Me. Forgive them?

(a brief summary of a recent lesson on Forgiveness at Ladies Bible Study)

 

Maybe you know exactly when it was the clock stopped in your life. The day when the hurt was caused that began the downward spiral into bitterness and resentment that has been eating you up inside ever since.

Or maybe you’re not in that place but you just find it difficult to forgive.

You can’t go through even one day without some hurt. Ignored. Overlooked. Put down. Told off. Gossiped about. Let down. Many offences happen but how you respond or react to them matters.

Forgiveness is not our normal response to offenses. It is not our default.

But God doesn’t call us to give a natural response. He calls us to give a supernatural response. It is only possible through him.

Can I let you in on a little secret. Forgiveness is not for the other person. Forgiveness is for you!

Stay with me and I’ll explain that in more detail soon.

Let me first tell you what forgiveness is not.

Forgiveness is not necessarily reconciliation. Forgiveness doesn’t mean we continue to place ourselves in harm’s way. We are to forgive others for hurting us or others, but we don’t have to give them unlimited opportunity to hurt again. Eg abuse. We don’t have to get back into relationship with the person. Sometimes reconciliation is not possible.

Forgiveness is not the absence of pain. You are not pretending that all is good. You are not necessarily forgetting. Only God can forgive and forget. Pain will often still be present.

So, what is forgiveness?

Forgiveness is a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you. It is an emotional and heartfelt process that involves putting aside feelings of resentment toward an individual who has committed a wrong, been unfair or hurtful, or otherwise harmed one in some way. Forgiveness is showing mercy even when they don’t deserve it.  Forgiveness is extending mercy even if they are unaware of what they have done.

In Scripture, we see forgiveness portrayed perfectly by the Lord Jesus Christ, as he lay down his life for us, promising not to put our sins to our account, and casting our sins into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:19) He forgave everyone of us for all our sins for all of eternity. Past, present and future.

Christ is our example of how to forgive.

As hard as it is, our forgiveness should be in direct proportion to the amount we’ve been forgiven. Jesus forgave all, and so should we. Easier said then done!

Ephesians 4:32 KJV - And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Love and forgiveness go hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other.

1 Peter 4:8 KJV - And above all things have fervent charity (love) among yourselves: for charity (love) shall cover the multitude of sins.

By extending forgiveness and kindness, we reflect God’s heart and reveal his character. It is a mark of Christian love. It is not optional in the Christian walk. It is commanded. It’s not just a suggestion.

There are so many examples in Scripture of forgiveness being played out. Here are just a few.

Joseph – Genesis 50 – Joseph forgave his brothers

Prodigal Son – Luke 15 – The father forgave his son

Stephen – Acts 7 – Stephen forgave his killers

Christ – Luke 23 – Christ forgave us through his death on the cross

So, why is forgiveness so important?

Let’s talk about unforgiveness.

Put bluntly: UNFORGIVENESS IS SIN.

We often focus on the so called “big” sins – adultery, murder, stealing etc and we minimise the ‘emotional’ sins like unforgiveness, anger, jealousy, malice etc.

I make no apology for saying this: IT IS ALL SIN! However we see it, God sees it as sin.

Why is unforgiveness so bad? Why do we need to get rid of it out of our lives? Why do we need to develop forgiveness in our hearts and lives?

1.        It is sin. It is just as bad as the big sins

2.        It hinders your prayers.  When you sin, you don’t lose your salvation, but it affects your relationship, fellowship and intimacy with God. Psalm 66:18 KJV - If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

3.        It angers and hurts God’s heart. Parable of the talents - Matthew 18:34-35 KJV - And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

4.        It breaks down your fellowship with God

5.        It destroys your personal relationships

We can’t talk about forgiveness without talking about bitterness.

Remember at the start of this lesson, I said:

Forgiveness is not for the other person. Forgiveness is for you!  

Let me expound on this a little.

Hebrews 12:14-15 KJV - Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

In Ephesians 4 the apostle Paul talks about offenses and how we should deal with them. He speaks of lying, anger, stealing, working with our hands, corrupt communication and then he tells us not to grieve the Holy Spirit.

And what is one of the ways we can keep from grieving the Holy Spirit? By putting bitterness away from us.

