Thursday, November 11, 2010

Two Responses to Loss

Hebrews 10:34 You… joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.

And the pitiable, yet understandable opposite of Hebrews 10:34

You vehemently refused to accept the confiscation of your property though you were powerless to stop it. You became filled with anxiety because your means of providing for yourself and your family had been lost. Your helplessness and fear and inconsolable anger drained you of all hope for the future, causing you to spiral into a deep and devastating depression. You refused to trust God who said…

Mt 6:25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

John 14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.

You became cheerless, isolated and in need of medical help.

Now, which response to loss do you think would be preferable? Which one would you fight for? Which one would you want a spiritual leader to have? Which one would inspire you? Which one would you follow?

“Any emotion” is not “OK”. Anyone who has experienced a panic-attack would not say, "Hey! That was alright!" Emotions can quench your flame. They can take your life. Don’t let them.

Php 3:1 Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just read your comment and as usual u r right...I actually suffer from panic attacks myself...I am truly saying sorry for that comment made yesterday...U certainly didn't need this right now...My mother always said that my BIG Mouth would always get me in trouble!...Your dedicated parishner

Anonymous said...

I am most inspired by John 14:1

Anonymous said...

“You became cheerless, isolated and in need of medical help.” Amen! This what I feel many days on my caregiving and recovery journeys.

I hope that you write a book when you are ready. There's no substitute for being there. A book written by a Christian who lived the caregiving experience for a decade entitled “Ambushed by Grace: Help and Hope on the Caregiving Journey” is helping move me out of hopelessness and into action. “We must expect tension and turmoil, but in that tension and turmoil, we can expect redemption, reconciliation and affirmation. Caregiving is not a means to a promised end, but because that process reflects the character of Christ himself, we can be assured it will transform us.” My prayers are not that God will let me off the hook here but that I will be transformed toward the image of his Son.
TS