Hardened is a word that has many meanings depending on its use. If you’re involved in the construction or engineering field, hardened can refer to metals that have been made harder.
In the medical field, hardened can mean someone who, through experience, is no longer sensitive to the unpleasantness of healthcare. In each of those, being hardened is a good thing. However, there are many aspects of our life where being hardened isn’t a good thing.
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Posted in Chrisitian Philosophy, Christian Living
Tagged 2 Chronicles, Christian living, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, James, Job, Matthew, Psalm, Romans, Teachings of Paul
Hard days happen to everyone. It is easy to remember that when you’re comforting someone you know who is having one of those days. It is easy to forget others have hard days when you’re having one of your own. To be honest, it is a struggle for me some days to just keep functioning. And right now, I am having one of those hard days.
This morning, as things seemed to go from bad to worse, I had to force myself to do my daily Bible reading. In fact, since Saturday morning, I’ve had a verse that’s kept running in my mind: My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart (Job 17:11). When I first began this blog above all else, I wanted to share my triumphs with my failures. Too many Christian blogs give the appearance that Christians are never supposed to have hard days. In complete honesty, I’ve never found that promise in the Bible – and I’ve looked hard for it.
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit (Psalms 34:18).
As I mentioned above, this morning was a fight to spend time in the Bible. But out of determination to keep my promise to the Lord, I did my reading anyway. I began my normal reading in Proverbs, but it was when I began to read the rest, a recurring theme appeared. God knows the reason of my broken heart. God also has a plan and even though I cannot see what that plan is, it is one that is best for me. But at times we all have days where knowing still does not ease the pain within my heart. And today is one of those hard days.
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken (Proverbs 15:13).
This verse simply states what we have all observed. When someone is truly happy, everything is impacted by that great joy. That joy becomes clear in everything they do. When someone has a heart that’s so heavy it breaks their spirit, they are almost inconsolable. When someone is that down and that broken, it’s often hard for their mind to make any sense of what is really happening around them. Right now, this is where I am. Not a lot makes sense right now.
There are eight verses in Psalms that can be applied to “those days”. David, the Psalmist, calls them “days of trouble.” Eight is significant in the Bible because it symbolizes a new beginning. [1] It’s comforting to know that once these days of trouble are over, there’s a new beginning. A ninth verse, found in one of the minor prophets, states: The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him (Nahum 1:7). And yes, the number nine also has a significant meaning. It often refers to the fruits of the spirit or divine completeness from the Lord. [2]
There are times when we are going through “those days” where we do not want to hear the platitudes of others. I’ve heard so many “it’s going to be ok” and “you’ll come through this…” Right now, I do not want to hear those things any more. David understood those moments: In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted (Proverbs 77:2). David needed to hear from the Lord. I understand David’s mindset. I needed to hear from the Lord.
Continued on the next page.
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Posted in Christian Living, Difficulties and Trials, Our relationship with God
Night is approaching but many Christians remain confused about what the night actually is. Some will try to equate darkness and night with the trials, tribulations, and temptations we endure as Christians. While it can certainly be said that these are real spiritual storms, in no means are they the same as when Jesus told the disciples, I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work (John 9:4). Later, He would expand on this earlier teaching and as recorded in scripture, Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them (John 12:35-36).
Night is approaching but it is important to understand it is not the same as a spiritual storm. Spiritual storms are nothing more than a crisis of our faith where we are faced with a temptation, a trial, or maybe even the Lord’s chastisement. I think of the verse in Genesis where God, after delivering Noah and his family through a mighty storm, made this promise: And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud (Genesis 9:14). God had made a few promises to Noah that included the storm would pass, He would be there to help them through, and when it was over, He would be there at the end of the flood to welcome them with the promise of the rainbow. As Christians, we are given the same offer when the storms of life come. He offers to see us through the storm, He offers to be there with us in the midst of the storm, and He promises that we have a home in Heaven with Him when our life’s journey is done. Storms always end and the results are we can be closer to the Lord, our faith can be strengthened, and we can rejoice knowing He has given us the victory!
The apostle Paul understood the approaching darkness and wickedness even during his lifetime as he warned the early Christians in Ephesus: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12). The phrase, rulers of darkness, really stands out and defines exactly what the darkness is. Within the Old Testament, there are several verses that explain what the darkness is: A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness (Job 10:22), Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it (Job 3:4), He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail (1 Samuel 2:9), and They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course (Psalms 82:5).
Even Jesus spoke of the darkness: When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness (Luke 22:53). Within the gospel of John, the first paragraph explains the reason that Jesus came to dwell among men. The fifth verse is still applicable today: And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not (John 1:5). John, as led by the Holy Spirit, would later write, This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). The darkness is not the storms we know as trials, temptations, and other testings of our faith, but of the world lost in its sins and rejection of God. It was the wickedness of mankind that gave room to Satan which influenced the religious leaders of the day to desire to put Jesus to death. It was the darkness of the times and the wickedness in high places that led to the beheading of John the Baptist. The darkness and wickedness continued after the death of Jesus to assure the apostles died remarkably horrible deaths in trying to extinguish the presence of Jesus from the memory of man. Where a storm is there to increase our faith; darkness creeps in to extinguish all influence of the Lord.
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Posted in Chrisitian Philosophy, Our relationship with God
Tagged 1 John, 1Samuel, 1Thessalonians, 2 Corinthians, Acts, Ephesians, Genesis, Job, John, Luke, Psalms, Romans, Teachings of Christ, Teachings of John, Teachings of Paul
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