Ephesians 4:30-32 KJV - And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Not only is bitterness dangerous as a root that grows, but when we continue in unforgiveness, we are giving the Devil an opening to work. We are swinging the door wide open and letting him in!

Ephesians 4:26-27 KJV - Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.

The Greek word for place in this verse is translated: opportunity, power, occasion for acting. Food for thought!

In Hebrews and in Romans, we are commanded to live peaceably with all men and to follow peace.  

Did you know that bitterness has many side effects?

*Changes personality and self-image- it becomes part of your character and you develop a victim mentality

*Breeds cynicism and paranoia – you become so self-protective you view the world differently, so it affects your relationships

*Stops the clock on your life. The hurt keeps you trapped in the past. You can’t live fully in the present.

*Wastes time and energy- by reliving the past and replaying the event.

Let’s go back and take a look at Hebrews 12:15.. lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

The Greek word for bitterness is pikria. It means extreme wickedness. Poison. Hatred. A bitter root producing bitter fruit. It’s not a pleasant thing to have in your life.

Bitterness is a root. It may stay hidden under the surface for a time, but it will eventually spring up and trouble you.

That word defiled means “contaminated, polluted”. Many will be defiled. That means you too.

People who are bitter become hard and cold and depressed and negative and hard to live with.

They say that an animal that is wounded is the most dangerous. Wounded people who don’t receive God’s grace and stay bitter often become wounders of other people. With their actions. Attitudes. Words.

HURT people, HURT people. It really is true. If you are around a bitter person, the hurt that lives inside them needs to find an outlet, and more often than not, it’s going to come out in words of hurt.

You can’t walk in true fellowship with God and others if you refuse to forgive. There is no freedom and no peace.

Unforgiveness is sin. Bitterness is sin.

“Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting someone else to die”

Forgiveness means letting go of the anger and resentment and thoughts of revenge and letting go of the bitterness you’re holding on to. When you do this, it will free you from the heavy burden of bitterness and bring the peace that your soul needs. That’s why I say that forgiveness is for you.

You may be the one wronged, but when you choose to forgive, a burden is lifted, and you are able to live the abundant life God has promised.

All you’re doing by choosing to live in bitterness, is giving the other person control over your own happiness and joy and peace of mind. By extending grace and choosing to forgive, you will experience God’s help over your life. Emotionally. Physically. Mentally. Spiritually.

If we are going to reflect God’s character, we have to show love and compassion like Christ did. When we forgive, we reflect God’s character. Our forgiveness shows the grace and mercy we’ve been given.

It doesn’t mean forgetting or accepting wrong, it’s about letting go of resentment and choosing healing and restoration.

We are choosing to break the cycle of hurt. We are letting go of negative emotions to enable us to live happier, more fulfilling lives.

Forgiveness is a choice to follow and obey God’s Word. It is an act of love, and it is a choice to extend the same grace to them that God gives to us.

Forgiveness shows the love of Christ in us.

I would be remiss if I didn’t give you a few practical tips on how to go about extending forgiveness. There is so much to be said on this topic, and I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface, but I want to leave you with 4 little take-aways that I pray will help you if you are struggling in this area of forgiveness.

1.        Trust God to deal with them - Romans 12:17a – Recompense (pay) to no man evil for evil.

 Romans 12:19 KJV - Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

When we hold onto anger and resentment, we are saying we don’t trust God. We don’t trust God knows what’s going on. We don’t trust him to deal with it. We take matters into our own hands, and we try to give them what they deserve. Give it to God. He is a righteous judge. Forgiveness requires relinquishing your control and giving it over to him to deal with.

2.        Clearly communicate your pain to the person who has wronged you. – Sometimes they are clueless.

The benefit of this is it releases you from the burden you’ve been carrying. It can also help the other person not commit the same offence to someone else. It opens up the door to reconciliation if possible and restoration of relationship.

3.        Pray for those who hurt you – It’s hard to stay hating those you pray for. When you begin to pray God’s blessing instead of cursing over someone, it will change your perspective. Matthew 5:44 KJV - But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

 Proverbs 24:17 KJV - Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:

4.        Stop talking negatively about them – When we do this, we are defaming their character without them being present to defend themselves. Look for the good and refuse to speak badly about them.

James 4:11, 17 KJV - Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. ... Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

 

When you forgive, you don’t change the past, but you change the future.

