Tag: Guidance

Receive From The One Who Knows

Jesus is divine. He is not like me. Yet, as our LORD, He knows what we go through daily. He understands our struggles and how we can and do give in to our temptations. Jesus walked as we walk in this world. He was here walking this world and subject to all, if not more struggles than I, and yet, He did not give into those temptations, and even suffered more than I as He was killed.

“15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” – Hebrews 4:15 (ESV)

Ever notice in the world those who speak for us in the world have rarely gone through that which we go through daily. Oh, sure, they may have had some challenging times, but their challenges pale in comparison to trying to figure out how to just survive. Heads of State, heads of companies, heads of a lot of things, have not walked in our shoes, yet we look to them for guidance in how to make things work. With Jesus, we find comfort in knowing that He did. He walked this world. He never had a true dwelling to make His way back to for comfort. He wandered deliberately giving to others. He lived in tents outside the city. He relied on friends and acquaintances for food and shelter. He found comfort in the company of friends. He was like me.

As Jesus was like me He was also not like me. He died for me. He took my sin and the consequences of that sin to the point of death. He received no such grace or mercy. He was flogged. He was cursed. He was beaten. He was humiliated. All in front of the people in public view of everyone. And no one came to His defense. No one eased His pain. No one provided for His discomfort. But He offers it to us. He gives what He Himself did not receive. Jesus knows what was missing and is sure to provide that to us.

“16Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” – Hebrews 4:16 (ESV)

I choose to follow and be led and receive from the one who knows. Not the one who talks a good game. Not the one in the position of authority who does not know the struggles I find every day. I choose the one who walked in my shoes. More importantly, I choose the one who walked as I do and yet did not find Himself giving in to the ways and sin that would come at Him. I choose the one who worked through the challenges (and more) than I. I choose the one who did not sin and received no grace or mercy and yet offers and give it to me. I choose to receive from the One who knows.

Who are you getting your guidance? Are you relying on those who are in positions of authority, yet did not struggle as you do? What if you relied on the one who walked as you do and received not as you and yet did not give in as you do, and has grace and mercy for you as one who knows your need?

Choose God’s Love

“8Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” – 1 John 4:8 (ESV)

If God is love, then how could He allow difficult things to happen to us. Well, that is a good question and one that burns up the airwaves when there is a tragedy. I am sure that everyone has thought it at some point, I know that I have which now sends me right to His word to understand.

Here’s the thing, James MacDonald says it well, “God’s love is a protecting love, but it’s not a preventing love. God doesn’t always keep hard things from happening. Here’s why. He has a higher purpose for our pain:” He is right. There is a purpose in God’s plan for us and He will stop at nothing to have that purpose fulfilled by us.

MacDonald lists three reasons God allows the hard things, to humble us, to restore us, and to refine us. We are God’s precious creation and He demonstrates it through His hard love for us.

God is in it for the relationship He has with us. That relationship is not there if/when we are not close to Him. Yes, He is still our Heavenly Father, but He wants to interact with us and not just be there. Sometimes He allows things to happen to bring us back to Him. When those hard things happen He is getting our attention and we should look straight at Him and let Him know that we hear Him and need His guidance and love in dealing with it. And then we should be asking Him about what else He wants from us.

Hard things happen to us and it is just that, hard and I am sorry for the difficulty we experience. I am human and will continue to be hurt when these things occur. In dealing with it, we have to remember to turn to God and jump in His loving arms. It is okay and expected to grieve. It is okay and expected to feel hurt. And, it is also expected that we turn to Him and allow Him to show us the way through it. Was He bringing us back to Him after some time of our drift away or was He strengthening our faith in Him to resolve.

God is love and that is it. He spreads that love to us in different ways. It may be comfort and guidance or it could be through restoration and refinement. Either way God loves us and wants the best for us. I choose God’s love.

What is your view of God’s love? Do you expect all comfort and grace? What if you see God’s love as His strengthening you in your relationship with Him through comfort and guidance and restoration and refinement?