Romans 12:20-21
Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
There is an old adage shared in caregiving circles that suggests (I’m paraphrasing) that those receiving care often “bite the hand that feeds them.” In other words, if you are a caregiver, you probably get a lot of complaints and ingratitude – if not downright personal attacks – from the person for whom you are caring.
Even if you are not a caregiver, you may experience this in your daily living – from a fellow classmate, a co-worker, a family member, neighbor, or fellow church member. It may seem like the more you do for this person, the worse they treat you. And it is human nature for us to want to retaliate… to “give this person a dose of his/her own medicine”… to lash out – or even to turn our back on them and walk away.
I think one of the hardest actions for a Christian to master is treating others kindly – even generously – when they have offered us anything but kindness. Loving the unlovely is incredibly challenging sometimes. Doing this with the right attitude is even more difficult.
See, caregivers have to keep caregiving. You may have to continue to go to class with that irritating classmate – or work with the person who is unkind. You can’t always move away from unpleasant neighbors or distance yourself from a church member who rubs you the wrong way. And you most certainly cannot divorce your family – although many have wanted to do exactly that! So often, we treat these people kindly and with civility – but in our hearts, we are not feeling very charitable. We may even plot “mental revenge!”
God wants us to operate in a spirit of charity and kindness – no matter who or what comes our way. He wants our heart to be as generous and loving as our actions. This is a HUGE challenge… one I do not mean to diminish in the least… and I can assure you that I struggle with it daily! But we must ask God to continue to work in us – to fill us with so much joy and completeness in Him that nothing flaps us.
Ask God to help you work on your heart. Call on Him to give you a spirit of goodness and generosity toward others – from your head to your heart to your toes! The better you become at doing this, the lighter your heart will feel… the more joy and peace you will experience. Another adage says, “Living well is the best revenge.” Revel in demonstrating kindness and love… let God handle the paybacks… and truly live well in the LORD.
©2012 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label changing your heart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label changing your heart. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for February 3, 2012
2 Corinthians 4:16
So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
I don’t know about you, but I have had a few life experiences that left me feeling as if things were falling apart on me. It was hard to say goodbye to loved ones… to bury my pets… to let our little Timothy go home after spending so much time with us. I was frustrated when I broke my ankle and had to spend three months sitting on the couch, asking for help with everything – even a shower! I was deeply disappointed when I truly believed I was in line for a new job… then I wasn’t selected. I’ve felt the sting of conceding that “enough is enough” and letting go of toxic relationships and unhealthy habits. There have been times when I spent a few days or longer merely going through the motions of getting through the day… and I bet you have been there, too!
I don’t like to compare myself to others. I believe God wants us to examine our own lives and consider how we stack up to His desires and expectations for us. However, in this instance, I think we should momentarily make an exception. If we look around, we can see examples in every life situation of people who are handling similar experiences… or far worse. We may grieve for loved ones who now live in Heaven, but that is nothing compared to those who grieve for loved ones who never professed to know Jesus. We may have lost a beloved pet… others have lost a child – or several children. We may not get the new job… others don’t have a job in the first place. We may have broken a bone or two - or suffered a temporary, treatable illness… others face a lifelong, chronic condition or an incurable disease.
We may have setbacks in relationships, challenges in the workplace and at school, or face a temporary separation from someone we love… others face complete estrangement from their families and friends, do not have the opportunity to work or study, or experience permanent banishment from their loved ones.
And if that isn’t enough… consider all that Jesus suffered - entirely on our behalf - and everything that is promised because of His suffering. No matter what we are facing… however difficult, sad, or disappointing life may seem today… we cannot wallow in self-pity. We must look to the cross, and beyond, and realize that even on our worst day, God is blessing us and equipping us in ways we can’t begin to imagine. We must realize that our hearts are not breaking – at least not in the way we think. While we feel like our heart is bursting open and everything is falling apart, God is at work… filling us with love, grace and new mercies – and mending our hearts in a way that strengthens us for another day.
I could cite countless examples of people who have lived with hope and courage in spite of incredible, seemingly impossible challenges and roadblocks. I could tell you about many persons I know who have endured one tragedy after another with a positive spirit that seems incredulous. I am guessing you could make your own list of inspiring individuals. Instead, I want to encourage you to work on adding your name to that list. Open your heart to all that God wants to give you… acknowledge that He is working behind the scenes and healing you in ways you can’t begin to fully understand. Live with hope and courage that a better day is coming… lavish celebrations are on the way… and God is making a new life for each of us.
When challenges come – and they will! – don’t allow them to completely sap your faith and courage. You may suffer a momentary setback. Grief and sadness - for a season - is perfectly normal. But ultimately, remember Who is at work in your heart - storing up blessings to last forever. Never give up. Examine the depths of your heart and see how God is working… and live from this abundance. There truly is far more here than meets the eye. What has God placed in your heart today?
©2012 Debbie Robus
So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
I don’t know about you, but I have had a few life experiences that left me feeling as if things were falling apart on me. It was hard to say goodbye to loved ones… to bury my pets… to let our little Timothy go home after spending so much time with us. I was frustrated when I broke my ankle and had to spend three months sitting on the couch, asking for help with everything – even a shower! I was deeply disappointed when I truly believed I was in line for a new job… then I wasn’t selected. I’ve felt the sting of conceding that “enough is enough” and letting go of toxic relationships and unhealthy habits. There have been times when I spent a few days or longer merely going through the motions of getting through the day… and I bet you have been there, too!