 

“Forgiveness is unlocking the door to set someone free,

 then realising that someone was you”

 

The following is an excerpt from “The Hiding Place” by Corrie Ten Boom.

An excellent example of true forgiveness.

 

It was in a church in Munich that I saw him, a balding heavyset man in a gray overcoat, a brown felt hat clutched between his hands. People were filing out of the basement room where I had just spoken, moving along the rows of wooden chairs to the door at the rear.

It was 1947 and I had come from Holland to defeated Germany with the message that God forgives.

It was the truth they needed most to hear in that bitter, bombed-out land, and I gave them my favourite mental picture. Maybe because the sea is never far from a Hollander’s mind, I liked to think that that’s where forgiven sins were thrown.

“When we confess our sins,” I said, “God casts them into the deepest ocean, gone forever.”

The solemn faces stared back at me, not quite daring to believe. There were never questions after a talk in Germany in 1947. People stood up in silence, in silence collected their wraps, in silence left the room.

And that’s when I saw him, working his way forward against the others. One moment I saw the overcoat and the brown hat; the next, a blue uniform and a visored cap with its skull and crossbones.

It came back with a rush: the huge room with its harsh overhead lights, the pathetic pile of dresses and shoes in the centre of the floor, the shame of walking naked past this man. I could see my sister’s frail form ahead of me, ribs sharp beneath the parchment skin. Betsie, how thin you were!

Betsie and I had been arrested for concealing Jews in our home during the Nazi occupation of Holland; this man had been a guard at Ravensbrück concentration camp where we were sent.

Now he was in front of me, hand thrust out: “A fine message, fräulein! How good it is to know that, as you say, all our sins are at the bottom of the sea!”

And I, who had spoken so glibly of forgiveness, fumbled in my pocketbook rather than take that hand. He would not remember me, of course–how could he remember one prisoner among those thousands of women?

But I remembered him and the leather crop swinging from his belt. It was the first time since my release that I had been face to face with one of my captors and my blood seemed to freeze.

“You mentioned Ravensbrück in your talk,” he was saying. “I was a guard in there.” No, he did not remember me.

“But since that time,” he went on, “I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fräulein”–again the hand came out–“will you forgive me?”

And I stood there–I whose sins had every day to be forgiven–and could not. Betsie had died in that place–could he erase her slow terrible death simply for the asking?

It could not have been many seconds that he stood there, hand held out, but to me it seemed hours as I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do.

For I had to do it–I knew that. The message that God forgives has a prior condition: that we forgive those who have injured us. “If you do not forgive men their trespasses,” Jesus says, “neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

I knew it not only as a commandment of God, but as a daily experience. Since the end of the war I had had a home in Holland for victims of Nazi brutality.

Those who were able to forgive their former enemies were able also to return to the outside world and rebuild their lives, no matter what the physical scars. Those who nursed their bitterness remained invalids. It was as simple and as horrible as that.

And still I stood there with the coldness clutching my heart. But forgiveness is not an emotion–I knew that too. Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.

“Jesus, help me!” I prayed silently. “I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling.”

And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes.

“I forgive you, brother!” I cried. “With all my heart!”

For a long moment we grasped each other’s hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God’s love so intensely as I did then.

 

 

Don’t be a pen snatcher!

 

Don’t be a pen snatcher. I’ve been thinking about this today. If you’re confused, then that’s okay. Stay with me. I don’t have anything profound to share but I pray that you will be encouraged with what God has been working on me about.

In previous posts, I’ve talked about how God writes the script of our lives and how all too often, we are discontent with the story’s plot.

Sometimes in life, circumstances happen that throw our plans into disarray. We hit a bump in the road that sends us off the course we had planned. Unexpected things happen and before we know it, we wake up one day, realizing that this is not the life we planned and not the life we wanted. This is not the script we wanted written.

We had a totally different picture in mind. The picture of what we thought life would look like is vastly different than the reality.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately with the trials our daughter has been facing and the unfathomable plot twists in her story.

The script of her life is definitely not playing out the way she expected and it’s not how we, as her parents, expected either. No one could have foreseen what she has had to go through these past few years. No one but God, that is.

