was to forgive. I realized Jesus’ death on the cross was
sufficient for all of my pain.
I once heard
it said, “That unforgiveness is like someone drinking poison thinking the other
person is going to die.” Yet, we
struggle with forgiveness because we want to hold on thinking if we release
those who hurt us he is getting away with what they did. We don’t forgive based on how we feel but we
forgive because God commanded us to do so.
And, this forgiveness is a decision not based on how we feel, it is a process. I forgave those who hurt me deeply but it took
several years of constantly making a strong effort, I became relentless and it
worked. I was set free!
If we remain in bondage to the
opinions of other people, we will be limited in our power to say yes to God. –
p. 67
Again, this is a form of bondage that
grips us from an early age! How would
you encourage young folks not to begin the practice of listening to the opinion
of others? Especially when you KNOW what
God has asked you to do and you want to walk in obedience to HIM?
If we could
teach young people who they are in Christ, that they are blessed, have an
inheritance, adopted into the Kingdom, then I think listening to God would
become more important than listening to the opinions of others.
Listening to
the opinions of others in my opinion is really having fear of man. This is a tough concept for young people but
it is true. They are subject to so much
peer pressure. When my children were
growing up, I tried to build confidence in each one. Young people are so vulnerable and need
affirmation but the right kind of affirmation.
I will tell them to trust their ability to hear God and not worry about
making a mistake. God is more interested
in their obedience than how successful they are.
And continually dredging it up for
“healing” is just like ripping off a fresh scab. You are a new creation in
Christ. As a new creation, you don’t
have any scabs. You don’t have any
wounds. You were made brand new by His
extraordinary love and sacrifice. – p 69
This seems to be the toxic
combination that forms when unforgiveness meets the opinions of others! How do you lead someone to embrace their
identity in Christ? Forgiven and made
new? Why is this so hard?
It is hard
because we make it hard. We like our
self-pity, it gives us attention. When
we seek attention from the brokenness within, it is extremely toxic. If we wallow in our self-pity, we allow the
enemy to fill our minds with negativity about the person who hurt us and
ourselves. We speak 2500 words to ourselves per minute. If this is negative talk, then imagine the
outcome.
One of the
biggest mistakes I made was convening with others who were hurt and we had a
field day just being critical of all those who hurt us. Bitterness grew and it caused me a lot of
physical pain as well as spiritual pain.
Jesus said
to pick up our cross and follow Him. He
was our example when He embraced the cross; we often have to embrace our
crosses in life in order to receive healing.
My questions to those who came for pastoral counseling “Are you willing
to face the pain in order to get well?”
Most people answer “Of Course.” But I found they don’t always follow
through.
Repentance
always brings healing, when someone we should forgive, repent of our own bitter
reactions, and bless the person who hurt us hurts us. Finally we need to
forgive ourselves. This is something we
often over look.
Know you are in Christ. Own who you
are in Christ. Be who He believes you
are – a beautiful, spectacular, radiant creation with one of a kind gifts. Be
who you are in Him. A powerful, faith-filled,
determined giver of life to everyone you meet.
As you fully discover your true identity in Christ, the journey of
saying yes to God truly begins. – p70
Renewing your mind starts by humbling
yourself, trusting God, and obeying Him. P. 73
Renewing your mind seems as difficult
for believers that have been in faith for years as it is for brand new
believers! Why?
I believe
this is because we don’t believe Jesus when he says who He is. He is our redeemer, savior, His dying on the
cross brought about our salvation. That
word for salvation is “sozo.” You are
healed and being healed. Having trust,
belief, equals FAITH. I spell faith
“risk. Taking risk is fearful, we are
not sure of the results. But risk that
equals faith that is the substance of things hoped for (Hebrews 11:1). If we believed what the word says, and took
God at His word I think renewing our minds would be easier.
We think it is difficult, and convince ourselves that it is
difficult. But that is a lie. If we truly sought after transforming our
minds, wouldn’t the Holy Spirit give us what we need?
There is
everything we need in Scripture for the transformation of our mind. For the word of God is living and powerful
and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and
spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
This verse
speaks for itself.
