Mourning into Dancing

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing
You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness
 That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever."

It has been a while now, that I have been giving some thought to grief.  What it might mean, and the healthy way to grieve.  The first thing that came to mind is, I do not grieve and I need to learn how.  I think my first time at grieving happened recently over the loss of our first born child many years ago.

Grief is not a sin.  It is a healthy response to loss.  It is multifaceted like a diamond.  It affects our whole being.  We go through losses all the time: divorce, a miscarriage, a child leaving home, the loss of a job, the death of a loved one, or even a pet.  There are many losses we go through. Jesus compared LOSS to the labor of a mother who goes through pain, but in the end, births her child and forgets the pain.   Loss is in and out of our lives, but yet we continue with life and press on. You know you got to make hay while the sun shines!

We are supposed to be content in all circumstances.  How the devil can twist scripture.   Still we can find contentment in Christ.  Jesus was content in all circumstances, but yet He bore our grief.  He was complete, but yet He felt the pain of our losses.  His emotions did not direct the way He went.  His Father, our Father's will directed Him.  But the emotions followed.  Because of His character, He feels emotions.  He wept with those who weep.  He was with the Father.  He spent time with Him, depended on Him, talked to Him, waited on Him.

We are afraid we will get stuck in our grief.  We might get depressed and not be able to pull ourselves out of it.  So we go stoic and feel nothing at all.  We stuff it.   Sometimes we cannot feel God's presence and we enter into the Dark Night of the Soul.  We forget what we know to be true--that He will never leave us. Nothing can separate us from His love.  We concern ourselves that mourning will turn into sin, anger at God, for not getting what we wanted in life, or the life we wanted, although we might not admit it.  We might become bitter or angry at others instead of forgiving the way we are forgiven.  Grief is gonna come out some way ... we become angry toward others, for no reason it seems ... Or we turn inward with our anger and over time depression does come, at least for some.

Our grief can affect us physically, if not ALLOWED TO BE experienced.  Our physical bodies get worn down over time.  We can run to addictions of all kinds to deal with the pain we feel inside.  Maybe drugs, pornography, alcohol, or even good things like food, shopping, work, ministry.  We run and we hide from our pain.  We do anything to keep from feeling it and letting it drive us to Jesus.  We busy ourselves and our minds with television, computers, and texting friends.  Our minds are hardly ever quiet.  But God wants us to hear the whisper of His Word written on our hearts.

I would like to suggest, not to feel the grief you have all at one time, especially all of the past losses, where there are so many things to work through.  Have the help of a good friend, counselor, OR pastor. Feel the grief for a little while.  Then, put it on the shelf for a few days and just enjoy something.  Maybe creation with a walk, enjoying the sunrises and sunsets, the stars in the sky. Breathe deep, exhale. Feel the wind against your face. Eat something refreshing outside, maybe fruit, cheese or a frozen yogurt, listen to music in a cozy spot; light a candle.  Take a run, play tennis, basketball, enjoy your hobby--whatever your heart enjoys doing.  Go about daily living.  God loves you and He is with you.  Just learn to enjoy Him and be with Him.   

When we take our grief back down from the shelf, and we do feel the pain of it all, then allow yourself to embrace it.  Let your Father embrace you in that pain.  It is the eclipse of the heart.  As you press into God, know on the cross that one thing Jesus did was, He came to feel as you feel.  He incarnated with us. He became one of us.  To be able to say, "I know. I understand."  Jesus cares and grieves with you.  He bore our grief.  He wants to be your Comforter.  For you to share your inner most thoughts and experiences with Him.  To show you the way to grieve.  He weeps with those who weep.  Simply feel it, bit by bit and go to Him.  Tell Him the secrets of your pain.  Sharing brokenness with Him and with others who care, brings intimacy there.  It is a bond that cannot be broken.  God offers us sweet continual consolation.

In the past I have prayed, "Lord help me run to you and not away.  I believe, help my unbelief, that You are who You say You are.  I am the person You say that I am.  That you sent Jesus to give me hope.  I trust it to be true, that You are working all things into something good for me and Your great Name will shine through it all, because Your word tells me so.  There is no loss that can rob me from Your purposes in Christ.  I am Your treasure.  You are mine.  I am Your joy and delight.  Precious Lord, You are mine."