Are you struggling today with the way your story is playing out? Are you discouraged because the script of your life is not at all what you had planned? Are you frustrated with the season of life you currently find yourself in?

Maybe you are facing illness. Or maybe it’s the loss of a friendship. Or a very busy season that just won’t let up and let you catch your breath. Are you riding a wave of emotions that range from sadness to hurt, to anger, to bitterness?

Can I encourage you today to refrain from snatching the pen!

This is something I find myself doing all too regularly. I find myself dissatisfied with the story God is writing and so I try and wrest the pen from his grasp, feeling sure that I can write better than he can. Surely, I can change the story to suit me. Surely, I can write a better ending.

But I can’t. And spoiler alert, you can’t either.

God has all wisdom and all power and all knowledge. He knows the beginning from the end. He knows the future and so he is more than capable at holding the pen and writing our stories.

Our stories are often messy and unpredictable, full of ups and downs, twists and turns, but don’t you think that the God who formed the universe with his voice, the God who catches our tears in a bottle, the God who knows about each sparrow that falls to the ground, don’t you think he can handle your life’s story?

Not only is he able to go above and beyond what we ask, we are promised that he will do exceeding more than what we even think! What a beautiful promise.  

Ephesians 3:20-21a KJV - Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory….

I want to remind you that although you can’t choose the life circumstances you go through, you can choose HOW you go through them.

Your peace, your joy, and your contentment are dependent on the choices you make.

If you’re struggling today with the circumstances you find yourself in, if you find yourself fighting against God as you try to snatch away the pen, if you feel as though you’ve reached the end of your rope, then don’t despair.

There is a simple remedy. LET GO OF THE PEN!

Stop fighting with the pen, stop tearing the pages out, stop adding pages in, stop changing the fonts, stop messing with the pauses, the commas, the chapter divisions.

Trust God with your story. Let go of the pen. Don’t try to change or rewrite it. Submit the writing to him and let him add in the plot twists and the joy and laughter, the hurt and tears.

God, the author of the precious Word of God we so casually hold in our hands, the Book of all Books, the greatest piece of literature ever written, inspired by God Almighty, penned by men of God, passed down through the ages, never able to be destroyed, the most beautiful love letter ever written, that same God can be trusted to write your story.

Let God take full control and rest assured that your story is in his hands.

He is the only one fully qualified to write the script of your life. Because of who he is, he is the only one that can write the story of your life and it be complete and according to his perfect will.

Just because the story we find ourselves in right now is not to our liking, doesn’t mean God is not working behind the scenes.

God loves to write the script of our lives and weave into it his love, his mercy, his compassion and faithfulness so that we will see him for who he is and it will drive us to worship and praise as we allow him to have first place in our lives, realising that but for him, we are nothing, and he alone is able to take our stories and make something beautiful of them.

He really is the best author there is. No matter what life looks like for you right now, God knows about it. He is writing your story. He knows the end of the story, and so he knows exactly what needs to be written in order to finish the book.

Don’t be a pen snatcher! Let go!

Trust in him. Delight yourself in him. Commit your way unto him. Rest in him. (Psalm 37)

Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV - Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t surrender your worship

 

Don’t surrender your worship. What do I even mean by this statement?

There are a lot of confusing and difficult things going on in our world today, and there are a lot of hard things happening closer to home at this present moment.

Life is never void of trials and trouble. We are reminded of this in John 16:33 - These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

In a sermon I listened to yesterday, I heard the story once again of the three Hebrew boys who made a stand against an egotistical King and chose to worship God. (Daniel 3)

The story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego is such an amazing display of God’s almighty power, but it also shines the spotlight on three boys who refused to surrender their worship.

Before I get to that, let me just take a moment to speak about the choice they made when it came to their focus.

When these boys made the decision to disobey the King’s decree and refused to bow down to his golden image, their focus wasn’t on the fiery furnace. Their focus was on God.

How often do we find ourselves focusing on the trials in our lives? How often do we zero in on the circumstances we find ourselves in? How often do we speak of the giant instead of speaking of our God?

Do you remember the story of David and his face off with a giant? Read it for yourself and you’ll find that David himself never acknowledged how big Goliath was, he only ever acknowledged how big his God was! (1 Samuel 17)     (Talk faith not fear)

He didn’t talk about how dangerous or how large or how impressive, threatening or scary Goliath was? He only talked about how great his God was.

