I mean, we can do all the good things in the world, and one person can come along and lie about you, or try to cheat you, or do any one of a number of things....none of which are deserved...so how are we supposed to keep peace with them exactly? How is it possible to keep peace with someone who wants to be at war?
Its an age old dilemma. Some people want war. Some people don't want to be at peace with anyone. And we're told to be at peace with them.
Some things are really hard to understand God...
4 comments:
Thanks Barb,
What comes to my mind is this.
1. It is through stressful exercise that strength is increased.
2. We don't know if our effort to resolve the immediate situation (conflict) is the task itself or a stressful exercise preparing us for another day.
3. God seems, to me at least, rather slow to answer questions yet quick to pose them.
I ask Him "why" and He turns it on me with, "Why are you asking?"
"Well, I was just wondering, Lord" is followed by "No, you are not 'just' wondering. You don't 'just' anything."
"Okay, here it is, Lord. It makes sense to me that if you give directions on how to deal with something that it would be..... how do I say it?.... successful..... it should work!"
"So, you not only want to know 'why', you want to see if it 'makes sense to you'? Is that correct?"
"....................Maybe I should have asked you 'how' instead of 'why'?"
"You think?"
4. By this process of obedience, mountains are moved and spiritual strength is increased. "But which one is before me?"
"Does it matter?"
Just wanted to follow up with a comment that your post about "being at peace" was dominated by the question "how do I do that, God?"
There is a level of maturity demonstrated in your question as opposed to the immaturity I was referencing in the "why" question.
I remember directing the kids to do something and getting the "why" response. Clearly it was no more than a mask for "I don't want to."
"I don't know how" gets a whole different response from a parent.
I imagine God saying "okay, I'll show you" and off we go. Carl
A pastor friend told me once, "You are NOT responsible for how a person treats you. You are responsible for how you respond." It is a simple formula. When I've practiced it, it works well, and I live in peace. When I've been badgered to the point of responding in a negative way, my peace is interrupted. I may NEVER be able to live in peace WITH that person, but if I take responsibility for myself, I can live in peace with myself & with
God.
Post a Comment