I think you will find in time that you are surprised by His grace once again.  A grateful, thankful beating heart erupts.  You worship the Lord with all that is in you.  It may not be sudden or all at once, but it comes in faith.  Trusting He will rescue you, comfort you, and be there for you. He will meet the deepest needs and longings of your heart.   It is a time to ask Him to show you how He has blessed you.  Maybe even through this loss, but if you can't see that yet,  then realize that His blessings still come to you in every day-to-day living.  Ask the Spirit to help you.  Think, If He never does another thing, but sent His Son for me, how amazing is that?  This may be all you can focus on now (and it is more than we will ever possibly need).  He lost it all to give you all: Himself.

You will be amazed by the joy that will soon come into your heart, mind and soul as He rescues you. He will do it over and over again.  It is a giving of your pain that you have held so tightly unto Him, and then receiving Him--His comfort, His delight, His ways ... then a delightful joy.   Your mighty Warrior has come to fight for you.  Go to Him.  He is waiting with arms wide open.  He will throw you a party beyond anything you can imagine.  Listen for the music of the gospel.  Your heart will sing a sweet, sweet chorus, and then you will both dance.

God truly does comfort us so we can give others the same comfort we have.

I wrote this a short while back.  I will be taking a little while off from posting.  I will continue to share others writings, articles, quotes, etc. so hope it serves you as well.  May your summer be off to a great start.  Blessings friends.

The Reason the Lord allows ongoing sin in our lives, Rick Thomas

The reason the LORD allows ongoing sin in your life

POSTED BY RICK THOMAS  ON JANUARY 30, 2014 IN ARTICLES, SERMON NOTESUNDER SIN/SINNER, SUFFERING, WEAKNESS

1 COMMENT

 

This past week I counseled two people who had a similar struggle. They both were discouraged by their patterns of sin. Rather than seeing sin as an opportunity to lean into God, their experience with sin led them down the road of frustration and fear.

This kind of thinking created a double-sin paradigm—they sinned and then they sinned in response to sin by despairing or being frustrated. Though sin can be discouraging, our main point-of-focus when we do wrong should be the Gospel, not our wrongs. Our sinfulness should create a spiritual momentum that moves us toward Gospel solutions rather than fear, despair, justifying, rationalizing, or blame.

If our response to sin drives us away from the Gospel, then we not only misunderstand the biblical purposes of sin in our lives, but we under-appreciate, under-value, and under-utilize the power found in the Gospel—sin’s only solution.^[1]

If our sin does not propel us to the Gospel, then we’re heading down the wrong road.

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Already, but not yet

At conversion God begins a good work in you by making you new. The real you that will live forever is forever changed when you are born from above. In order for this to happen, all of your sin has been nailed on the cross. Past, present, and future sin is forever declared “not guilty”. Then when Christ was raised from the dead and ascended back to heaven, the work of salvation was completed and you were able to receive Christ’s righteousness.

If you believe this Gospel, then you are completely forgiven and completely righteous because of the finished work of Christ. Your new righteousness, that belongs to Jesus, is a gift from God.

His perfect record of obedience is credited to you. This is a staggering doctrine. Think about it. You are no longer the person you used to be. The Spirit of God has come into you. You are not defined by your past or your present struggles and you will not be defined by any future struggles.

This is an already, but not yet theology. All of these things I have laid out for you are true, but you have not experienced all of them while living on earth. Though you are perfect in Christ, you still live in a fallen body that is drawn to our fallen world.

The final verdict of judgment day has already been declared about you: NOT guilty.

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When good went bad

The LORD made Adam and Eve with a desire to find life, meaning, and purpose in their world. This was a good thing because everything in them and around them was good.

Then came Genesis 3 when sin entered the world. From that point forward the world and all its inhabitants were no longer good. We are depraved. Through and through, we are sad, bad, and mad. Paul said we were worthless (Romans 3:10-12).

Our world and our hearts are fully corrupted, like a giant magnet (the world) drawing our hearts (cold, hard iron) to each other in irresistible ways (James 1:14-15). We are so easily lured by our sinful desires that find things in the world to continuously crave. This means the new you, who was made new by Christ, is still corrupted and drawn toward evil.

The not yet part of our salvation is still in the future, an incorruptible body that we long to receive. When the LORD Jesus comes for us, we will receive that new body and our salvation will be complete.