He knew the truth that his God, our God, is able to deliver us!

Yes, life gets hard. The unexpected happens.

We have a choice to make. We can’t choose what battles we face. We can’t choose the trials we go through, but we can choose what we focus on!

Both David and the Hebrew boys didn’t keep their focus on the mountain. They chose to focus on the one who spoke the mountain into existence. God.

Now, let’s come back to my opening statement.

Don’t surrender your worship!

In the story of King Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image, the three Hebrew boys refused to surrender their worship.

When it came to a choice between God or the King, they chose God. They chose to believe and worship.

Daniel 3:16-18 KJV - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego took their focus off the fiery furnace (mountain) and looked to God. They decided to worship before the miracle even took place and even more astounding, they didn’t even know if a miracle would take place.

They didn’t have a rock-solid guarantee that God would choose to rescue them from danger, but they knew that their worship of him and their trust in him was paramount.

These verses tell us that they were so sure of their God that even if he chose to let them perish in the fire, they would still worship. They would go down worshipping. They would go down singing his praises.

They would not surrender their worship!

Sometimes, as Christians, we worship because we see a miracle. God works, we witness a miracle, we see the circumstances change and we rise up in worship.

But it takes a lot more courage to worship before we see the miracle. It takes strength to sit in the midst of a trial and choose to worship through it.

For those of you who know me and my story, you may be tired of hearing it, but I will never stop telling it. It is my glory story.  (Do you have a glory story)

For those who don’t, here is a very brief mention of it so I can drive home my point.

A few years back I faced a giant. For 6 long months I fought an internal battle. An unexplained battle with depression, anxiety and panic attacks that literally took my breath away, threatening to take me out completely. It had made itself at home and nothing I could do seemed to shake it.

But while I was being pounded by waves of fear, while I struggled through days where I didn’t want to get out of bed, while I neglected friendships and often tried to put on a brave face hoping others wouldn’t notice, God was working. God was weaving threads of strength through my pain.

As I battled along, I made the choice to worship. I chose to worship through it. I chose to worship before I saw a miracle. I tell this not to bring any glory to myself, but to hold the Lord’s name high.

My first timid attempt at worship was through music. I listened over and over to worship songs that spoke peace to my heart. As the days went by, my lips mouthed the words and then those words made their way down into my heart and my spirits began to lift. Then I read through promise after promise in the Word of God and my worship spilled over into reading aloud and letting God’s love and goodness wash over me.

Long story short, God in his mercy and grace pulled me up out of a dark pit and set my feet upon a rock and helped me to walk again. (Psalm 40:2)

When the three Hebrew boys chose to worship God through their trial, and when they chose to focus on God’s power, you’d better believe that it changed them!

I am absolutely positive that they came out of that fire with a fire burning inside them that was all to do with God and nothing to do with hot flames. It changed them.

And I want to encourage you if you’re walking through something right now, your choice to worship will not only change you, it will help to change others.

YOUR FIGHT ISN’T JUST ABOUT YOU!

You never know who’s watching. You never know who you will affect by your worship.

Do you remember what happened after the King called the boys out of the fire, having seen 4 men walking in the fire? He was changed.

Daniel 3:28-29 KJV - Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

King Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged not only the existence of God but also the Almighty, power of God.

When you choose to worship through a trial, with no idea how it will turn out, not only is it pleasing to God, but it is encouraging to those looking on.

You can encourage someone else’s faith. You can encourage another brother or sister who is faltering, to stay strong, to keep trusting, keep worshipping, keep believing.

Sometimes our faith is weak, and we have to borrow some off a friend. Sometimes we need to borrow some strength to be able to stand stronger. As we see another brother or sister standing strong and choosing to worship although they are facing an ‘even if’ situation, it gives our faith a lift and encourages us to keep in the race and persevere.

My story, your story, may be just what someone needs to see and hear to give them the courage to keep on.

When someone realises that they are not alone, and others have faced similar situations and God has brought them through, it gives them the strength they need to make it through and Lord willing, they will choose to refuse to surrender their worship.

God is worthy of all our worship and all our praise. Our stubborn refusal of surrendering our worship will be like a beacon to those looking on. A beacon of light. A beacon of hope.

