How to Deal with Deep Pain

Deuteronomy 32:35

It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.”

Things hurt in life and I while I have said in my posts to practice Christian forgiveness, it can be a hard pill for many to swallow, but in the spirit, it can be done.

And, all in all, it is God’s role to repay but were not even to hope for that.  Rather we are to hope they turn from evil to good.

Proverbs 24:17

Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall; don’t be happy when they stumble.

Note: one thing we cannot get into is self-pity, and while it seems like no verses in the Bible preach against that, it’s kind of a no-brainer that Satan wants to fill people with it.   In fact, it’s good for Satan because it distracts people from using the same energy to serve God and help others.

Out of the Mouth Speaks True Words

Luke 6:45

45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

We might say things that say otherwise, but what we might “unofficially be uttering” could be how we really feel.

For instance, the Pharisees, of course, uttered praises to the Old Testament and what it stood for, but off the camera, some were saying things very ungodly.

Matthew 23:27

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.

Well, how about yourself, “Have you thought about what you say off the camera vs what you say in prayers or whatever else?”.  What could be done to make the good things you say in public, match what is in private?

Being Happy Over an Enemy’s Misfortune Isn’t Christ-Like

Proverbs 24:17

Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall; don’t be happy when they stumble.

It’s human nature to have a tendency toward this stuff, but it’s not walking in the spirit, and to heal ourselves, we need to forgive, cause, for one thing, it restores a godly purity of heart to us, and another reason is because we want people to change from evil to good.

One example of wishing bad on someone is saying something like: “Oh look how that person has it so bad, ha ha.  Servers him/her right for doing me wrong!”.   OK, look back on what I just wrote.  Do you see how wrong that is?

Be a Giver, not a Taker

  • Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap.”

It’s a good idea to give, but so many don’t give, and others are also just takers, and, I’m wondering if the takers who don’t even give a small amount they have, have some curse where they’re not promoted in life, keeping them in a “karma of taking”.

And the lady in the verse below shows us that having little money is not an excuse not to give:

Mark 12:41-44

41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

When Privacy Isn’t a Big Deal

In the last post, we talked about how privacy should be respected.  However, privacy isn’t a big deal when the person welcomes a person into their life.   For instance, some people have broken the barrier of privacy because the enjoy the company of other people.  In fact, it’s the normal situation for married couples to live together and maybe even good friends wouldn’t mind living with each other (in a non-sexual way).

Proverbs 25:17

Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—
too much of you, and they will hate you.

This verse assumes the person does not welcome intrusion into privacy.  However, it doesn’t mean that a person cannot be friendly to that person on the street, in other places.  It just means to not see their emotional nakedness, their private affairs etc…   That’s off-limits.

Anyway, someone who truly seeks the abundant life is not wanting to emotionally abuse others.  In that case, they wouldn’t intrude on boundaries unless welcomed in, of course

Respecting Privacy is a Sign of God’s Love

Proverbs 25:17 “Let your foot rarely be in your neighbor’s house, Or he will become weary of you and hate you.”

The verse is in regard to neighbors, but actually, you could expand this to any relationship. Basically, unwanted pushing on others is very rude and is relationship-breaker 101.  You could visit any dating or marriage site on the net and it would argue the same.

Well, even God respects our privacy.   He makes it clear that people have to accept his ways out of a free-will.

Anyway, though, I understand the motive of people who want to help, and they very worried about others.  However, though, stalking and being pushy doesn’t help things, but rather causes resentment.  Also, it’s not a fruit of the spirit, so a person’s handing of Biblical truth is at question and finally, there could be questions about mental health (no joke).

Why might people who seek God still not come to the truth about privacy?

Well, the Bible has said some people don’t want the truth, so they don’t find it.  For instance, the truth of Jesus was something blind to the Pharisees.

John 8:42-43

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.

Why can’t they hear?  Maybe because they have shut their ears.  They shut their ears because of arrogance, for one thing.

Matthew 23:7

They love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.

When We See God’s Love for Us, we want to Show God’s Love to Others

1 John 4:10-12

10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

There is nothing like a role model to encourage our behavior.  That’s why society is always encouraging role models for youth.  Anyway, though, God is the ultimate role model for youth, and adults, and so seeing his love, we are encouraged to be a role model to others.

Matthew 5:14-16

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

But weren’t people who turned away from the faith, not saved to begin with?

John 15:1-4

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

No, not really. As you see in the above verse the vines cut off were originally healthy vines.  In other words, they were true followers.   Now, other similar verses of Jesus are basically repeating the same thing in one form or the other.  You can’t get something else out of them.

Matthew 13:5-7

Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.

As you see again, there are healthy plants that eventually die.

Note: there are people who never believed in the faith to begin with, but it can’t be assumed that’s the case when Jesus is preaching certain sermons, and in the case of the parables regarding plants, it’s certainly not the case.

Anyway, let’s take false prophets for an example.  They might have been in the faith at one time or perhaps they never believed, but either way, since they are fake now, they are in danger of hell.

Matthew 7:21-23

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Once Saved Always Saved?

The teachings of Jesus’ say no.

Matthew 7:21

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

 

Matthew 18:33-35

33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured,until he should repay all that he owed. 35 That is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”

 

John 15:1-4

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

 

Matthew 13:5-6

Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.  Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 

 

Matthew 25:6-13

“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom [a]is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour [b]in which the Son of Man is coming.

 

Matthew 25:29-30

29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

 

Matthew 25:41-43

41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

 

Matthew 5:30

And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

Famine in the Land

Luke 15:14 “About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve.”

Many times, we just don’t see things coming.  Also, in the case of The Prodigal Son, the man, or seems a better word is “kid”, not only wasted money, but did so foolishly with prostitutes.

So, what are we to learn from this?  Well, the Bible teaches that God is a rock against uncertainty.

Matthew 7:25 The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because its foundation was on the rock.

Of course, the foolish kid in the first verse didn’t have his house built on the rock, but later he changed his heart (toward the end of the parable).