In the meantime, we have a problem—we Christians are being pulled toward the things of this world (Ephesians 4:22). The magnetism of sin is in full-effect until we see Jesus. This is the in-between time—a time between regeneration and glorification that we call sanctification.

Weakness is a gift from the LORD

This does raise a few questions we must consider:

• Why did God not make us complete at salvation?
• Why did He leave us in our bodies to where we still struggle with sin?
• Why can’t we be sinlessly perfected today?
• Why do we have to wait until heaven to be totally free from our sinning ways?

If being sinless was of most importance to the LORD it seems He would have made us sinless after He regenerated us. But He didn’t. The implication is there must be something of more importance to Him since He did not perfect us.

What about if we turned sin on its head by viewing it from the LORD’s perspective, rather than our own? When we view sin from our perspective, we can become discouraged, angry, or even justifying. When we view sin from the LORD’s perspective, we can become hopeful, strengthened, and even grateful.

Paul does not want us to be ignorant of the sin, suffering, and other human weaknesses that come into our lives. His appeal was to turn these things on their heads by seeing them the way the LORD sees them.

For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.

Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. – 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 (ESV)

It appears that one of the reasons the LORD did not totally clean you up at salvation and the reason sin still remains in your life is to regularly remind you that apart from the LORD you cannot do anything (John 15:5). God did not make you perfect in this life and He will not allow you to be perfect in this life.

When you view your sin, suffering, and other personal weaknesses through the power of the Gospel can’t you see how the LORD wants to teach you not to rely on yourself?

When sin happens

This Gospel view of sin means humility must precede your holiness or your holiness will shipwreck you. If you see that your path to holiness is more about humility, then your obedience will be without the snares of Pharisaical pride.

Any claims of obedience or holiness should be seen through the lens of your inability, your weakness, and your dependence on the LORD. Any other way of working on your holiness will be born out of self-reliance that will lead to arrogance, high self-esteem, and condescension toward others.

Struggling with ongoing sin can be either detrimental or transformative to your soul.

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The self-reliant person will be discouraged or frustrated by their sin, while redoubling their efforts to conquer their weaknesses. This plan will not work. It will lead to additional sin patterns. For example,

1. Justification – They will begin declaring their actions as not guilty. Because they can’t overcome their sin, they will alter their sin by making it okay.
2. Rationalization – They will begin to compare themselves with others, always putting themselves in a better light in order to soothe their consciences (2 Corinthians 10:12).
3. Blame – Because they are compelled to give an answer for their sin, coupled with their unwillingness to own their sin, they will blame what’s wrong with them on other people or other things.
4. Alleviation – The end result of the preceding sinful mental maneuvers will lead to addictive behaviors, which form escapes for the person who refuses to repent of their sin.

The God-reliant person will be spurred on by humility. This is God-empowered favor on their lives that motivates them to cooperate with the LORD in ongoing transformation.

Their humility will give them clarity on what they have done. The humble person has a clear perspective on sin. They are not on a sin hunt and they are not sin-centered, but when they do sin, they are not overcome by it, but motivated to engage it.

They understand the reality of their imperfection and are able to label it correctly They perceive the LORD’s allowance of the sin in their lives and trust Him in the ongoing transformation of their souls.

Sin is your opportunity for the LORD to be magnified in your life.

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Opportunity or opposition?

If we are not willing to clearly identify what is wrong with us, then we will be overcome by what is wrong with us. This will hinder any person from ever perceiving how the LORD wants to take what is wrong with them to a new place in their ongoing sanctification.

• Sin is the opportunity for the LORD to be magnified in your life.
• Sin is the platform upon which you will access the Gospel’s power.
• Sin is the doorway that will lead you to God’s grace.
• Sin is the unrighteousness that brings heaven down to change you (Luke 5:32).
• Sin is the confession that beckons the LORD’s cleansing (1 John 1:7-10).

You do not have to be afraid of or frustrated with sin. God loves you in spite of what is wrong with you. Sin does not alter the LORD’s opinion for you. The LORD is never angry at you or disappointed with you. Think about it this way:

• God the Father is never disappointed with Jesus.
• God the Father is never angry with Jesus.
• God the Father is never frustrated with Jesus.

After you were born again, you received the righteousness of Christ. You were united with Christ. You were placed in Christ. When the LORD sees you, He sees the gift He gave you—the righteousness of Christ.