1 Peter 3:15 KJV - But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

Focus on God, not your mountain. Be ready with an answer and a voice of truth and hope for those looking on.

 

Don’t surrender your worship.

 

 

 

 

 

Coffee Cups and T Shirts

 

Here in Katherine, we have a lovely Christian bookshop run by volunteers. In it you’ll find countless Bibles and Bible covers, pens, notebooks, books on Christian living, commentaries, music, Children’s books and games etc etc and the most beautiful collection of giftware with scripture verses on them.

I have a lovely turquoise coffee mug with the phrase “Be still and know” written in a flowing font across the front. It is one of my favourite cups, not just because of its pleasant shape and size, but because it is a continual reminder each morning, of God’s goodness.

Last night, as we had our fortnightly Bible study in our home, I had a lady ask to read what was on my shirt. And lo and behold, there the phrase was again. Be still and know.

Just last week I was reminded of this verse and wanted to take some time to write about it as I have done in the past, but time got away from me and so, finally, here I sit, hoping for some peace and quiet and distraction-free time to share some insight on this beautiful verse.

We find this verse in the Psalms.

Psalm 46:10 KJV - Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

This verse comes from a longer section of Scripture that proclaims the power of God and the security we find in his presence.

In verses 1, 5, 7 and 11, the Psalmist reminds us of God’s presence. He is ‘present’. He is in the ‘midst’. He is ‘with us’.

As you read through this Psalm in its entirety, you’ll see that the majority of it is written in the third person as the Psalmist speaks about God. However, when we get to verse 10, God’s voice is heard, and he speaks in the first person.

Be still and know that I am God.

So, what is this being still? Being still is not something I’m very good at. I have worked on it over the years, and I’ve come a long way from where I started in this area, but it still doesn’t come naturally to me. I don’t have any trouble being busy, crowding my days with activities and the like, but being still? Not so easy.

In this verse, God calls us to stillness.

”The word used here in the Hebrew - rapa - means properly to cast down; to let fall; to let hang down; then, to be relaxed, slackened, especially the hands: It is also employed in the sense of not making an effort; not putting forth exertion; and then would express the idea of leaving matters with God, or of being without anxiety about the issue.” Barnes.

So being still here carries the idea of being quiet and easy, not fretful and impatient or restless, content to relax into the will of God. It doesn’t mean to be inactive and unconcerned, but quiet. A quietening of the heart.

We find this phrase ‘be still’ in another place in the Bible that is worth mentioning.

Mark 4:39 KJV - And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

The difference here though is that in the Greek, these words, be still, mean to be silent or be dumb. So, in essence, hush or shut up. The Lord told the waves and wind to shut up! And I think sometimes, we need to just hush and be silent and listen.

We fill our lives with so much ‘doing’ and not a lot of ‘listening’. We dart from one task to the next, always on the move, never resting, never stopping to catch our breath. But God requires us to come into His presence and just be still. To quieten our minds and our bodies and listen as he speaks to us.  

As I have thought on this verse, this phrase is continually on my mind in light of recent circumstances. As our daughter battles with cancer a second time, and lives with the unknown looming so large over her, I am reminded to be still and know.

Cancer is horrible. It is a ravaging destroyer. It is full of unknowns. Only God can bring peace and a supernatural rest in Him during a time that might otherwise be devastating. Only God can say, be still and know, and have the power and authority to back it up by his faithfulness and love so that we can fully trust that he holds life and death in his hands and only God can enable us to rest in the assurance that his ways are perfect. (Psalm 18:30)

God is not the God of chaos and confusion, but of calm. God is not the God of stress and anxiety, but of rest.

God knew all about what our daughter would go through, long before I ever carried her in my womb. (Psalm 139). He held her hand, long before I ever did.

God calls us to be still. To rest. To trust. To lie content in his will.

But there is something more than just stillness in this verse. We are told not only to be still, but also to know.

What are we to know? To know that He is God.

As one commentator puts it:

“And "know"; own and acknowledge that he is God, a sovereign being that does whatsoever he pleases; that he is unchangeable in his nature, purposes, promises, and covenant; that he is omnipotent, able to help them and deliver them at the last extremity; that he is omniscient, knows their persons, cases, and troubles, and how and where to hide them till the storm is over; that he is the all wise God, and does all things after the counsel of his own will, and makes all things work together for good to them; and that he is faithful to his word and promise, and will not suffer them to be over pressed and bore down with troubles.” Gill

We are not just to learn to be still, but we are to know who God is. The more you know God, the easier you will find it to trust in him.

