A Powerful Paradigm in the Pursuit of JOY
Beloved,
We are in the business of helping people please God in all of life–especially in the storms of life. In the midst of crisis one resorts to patterns and habits.
I will never forget training over and again for free-fall. The goal was that when one jumped out of a perfectly good airplane, the hours of training would overcome the crisis of plummeting toward terra firma (with an emphasis on “firm”) and good results would follow (e.g., rip-chord pulled).
When your soul is squeezed by suffering we want the reflex response of your soul to be, “God, glorify your name.” We want you to be conformed into the image of Jesus.
John 12:27-28
27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’?
But for this purpose I have come to this hour.
28 Father, glorify your name.”
Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
If that would be the response of your soul, training will be required. Below are some suggestions about developing new thought patterns. May these thoughts become familiar to your soul…and thus may your soul be changed.
- Warning Systems and Signals.
Your emotions and your conscience will report the temperature of your soul. When you “feel” the pangs of conscience or the rise of emotional energy, pay attention. Listen to your God-given warning signals—they are alerting you to the fact that there is something wrong. BTW: This is one major reason of concern with many medicines. The medicines tend to dull the warning systems—often removing any impetus for change.
- Wanting…be relentless in ascertaining desires
Ask your soul, “I am upset. I can feel it. What I am wanting right now? What am I wanting that I am not getting or may lose? Why am I offended? Be relentless with your own soul at this point. Keep asking questions until you come face-to-face with your cravings.
- Wrong or Wicked…am I rebellious?….REPENT
When you find (notice I didn’t say, “if”) your desires to be self-centered (as opposed to God-centered), repent. When you discover that your unsettledness is tied to your kingdom come being hindered, repent. Take that desire for self and the gathering of worshippers of self (rather than encouraging others to worship God) and hack it to pieces (cf. 1 Samuel 15:33).
- Worship…be rejoicing
Every time sin is revealed, there is opportunity—opportunity to repent and rejoice. Rejoice that Jesus succeeded where you failed. Worship Him. He perfectly obeyed God. He NEVER sought the kingdom of self….and He freely gives you His perfect righteousness. Jesus is truly AMAZING—do you see Him? Worship Him for both His life lived pleasing God and His grace to you in giving you that obedience.
- Witness….be a Winsome Witness
Go tell someone else about the greater joy of redemption from sin over against relief from suffering/circumstance.
If you rescue a man from circumstance, you doom him to fear again.
If you save a man from sin, circumstance will never hold sway over him again.
Share with someone else that the comfort of God is the death of self…especially self-reliance or self-sufficiency (see 2 Cor 1:3-11; esp. vss. 8-9).
This is a powerful paradigm in the pursuit of JOY.
10,000 Blessings in The Wonderful Counselor,
Jim