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Six (6) steps through difficulty – #6

February 26, 2013 by Fritz

angryThe last step for successfully enduring difficulty may be surprising.

“Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.” – Psalm 37:8

The word translated “anger” literally means “nostril”. Nostrils flare when a person gets really mad.

Why mention anger? One of the same reasons most marriages fail where there is a tragedy or handicapped/difficult child. Anger easily comes to the surface in times of stress.

It doesn’t have to be that way! Don’t manage anger, stop it by being alert, deciding it will never produces good results, and letting it go as a sacrifice to Jesus.

Prayer: “Father, let this struggle this time be different. Help me keep your word in front of me and to cease being angry. I let it go as a sacrifice to Christ. Amen!”

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Six (6) steps through difficulty – #5

February 25, 2013 by Fritz

hourglassThe fifth step to successfully handle difficulties takes a bit of research to understand.

The King James translates it this way:

“Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.” (Psalms 37:7)

“Rest” comes from the word that means “stop and keep silence” and “wait patiently” actually comes from one word in the Hebrew meaning “to twist and whirl’. It can also mean to “writhe in pain or fear” but to stay in one place when doing so.

Old king David looking back on life said the best thing to do in pain or distress is to quietly stay put expecting God to rescue. God’s rescue doesn’t come on our timetable but on God’s and there are some things only learned through enduring emotional/physical distress. We don’t like it, but there it is, He is God and we are not.

We must learn that if we choose to trust him for our eternity we must also choose to trust him for today and tomorrow.

It is responsible do what we can to fix our problems but when all has been done we just have to dangle there a while with the expectation God in his wisdom will intervene at the right time — and until he does so we will endure

Step #5: Dangle in the wind expecting God’s rescue at the right time.

— fritz

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Six (6) steps through difficulty – #4

February 24, 2013 by Fritz

Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection

Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection

It is said there are three (3) stages in life: 1) Struggling; 2) Just coming out of struggle; 3) Just headed into struggle. There are, however, ways to mitigate the difficulties. Psalm 37 lists six (6).

Fourth on the list:

“Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.” – Psalm 37:5-6

This Hebrew word translated, “commit”, literally means to “roll” and the word, “way”, literally means “journey, path, road, habits”. We all develop “ways” and once set they are hard, sometimes impossible, to change; but they can be “rolled” onto Christ for him to change.

Nicholas Herman, better known as “Brother Lawrence”, lived in a french monastery during the 17th century. People would visit him to learn how to experience God and these conversations were captured in the little book, The Practice of the Presence of God. It tells how Brother Lawrence rolled his ways onto the Lord.

Facing a task he would pray, “Lord, I can not do this unless Thou enablest me”. He, then, would have the strength to accomplish the need. When he experienced some failure he would confess his fault openly and pray, “God, I shall never do otherwise, if You leave me to myself; ’tis you who must hinder my failling, and mend what is amiss.” After doing this he let it go.

Step #4: Roll your journey onto Christ. He can accomplish anything!”

— fritz
1. Step #1 – Fret not, 02/21/2013
2. Step #2 – Trust and do, 02/22/2013
3. Step #3 – Delight in the Lord, 02/23/2013

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