During this time of trial in our daughter’s life and in the lives of those that love and care for her, it can be hard to be still and know. We want to rush about trying to find solutions and we continually cry out to God searching for answers. But his still, small voice whispers to our hearts, “be still, my child”. Rest in me.

So, what do you do when your life begins to crumble, and you can’t make sense of the path God calls you to follow?

You hold on to what you know.

I have said it before, and I’ll say it again. One of my favourite quotes is this:

“Don’t doubt in the dark, what you know in the light”

During those times when life doesn’t make sense, you have to lean in to what you know of God. He is good. He is loving. He is merciful. He is compassionate.

He is the same whether the sun is shining or the storm clouds form.

Let me give you three things to think on if you’re going through something right now and need a word of hope and comfort.

1.        God is faithful. No matter what is going on in our lives, no matter the circumstances, or the crumbling plans beneath our feet, God is still faithful. He is steady. He is stable. He is our rock. (Psalm 18:31) His compassion and mercy never fails. (Lamentations 3:22,23)

2.        God’s peace and his presence are real. Even when we have no explanation for what is happening, even when life doesn’t make sense, we can rest in the promise that God is with us and will never leave us. (Hebrews 13:5) And we can enjoy his peace. The peace that is beyond our human comprehension (Philippians 4:7)

3.        The body of Christ is and should be beautiful. The gift of community amongst believers is a precious thing and something we should work on developing. As a body of Christ followers and image bearers, we are called to service to one another. We are called to love and compassion. (John 13:34,35)

One of my greatest comforts as a mother watching, from afar, our oldest child go through such a scary, difficult season, is the love of the people around her. She is surrounded on every side not only by flesh and blood family, but also by the family of God. Her brothers and sisters in Christ who love and care for her.

I can rest in the promise that as I obey God’s call to be still and know, he will give me peace that passes understanding. He will be my refuge and strength. Though the earth crumble, though the mountains shake, though the waters roar, God stands immoveable. Steadfast. Strong. My help in trouble.

And if he can do this for me, as I only watch from afar as the days roll by, how much more can he do it for our daughter, in the very midst of the storm, tossed about on the waves.

It’s not about the strength of the storm, it’s about who you have in the boat with you!

If he can do it for me, he can do it for you.

When life begins to crumble, hold on to what you know. Lean into Christ, the solid rock, and take time to be still. Listen for his still, small voice that can carry even over the noise and tumult of the storm. If you’re listening for it, you will hear it.

Be still and know.

 

 

Worship is more than a Song

Most of my readers will know what our family went through at the start of this month with my Dad’s medical emergency and the closeness he came to Heaven. God decided that it wasn’t quite his time to go, and we are blessed to have him with us for a little while longer, however long that may be.

While Dad was in the ICU ward of the hospital, we, as a family watched as he struggled to breathe, talk and stay awake. As we gathered around his bedside, squeezed into a room not made for so many people, we bowed our heads in prayer, committing him to God’s care and we asked God to take him home if that was his will.

With the beeping of the many machines, the bags of fluid hanging above the bed, their cords tracing lines across the floor, the nurse watching on as she stood silently in the corner, we began to sing.

What a day that will be
When my Jesus I shall see
And I look upon his face
The one who saved me by his grace
When he takes me by the hand
And leads me through the Promised Land
What a day, glorious day that will be

There'll be no sorrow there
No more burdens to bear
No more sickness no more pain
No more parting over there
But forever I will be
With the one who died for me
What a day, glorious day that will be

Some sang with heads bowed, some with eyes closed, some sang through tears and as I stood, eyes closed, hands raised in worship I felt the very presence of God and knew in my heart that whatever the outcome, God was in control and as his peace washed over my soul I sang my song of praise to him, as if no one but him and I were in the room.

When I opened my eyes, I glanced at the little screen with its red and green lines zigzagging up and down and I waited. I waited to see that red line flatten out. But it didn’t. It kept moving up and down, up and down. Dad’s chest rose and fell in rhythmic motions and once again I felt God’s hand upon me bringing peace and comfort to my soul.