Therefore, the LORD is never angry, disappointed, or frustrated with you. You are His child and He sees you through the finished work of Christ. Your sin does not change this theological truth.

If you are a person who believes your sin alters how God thinks about you, it’s time to change. That is not what sin does to your relationship with the LORD. What should happen when you sin is you should see it as your time to continue to lean into the good work God is doing in you, while progressing to a greater depth of holiness.

In Christ, you are cherished; you are washed; you are clean; you are blameless; you are wrapped-up tightly in the robes of Christ’s righteousness. He is everything you are not and He stands before the Father on your behalf as everything you are not.

And if you understand how these rich Gospel truths connect directly to your daily struggle with sin, then owning up to your sin will not be a problem because when you call sin, sin and believe the Gospel, you run directly to Jesus. You run directly to the cross. You run into the loving arms of your heavenly Father. – Charlie Boyd

A call to action

Our inability to overcome sin is how God works humility into us. If we were able to overcome sin because of our ability, then we would not need Him, the Gospel, or His grace.

The LORD wants us to cooperate with Him in the sanctification of our lives. He wants us to come to Him to receive the grace we need to work through our problems. For by grace we have been saved and by grace we will be sanctified.

Below are four key sequential points to this article. Read and reflect over each point carefully. Where does your sanctification become bogged down to where you are stuck or feel unable to progress?

It may be helpful to talk about these things with a trusted friend or within your small group. Most definitely spend time with the Father, working through the complexity of your soul.

• Contrition – (Humility) When I sin, I’m not driven to despair, but to hope. I know the LORD is doing a good work in me and my sin becomes the portal through which I access His grace.
• Categories – I have clear, specific, and precise sin categories. I don’t cut the corners off my sin or play mental games with myself or others. I name it and claim it because theological accuracy will expedite the LORD’s help.
• Confession – With clear sin categories I’m able to quickly agree with God with what I did. I see what He sees. We’re on the same page. This makes it easier to confess my sin and receive His cleansing.
• Community – I need the body of Christ. Sanctification happens best in community. Not only do I want others to know what the LORD is doing for me, but I want to be positioned to help others in their walk of faith. The call on me is to go and make disciples; I want to model it as I teach it.

How did you do? What area do you struggle the most–contrition, categories, confession, community? Will you talk with a friend? Will you get some help? Sin does not have to be detrimental to your soul. Sin can be the beginning of a powerful new life in Christ. Let me leave you with my favorite quote from The Gospel Primer:

If I wanted others to think highly of me, I would conceal the fact that a shameful slaughter of the perfect son of God was required that I might be saved. But when I stand at the foot of the Cross and am seen by others under the light of that Cross, I am left uncomfortably exposed before their eyes.

Indeed, the most humiliating gossip that could ever be whispered about me is blared from Golgotha’s hill; and my self-righteous reputation is left in ruins in the wake of its revelations. With the worst facts about me thus exposed to the view of others, I find myself feeling that I truly have nothing left to hide. – The Gospel Primer

DumbSheepDave

What’s so great about suffering?

It’s the primary way I see Jesus growing believers to be more dependent on Himself.  Suffering is not just physical, but can also be emotional/spiritual, like fresh conviction of sin, which at first seems unhelpful, not what I wanted, but afterward, I’m so grateful to be sane again, experiencing once again, the abundant LIFE Jesus promised –  unconditional love from Himself, and from me to me.  My flesh resists suffering of any kind, but especially fresh conviction of sin, because my flesh wants me to think highly of myself, that I’m worthy, noble, better than others, does not want me to see the truth about dysfunctional me, others, Jesus, and His genius plan for my life.  Get used to disappointment, Dave’sFlesh.   Suffering produces perseverance, then character, then hope/faith/dependency.  I’ve been searching for 25 years for a believer who really loves Jesus, but has experienced little suffering.  So far, I have not found even one person.

–DumbSheepDave, giddy about Jesus-dependency, each time the Spirit has convicted him of the sin of independence, hoping the pre-believers are noticing the difference in the past year

To receive my weekly updates, email me, or search for GospelFriendships (one word) on Facebook, and "like" the page, or subscribe to my blog: dumbsheepdave.com

Letter to Die, Rick Thomas

Letter to God: I need to die; will you help me?