Our healing doesn’t come from
regurgitating the broken trust and the assaults we’ve suffered at the hands of
others, but from meditation on the truth and affirmation we find in His word
and the blesses unspeakable peace we feel in his presence. P 82
When we constantly rehearse and
rehash our pains, we won’t move past them.
We won’t experience God’s healing and we are unable to become agents of
His live in our communities. P. 83
When I read these two quotes, my
heart leapt within me!! “YES!” This is
so incredibly true!! Can you tell us how
you arrived at this truth in your own life? I have a feeling it has all to do
with this statement: Forgive the injury. Release the offence. Bless the offender. P.84
When I was
very ill, I received a lot of attention.
People were constantly asking how I felt. They were always telling me that I had such
courage; they admired me because I wouldn’t give up. I didn’t realize at the time, I really liked
hearing what they were saying. After I
had a liver transplant I was feeling wonderful.
I actually looked 10 years younger.
But, people were not asking me how I felt. I missed the attention, and I had to learn
how to live as a healthy person.
When we go
through a healing process, and walk through forgiveness we need to learn how to
walk in freedom. Accept the healing and
move on.
Whatever we speak out will become
true. We are to pray for our enemies
because God knows that’s the only way change will come. Be a person that forgives and speaks
blessings into painful situations. P.84
Can you elaborate on speaking the
truth of God’s Word over a situation? How has this changed your own life?
Each morning
I speak out loud (most of the time) that I am fearfully and wonderfully made, a
new creation in Christ and no weapon formed against me will prosper. I say it until I believe it.
People have
a really difficult time with this, but it is really accepting who God says I am
and what He will do. I often tell people
when I go out to speak that they should stand in front of the mirror naked and
say, “I praise you God because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” This always brings up a strong reaction from
people. It is about accepting self.
When we reach the point where we desire
only to be in the place He desires us to be, I believe we are completely able
to say yes to God. P.113
Realistically, how long does it take
to arrive at this point with God? Is
this different for every believer? What makes the difference?
Realistically,
I have desired this for a many years, and I am still working on it. Desiring something doesn’t necessarily mean
we have accomplished it. Everyone is at
a different place in his or her relationship to God. Actually we are always
going to have new challenges to do new work that will require us to say
yes.
So we will
always have an opportunity to say Yes to God.
I have a saying that I put in my book Saying Yes To God
discipline turns to desire, desire turns to delight. I find that discipline, saying yes, turns to
desire, I want to do it, then it becomes delight.
I often
think we try so hard in the natural to do something, but God wants our desire
to come from the spiritual realm, the Holy Spirit. If we surrender to the Holy Spirit’s we will
find this much easier than we think.
I find that
when I am grateful instead of fearful, I see the world as Jesus does.
Fear has altered human perspective
since the Garden of Eden! How do we
combat fear effectively?
We need to
stand up to our fears. Look them right
in the face. Believe what the Scriptures
say and live a lifestyle based on Ephesians 6:10-18. This isn’t a prayer we say by rote but
something we live.
…on the other side of my “yes God” is
someone else’s “please God.” P 121
This was a POWERFUL statement to me!!
To know that someone is praying for me to find direction and the strength to
walk in obedience is amazing! How did
you see this displayed in your own life?
Many times I
found that what I was doing was the result of other’s praying. Someone needed to do the job, and I was
available to say yes.
The story I
told in the book regarding the pastor’s prayers has resulted in my teaching at
that church every week. I am having a
wonderful time, teaching and enjoying the fellowship. My husband and I have decided to make this
our home church. And, the beauty of my
relationship with the leadership is awesome.
They are supportive of my calling, and bless my comings and goings. It is a wonderful Spirit Filled Church that
allows me to have a refuge to be who I am.
What closing words of encouragement
would you like to leave with readers?
I read all
of the questions before beginning to answer.
None of them can be answered in just a few sentences. Each question is unique to each individual. And each of us learns how to walk in
relationship with God in a different way.
I attempted to answer the questions in a way that each individual felt
their unique calling from God. I hope the reader will understand that God’s
love for them will lead them to a place of healing, and it might just be
different from individual to individual.
And, they have a purpose “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in
them. When we say “Yes” to God, we are
saying yes to fulfilling our divine purpose.
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