I have really struggled with this chapter. It's always amazing how the Lord works because Kellie posted her comments a little early on a different post. What she said pretty much summed it up for me. Read below.
"Philippians 1 just spoke to me about being hurt within the body of CHRIST. I grew up in a wonderful church family. Not long after I got married the church got a new pastor. To put it short, many were hurt by this new leadership and left. This has scattered my church family all over the area. Some are now at the church I attend and that is nice, but I can see that they have been hurt and they really don't want to associate with me because I represent the past hurt. That hurts too. Not the point. What I saw here was that no matter how we have been treated by other CHRIST followers we are all still CHRIST followers. We are all on the same team. We all have the same goal. To spread the good news.We may still feel hurt but GOD is bigger than the pain and the pain givers. As Rick Warren pointed out in the Purpose Driven Life, "It is not about our comfort." We are to die to self daily and then we will be working in harmony with the HOLY SPIRIT along with those who may have hurt us."
This is hard for me, extremely hard. I have been careful up to this point on what I write to protect anyone that may be lurking. I'm not going to play games or try to write hidden messages, that's just plain sinful. But, I will say that last year I was hurt more so than I have ever been hurt. Yes, I had a difficult childhood. But, working through childhood pain is much different. When you have been hurt by a full blown Christ follower, it takes a toll. There have been lies told and Jeremy and I have been portrayed in the most cruel ways. Satan loves to work in all of this too. A few weeks ago someone told me something they had "heard" said about me and my husband. It killed me. I went home that night and cried. The next morning I woke up so angry. For the record people, DON'T ever tell someone something that you "heard" about them. This does not help. You may not be trying to hurt someone but deep down it does hurt and it is gossip too. We fight this fight together!
Have you ever wondered if someone's motives are pure? Some of us serve and preach out of pure jealousy and rivalry the Bible says in this chapter. Some have pure motives. But the Bible says that the message of Christ is still be preached regardless. We can't control others, we can't! What have I done to cause pain? Have my motives been pure? Regardless, we fight this fight together!
Chapter 30 says that we are in this fight together. I read it over and over again to try to get it to soak in! I never imagined I would ever go through what I did last year. People don't understand that their words can never be taken back. Slander can destroy a man's life or his ministry. But still beyond the pain, we fight this fight together. Right?
So Kellie, thanks for your comments. Thank you for speaking into my life. We all will be in Heaven together someday and what he said or she said won't mean a damn thing. That's right, I said damn. I have to move on, I have to find healing. The yoke has got to be broken, once and for all.
This blog is a place where I have grown because I have been the most real in my life. You may think I sound like a cry baby or someone that needs to just get over it. Maybe so. But, you ladies know me and you know my heart. This is who I am. This hurt is real. But forgiveness is real too and I have to do it. So pray that the Lord will give me supernatural strength to do it.
We fight this fight together!
7 comments:
Psalm 56:4
In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?
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And this is my prayer for you Amanda:
that Amanda's LOVE may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
10 so that Amanda may be able to DISCERN what is best and may be PURE and blameless until the day of Christ,
11 and that Amanda is FILLED with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God.
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Thanks yet again, for hanging it out there.
Go forward in LOVE and a HEALED spirit in the name of Jesus!
V.
I posted something that I've been going through with a Christ-follower on my blog. Here is my response.
I look at myself. Do I always display the attitude of Christ?
At work, with my husband, with my children, at chruch, with the people I interact with. No not always. So I remind myself, I represent Christ everywhere I go, to everyone I talk to and interact with. I represent Him.
Philippians 1:27
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ
Thank you V. I recieve that in the name of Jesus!!
I read. I have nothing to say about it at the moment.
I just need a lot of prayer right now.
I'm also praying for you Amanda. I love you.
6Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ
This verse encourages me when I am feeling like I am not where I want to be. He is not finished with me yet. It also helps when I want others to be more than they are. Christ isn't finished with them yet. Yet he will complete the work in each of our lives.
"I am convinced of this, so I will continue with you so that you will grow and experience the joy of your faith. Then when I return to you, you will have even more reason to boast about what Christ Jesus has done for me."
No, I don't think of you as a cry baby, I think of you as someone who is disciplined by God.
Who is STRONG in the faith.
Who is loved by all who come here everyday and read about YOUR journey.
Because, like Paul, YOU BOAST about what Christ has done in your life.
I'm sure in my heart that, like you've forgiven your dad, by God's grace you'll forgive this other person.
And Jesus Christ WILL be glorified.
Through you.
Love you,
Sarah
It is really neat to read what Paul was going through and was on his heart, but more than that -- that it is still every bit as applicable to our lives today. It is overwhelming that God wrote His word so long ago and yet it is still so fresh today.
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