POSTED BY RICK THOMAS  ON FEBRUARY 9, 2014 IN ARTICLES, SERMON NOTESUNDER CHRIST, FAITH, GOSPEL CONNECTIONS, JOY, MATURITY, MOTIVES, REPENTANCE, SUFFERING

LEAVE A COMMENT

Paul said, “to live is Christ.” In four syllables he explained the why and the what for his earthly existence.

• Why was he living? Christ.
• What was his point for living? Christ.

How would you answer that question. Fill in the blank. “For me to live is ____________.” What would you say? Whatever you place in the blank will do the following four things for you.

1. It will govern how you think about your circumstances.
2. It will direct how you respond to your circumstances.
3. It will control how you navigate through your circumstances.
4. It will set the course for and the outcome of your future.

You could think of whatever you placed in the blank as the foundation upon which your life will be built. Everybody has a “to live is __________” presupposition. We are all defined by something. This makes thinking about the thing that drives us an important matter.

Your world view is the thing that shapes how you will think about and respond to the people and events in your life. For Paul, it was Christ. The LORD Jesus was the filter through which Paul gazed upon the traffic in his personal universe.

Because his purpose for living was Christ, there was a predetermined outcome in place–Paul was guaranteed biblical success. The same is true for you and me. I’m not saying your future will bebiblically successful; I’m saying your future is predetermined. Whether you experience a satisfying future is dependent on your purpose for living.

• If your blank says, “to live is Christ” then your predetermined future will be soul-satisfying.
• If your blank is filled with anything other than Christ, then your future will not be satisfying.

Do not be deceived about this matter; there is only one right answer: to live must be Christ or your life will unfold in ever-increasing disappointment and dissatisfaction.^[1]

Whatever you are living for will determine the quality of life you will have.

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Johnny one note

• How do you want to live?
• Did you know you could pre-script and predetermine your future?

Paul was explaining to the Philippians why he was not discouraged. He had a definition of life that empowered him through his difficulty. His level of joy was tied directly to the thing (person) he wanted most of all.

The thing you and I want most of all will determine our daily joy. If we are getting our utmost desire, we will be happy. If not, then our happiness will be in proportion to that disappointment. Paul did not live in disappointment, because what he wanted most was in his possession–he was in Christ and desired nothing greater.

Every person knows what is most important to them, whether they can quickly define it or not. The way we define what drives and governs us is by how we respond to life’s circumstances. We don’t need to take a poll to figure out what our treasure is. We only need to examine how we responded to our last disappointment.

The thing Paul lived for kept him from being controlled by the distressing circumstances in his life. The things that happened to him, though painful as they were, became instruments for the advancement of the Gospel rather than instruments that led to his despair.

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the Gospel. – Philippians 1:12 (ESV)

Paul was a one-trick pony. He was Johnny-one-note. There was a singularity to his world view that defined how he thought about life and the circumstances that came into his life.

He had a way of making sense of the things that were happening to him. He was not like many modern Christians, always on a mission trying to figure out the hidden mystery to why evil is coming to them. Paul knew the LORD was in his mess and he knew it was for the advancement of the Gospel.

He perceived the LORD was simultaneously working suffering and triumph into his life because Father God was giving Paul a greater platform for greater usefulness. The question he was asking about his suffering was not why is this happening to him, but how can the Gospel have greater effect through his imprisonment?

Father, raise me to a higher level of living and may my suffering take me there.

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Dear LORD,

Trouble has come into my life. I am suffering. I know you are the Sovereign God of the universe who is always working all things into my life for your glory, my ultimate benefit, and for the good of others.

I am your servant. You are my God. I’m the clay in your hands and you’re doing a good work at this moment for a greater work later. Though I cannot perceive the goodness you’re bringing about because of the trial, I trust you.

Though I don’t see the whole picture, I’m learning to rely on you who is omniscient and omnipotent. Thank you for caring for my life. Thank you for always turning my bad into our mutual good. Thank you for not answering my questions the way I want them answered, but consistently driving me into a deeper trust of you.

Rather than me being on this endless hunt for the perfect answer to why bad things happen to bad people like me, you have given me a trust that transcends my trouble. This is glorious to my soul.

It sets my mind and my life aright and sends me in a better direction. It’s not a direction that will allow me to discover all the reasons for trouble, but it will permit me to find greater discoveries about your person and your grace.

