Month: July 2012

Uncategorized

God doesn’t want you to beat yourself up

helpedbygrace
Prophet Isaiah, Russian icon from first quarte...
Photo credit: Wikipedia

I’ve randomly opened my Bible to Isaiah 58 many times, which makes me think there’s some sort of message I’m supposed to be learning from it. In Isaiah 58, The Israelite people are being  extremely hard on themselves in an effort to impress God.

They are fasting and going to God’s Temple every day.  They even say to God “We have fasted before you! Why aren’t you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don’t even notice it!” (verse 3)

And God’s reply is that this is NOT the kind of “fasting” He wants. He doesn’t want them to be hard on themselves to try to impress Him while they keep on fighting and quarreling and hurting each other.

Instead He wants them to “Share food with the hungry, give shelter to the homeless, give clothes to those who need them and not hide from relatives who need their help.” (verse 7) Secretly, I was kind of bummed when I read the not hiding from relatives part. 😉 Just kidding.

The passage goes on to say that if they will help each other out, “Their light will shine out from the darkness, The Lord will guide them continually, giving them water when they are dry and restoring their strength.” (verses 10-11)

Do you ever beat yourself up when you feel guilty? I’m pretty good at being hard on myself. The thing is that doesn’t really accomplish anything and God doesn’t want or need us to tear ourselves apart. What He wants is for us to simply care for each other.

Blessings

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Uncategorized

There is a morning coming

helpedbygrace
The Penance of David, Psalm 51
The Penance of David, Psalm 51 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Many times in the Psalms, David cried out expressing his honest emotions. He expressed depression and frustration. Even though he was the king of Israel, he had troubles and cried many tears. He even spent many years hiding and running for his life. He knew what it was like to mess up and fail greatly. But, after all the suffering, he found hope.

In Psalm 30:5, 11, 12 David wrote

For His (God’s) anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning.

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.
You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,

that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!

I’ve often felt discouraged, depressed and disheartened. It’s easy to feel when things go wrong that God is angry with me, that things are hopeless. Many times, David’s situations were pretty bleak and he did some things that could have made God very angry forever. If God can forgive David and turn his weeping into joy, God can do the same for you and me.

Blessings.

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