(initially posted 10 March 2011)
We all have different types of days in our journey, some good, some not so good, some are days of victory, some days seem like complete losses, and days full of joy or full of sorrow. Have you ever tracked your friends, looked where they are in relation to you during good and bad days, and for that matter where you are in relation to them in their times of joy and sorrow?
This morning i read a passage from the book of Job. I stopped to look at what Job's friends did when he was going through a rough time in his life. Three friends from different places, dropped all they were doing and came to see Job as soon as they received news of the disaster that had beset him.
Didn't these friends have their own responsibilities, things to do, and important business to look after? What motivated them to come, to leave their business, home and families to visit a friend in need?
True friendship. They understood the eternal value of relationships. What amazed me more was the fact that these friends did not initially offer any assistance to restore the loss or try to make things right. They came, tore their clothes, sat with Job, and in solidarity took on his sorrow. They didn't comfort him for a few hours or a day, but for a full week!
The scripture says they spoke no words during these 7 days. It seems they grappled with the situation which seemed to have no logic or reason. How often do we come across friends like this? How often are we a friend like this to others? Do we have time to mourn with our friends in their time of need? Or do we only come when there's something to rejoice about? Or perhaps come to give a quick word of (often inappropriate) advice, a pat on the back and run off to do our own thing.
No doubt Job's friends knew how to rejoice and celebrate for 7 days. It was not uncommon to have a 7 day party in those days, be it to celebrate a birth, a wedding or soem other occasion. A lot more friends attends parties than wakes. But it takes a special friend to sit with you through 7 days of difficulty.
Job's friends knew that one day was not enough to comfort, or even assess the situation. In this case it seems that even 7 days didn't suffice to form a proper assessment. Only after assessing the situation for a full week, Job's friends spoke. They were by no means quick to offer advice, and they still got it wrong! Wow!
American indians had a saying: Never judge another unless you have walked a mile in their moccasins. You see we never can completely understand what another is experiencing, so we should slow to criticize or offer advice. Now advice is good, but it should be presented in a way that does not alienate relationships. So often we draw conclusions which are so wrong!
A true friend is born in adversity. Adversity shows who a true friend is. Regardless of what advice Job's friends gave, they were friends he could count on not for just one day, but all 7 days of the week.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
All I Need
We often think about what we need to be content in life, be it wealth, friendships or family. Though we all need these things, how we define wealth, friendship and family is often where we experience the most discontentment.
Some dream of having increasing income or winning the lottery, while others wish they had closer friends or a more loving family. We often believe a change in outside factors will bring us happiness. Have we been conditioned to believe our environment is what makes us happy and content? Does it?
No doubt our environment influences our emotions among other things. When you're bank account is empty and you have bills to pay, when a close friend abuses your trust, or a family member turns his back on you it's hard to be happy. But in the midst of the turmoil, have you ever considered that perhaps we have been given all we need to be content in life?
Consider Paul, an apostle of Christ who endured hardship, trials, rejection, ailments, stated in Philippians 4:12: 'I know what it is to be in need, and i know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or want.' NIV
How did Paul come to learn contentment as he describes? Surely he experienced rejection, abuse and loneliness. Does he say that he was happy? No, Paul realized that there was a difference in being emotionally happy and internally content. Paul learned to accept the circumstances of life as part of the tools God used to form him into who he became. If it wasn't for the combination of the very difficult events which formed him, Paul would not be the same Paul as we know him.
There is a danger in wishing for 'better' circumstances, wealth, friends or family. If things go too well, isn't there a tendency for us to become self-reliant and proud? We should instead realize that our lives are in the hands of the master craftsman. Not only this, but to understand our lives are not our own, that our lives are meant to be given, first to God and then to our neighbors. We are to love God first and love our neighbor as ourselves. Being self-centered around our own goal of happiness will never bring contentment. Seeking to serve and help others is a key to finding true contentment.
Actually we have all we need, we have all we need to serve others. Serving others is almost never dependent upon circumstances or having a certain amount of money. It's all about our attitude, and willingness to help a person in need. This brings a contentment money cannot buy, friends cannot produce or our families can ever give. God's forming us through trials, difficulties and neediness. Only when we understand that have been given all we need, can we become content as we share what we've received with others.
Some dream of having increasing income or winning the lottery, while others wish they had closer friends or a more loving family. We often believe a change in outside factors will bring us happiness. Have we been conditioned to believe our environment is what makes us happy and content? Does it?
No doubt our environment influences our emotions among other things. When you're bank account is empty and you have bills to pay, when a close friend abuses your trust, or a family member turns his back on you it's hard to be happy. But in the midst of the turmoil, have you ever considered that perhaps we have been given all we need to be content in life?
Consider Paul, an apostle of Christ who endured hardship, trials, rejection, ailments, stated in Philippians 4:12: 'I know what it is to be in need, and i know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or want.' NIV
How did Paul come to learn contentment as he describes? Surely he experienced rejection, abuse and loneliness. Does he say that he was happy? No, Paul realized that there was a difference in being emotionally happy and internally content. Paul learned to accept the circumstances of life as part of the tools God used to form him into who he became. If it wasn't for the combination of the very difficult events which formed him, Paul would not be the same Paul as we know him.
There is a danger in wishing for 'better' circumstances, wealth, friends or family. If things go too well, isn't there a tendency for us to become self-reliant and proud? We should instead realize that our lives are in the hands of the master craftsman. Not only this, but to understand our lives are not our own, that our lives are meant to be given, first to God and then to our neighbors. We are to love God first and love our neighbor as ourselves. Being self-centered around our own goal of happiness will never bring contentment. Seeking to serve and help others is a key to finding true contentment.
Actually we have all we need, we have all we need to serve others. Serving others is almost never dependent upon circumstances or having a certain amount of money. It's all about our attitude, and willingness to help a person in need. This brings a contentment money cannot buy, friends cannot produce or our families can ever give. God's forming us through trials, difficulties and neediness. Only when we understand that have been given all we need, can we become content as we share what we've received with others.
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