I no longer have to put you on trial. I don’t have to have all the answers. The one thing I need to know is you are “for me” and this one thing has been forever answered by the death and resurrection of your Son.

You are on my side and you are in me. You are doing a great work through me. I have one job, which is to trust you and you alone. This, by your grace, I will do.

I don’t want to be a problem-centered Christian, where my friends and enemies know more about my problems than you. This is a shame, and every time I exalt my problems above you, may your sweet Holy Spirit penetrate the darkness of my heart and relieve me from this self-torture.

Release me to fully love you. This will only happen when I am completely crushed in the winepress of your love. This process of crushing will not change or remove my problems, but it will transform them into a sweet wine of joy that will bring benefit to me, healing to others, and satisfaction to you.

This kind of work from you will adjust my attitude, thinking, and behaving. It will also be preparation for the day when there will be no more sin, death, or suffering of any kind. I don’t want to wait until that day to be released from the tug of sin in my life. I want to be free today.

Batter my heart, three-person’d God, for you

As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;

That I may rise and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend

Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.^[2]

Though this is other-worldly thinking, it’s not thinking that is outside of your power or your grace. You can bring this kind of transformation into my life. I want to be more of a man of love, more of a man of grace, and more of a man of humility.

I need what you are doing to me in order to make me the man I need to be. But it won’t come easy. There is a rebel in my mind who wants to thrust off your ways for my ways. I’m in a lifetime battle that will challenge me as each trouble, each negative circumstance, and each disappointment comes into my life.

I now know these troubles and tragedies are brought to me by your hand because you want me to stop relying on myself. Your perfectly prescribed and timed trouble is teaching me not to rely on myself, but on you, the only person who can raise the dead.

Please raise me to a higher level of living. “For to me to live is Christ.” Make that real for me today. I want to live for Christ right now, knowing the best life I can have and the only life I should desire is Christ.

Because I belong to Christ, Christ is in me. Because Christ is in me, my desire is to live for Him. The only way I can live for Him is by dying to myself. This, my LORD, is my definition of life.

To live life apart from Christ would have no meaning at all. For me to live is Christ. It has not always been this way for me. Through the years there have been many other things I have lived for and which have given shape and definition to my life. I used to live…

to be wealthy.
to be healthy.
to be strong.
to be approved.
to be safe.
to be superior.
to be comforted.
to be pleased.
to be successful.
to be happy.

I have been all of these things. Though the LORD Jesus has been a part of my life for a long time, He has not always been the singular point and purpose of my life.

Cornelius Plantinga said, “In an ego-centered culture, the self exists to be explored, indulged, and expressed, but not disciplined or restrained.” Dear Father, I am guilty of this crime against your sovereign highness.

This error in judgement has made me vulnerable in life. It has left me dissatisfied. I’m only as strong as the thing that means the most to me. Please let Christ mean the most to me.

Take me to you, imprison me, for I,

Except you enthrall me, never shall be free.^[3]

—Your child

The best life I can have and the only life I should desire is Christ.

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A call to action

If this prayer resonates with you, then my appeal is for you to make it your own. Find a comfortable place and read it to your heavenly Father. Plead with Him to change you.

After you are finished with your interchange with the LORD, begin working through these three action items. A journal would be great. A trusted friend would be greater.

1. See the big picture – Ask the LORD to stop you from the need to see the big picture. You don’t need to know all the contours of the story. You need to know God. Knowing the reasons and the answers would tempt you to place your faith in what you know rather than who you know. The LORD is calling you to trust Him rather than the mysterious facts that make up your trouble.
2. See your sin in the struggle – The thorns the LORD brings into your life will tempt you to not deal with your sin when your sin is the one thing that will make your problems more complex. Ask the Father to show you your sin that He has pain brought to the surface of your life. Don’t mask it, deny it, or shovel blame onto others. Own it.
3. See Jesus – If the LORD Jesus is not exalted over your trouble, then your trouble will swallow the Savior’s grace and truth. He will become small and your problems will become huge. Do not become a problem-centered Christian. If you talk more about your problems than the sovereign God over your problems, then you must turn around and go the other way.

Do you want to follow the Son of God? This is the crux (cross) of the matter. If so, then to follow Him is to die to yourself, your will, your dreams, your desires, and your expectations. If so, your prayer will unfold like Paul’s: For me to live is Christ. – Philippians 1:21 (ESV)