It wasn’t Dad’s time to go. God still had work for him to do.

Those few minutes in that room, where God made his presence known, was an experience I’ll never forget.

All this to say, that true worship is not confined to the four walls of a church building, a cathedral or on our knees in prayer.

True worship is the acknowledgement of God and his power and glory in everything we do. It is all of me responding to all that he is. Worship is glorifying and exalting God.

And this can be done anywhere. In a hospital room. On a rooftop staring at the sky. As you fold the washing. As you drive down the road. As you sit in the cool of the morning reading the Words of Life and calling out to God in prayer. And as you sing in heartfelt sincerity songs of praise.

As we sang in that cramped hospital room that day, we weren’t singing Christian karaoke. Our words weren’t empty of feeling and meaning. We sang because we knew in our hearts that there was coming a day when we would see Jesus face to face and we rejoiced in knowing that our Dad had run a good race, he had fought the good fight and he was ready and willing to meet his Saviour. We praised God for all that he is and for all that he was doing. Without knowing the outcome, we worshipped and lifted his name up for all to hear.

The purpose of our praise and worship to God, through music, was and is to glorify him. Spiritual music gives voice to our joy and adoration unlike anything else. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, then Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs are the natural expression of our hearts, and we can’t help but sing them unto the Lord. In any place. At any time. In times of joy and in times of sorrow.

Growing up in a more conservative church setting, it was very rare to see anyone raise their hands in worship during the song service. I have since seen louder and more expressive ways of worshipping and also quiet and reserved forms.

What I have come to realise is that worship is deeply personal. And it is often a reflection of the journey God has taken each person on.

We never know the magnitude of someone’s testimony and what they’ve been through. And we are wrong to judge someone harshly because their way of worshipping is not like our own.

For some, worship looks like tears. For some it is raised hands. For some it’s silence. For others it’s shouts of AMEN. We don’t know what fires they’ve had to walk through or what storms they’ve had to weather.

Whether it’s loud or silent, visible or invisible, if it is done in sincerity and true adoration of God, it is beautiful to him.

But I want you to know, worship is more than a song.

We often associate worship with singing. But worship is more than that.

Did you know that the first mention of worship in the Bible had nothing to do with singing?

Genesis 22:4-6 KJV - Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

The first time we see worship in the Bible, there was no song. It was a very solemn occasion of obedience to God in the form of sacrifice.

Abraham had been commanded by God to sacrifice his son. His cherished, loved and longed for, son.

And yet, Abraham told the men that were with him, “stay here, we are going to worship”. Wow. His obedience led to sacrifice and yet he worshipped.

We know the end of the story and how God supplied a ram in the thicket and I’m sure there was more rejoicing in the camp that night for God’s goodness and mercy.

Worship really is more than a song. And if the only time you worship God is when you open your mouth to sing, then you are not living the Christian life like God would have you to.

The highest form of worship is through obedience to God and his Word. It is not limited to one act.

True worship is felt inwardly as we grow in the knowledge of who God is, and then it is expressed through our actions. Whether that be in song, in prayer, in reading of God’s Word, in communion and fellowship with others, all worship should be done for God and for his pleasure, because he deserves it and is worthy of our praise. True worship is God-centred.

Music can’t produce worship, although it certainly produces emotion. Music can be an expression of worship. It is an overflow of a heart that is in awe of God and his love for us.

Worship isn’t about how it looks on the outside. It’s all about the heart behind it.

As we sang and prayed around the bedside that day, our hearts were collectively filled with awe and gratitude to God for the blessings he had showered us with. We were thankful for the years of faithfulness and obedience and the Godly legacy our Dad had left for us, the example he had set and the testimony of Godliness he had shown us and others all around the world.

And yes, he is still with us, maybe for months or maybe for years to come, but let it be known that God’s presence and the opportunity to worship is always there. As long as you have breath in your lungs, let it be used to speak words of life over all you meet. And let it be used to worship and praise God as you let your life be one of worship as you walk in obedience to what God says. The sacrifice it involves will all be worth it.

John 4:24 KJV - God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Psalm 95:1-3 KJV - O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

Romans 12:1-2 KJV - I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.