I don’t like to compare myself to others. I believe God wants us to examine our own lives and consider how we stack up to His desires and expectations for us. However, in this instance, I think we should momentarily make an exception. If we look around, we can see examples in every life situation of people who are handling similar experiences… or far worse. We may grieve for loved ones who now live in Heaven, but that is nothing compared to those who grieve for loved ones who never professed to know Jesus. We may have lost a beloved pet… others have lost a child – or several children. We may not get the new job… others don’t have a job in the first place. We may have broken a bone or two - or suffered a temporary, treatable illness… others face a lifelong, chronic condition or an incurable disease.
We may have setbacks in relationships, challenges in the workplace and at school, or face a temporary separation from someone we love… others face complete estrangement from their families and friends, do not have the opportunity to work or study, or experience permanent banishment from their loved ones.
And if that isn’t enough… consider all that Jesus suffered - entirely on our behalf - and everything that is promised because of His suffering. No matter what we are facing… however difficult, sad, or disappointing life may seem today… we cannot wallow in self-pity. We must look to the cross, and beyond, and realize that even on our worst day, God is blessing us and equipping us in ways we can’t begin to imagine. We must realize that our hearts are not breaking – at least not in the way we think. While we feel like our heart is bursting open and everything is falling apart, God is at work… filling us with love, grace and new mercies – and mending our hearts in a way that strengthens us for another day.
I could cite countless examples of people who have lived with hope and courage in spite of incredible, seemingly impossible challenges and roadblocks. I could tell you about many persons I know who have endured one tragedy after another with a positive spirit that seems incredulous. I am guessing you could make your own list of inspiring individuals. Instead, I want to encourage you to work on adding your name to that list. Open your heart to all that God wants to give you… acknowledge that He is working behind the scenes and healing you in ways you can’t begin to fully understand. Live with hope and courage that a better day is coming… lavish celebrations are on the way… and God is making a new life for each of us.
When challenges come – and they will! – don’t allow them to completely sap your faith and courage. You may suffer a momentary setback. Grief and sadness - for a season - is perfectly normal. But ultimately, remember Who is at work in your heart - storing up blessings to last forever. Never give up. Examine the depths of your heart and see how God is working… and live from this abundance. There truly is far more here than meets the eye. What has God placed in your heart today?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February 1, 2012
Romans 7:21-23
It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Suppose you want to watch the Super Bowl at home, in your sweats, while eating a big bowl of popcorn or a frozen pizza. But your parents, significant other, or best friend want you to go with them to a Super Bowl party with lots of people – many of whom you don’t know all that well. You know you won’t be able to see much of the game… and the other guests may be rooting for the opposing team. You don’t want to get dressed up and socialize with others… but you don’t want to disappoint the person who is asking you to come along. So you “play nice,” squelch your true feelings and agree to go. Whether anyone else knows or not, your heart truly is not in this.
Let’s be honest… a lot of life is about compromises. And that often means doing something when our heart truly isn’t in it, because it’s the right thing to do… on several levels. But compromising in matters of faith is another story altogether. Concessions in the natural have to do with the body… compromises in our faith have to do with the spirit. In Spiritual terms, your heart is where God resides. He has given you the Holy Spirit to live in your heart… to guide you and help you to make choices that honor Jesus and your commitment to Him.
While agreeing to go to a party that really doesn’t interest you is more a gesture of cooperation, choosing to join in a conversation that includes gossip and disrespectful talk about someone else is a rebellion against the Holy Spirit. It may be fun or feel good at the time… but on some level, we usually know (or we should know!) that this is wrong. If your “heart isn’t in” working out and eating right, that’s one thing. But if you don’t have a heart for the obeying God’s word and seeking Him in prayer, that’s another.
So often, we want to pat ourselves on the back for the smallest of gestures toward our faith. We want “brownie points” for attending worship services or helping the needy. We ask God to give us guidance – or we pray for someone in need – and we read our Bible every day for a week… then we congratulate ourselves on how well we are demonstrating our faith and living for Jesus. Even worse… we compare ourselves to others and decide that we’re really doing pretty well. After all… they aren’t serving on a committee or in a leadership role at church. They don’t go on mission trips or work in local charities. Hey… they don’t even come to church very often!
The truth is that they may have more of a heart for God than we ever will. The heart is the “hidden, inner man” and shows us God’s definition of your spirit. No one can truly know what is in your heart except for you and God. But we both know that often, what we say is in our heart… and what is truly there… are two very different things.
It’s time to reconcile our Spiritual heart with the Holy Spirit. It’s time for us to truly focus on what God has placed in our heart… and to operate from that position. We need to be deeply aware of the devil’s attempt to creep in and lure us into a false sense of security… to convince us that his way is more enjoyable. Many of us operate on the premise that as long as we do “enough” to appease God, we can do whatever feels good the rest of the time.
Remember… God knows your heart. He knows when you are operating from a place of honor and glory to Him… and when someone else has captured your attention. Don’t live in this state of limbo. Choose to seek God… to believe and serve Him with your full heart - and never miss the mark. Ask Him to give you wisdom and courage to resist the temptations that will surely come… and to stay on course.
Renew your commitment to delight in God’s commands… and to defy the devil’s petition for your attention. Give your heart fully to God… and live in the confidence that He is always in charge. You still may not have your heart in attending a Super Bowl party. But if God is telling you to in your “Spiritual heart” go, He will equip you with an attitude of love and generosity… and the grace to smile all evening.
©2012 Debbie Robus
It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Suppose you want to watch the Super Bowl at home, in your sweats, while eating a big bowl of popcorn or a frozen pizza. But your parents, significant other, or best friend want you to go with them to a Super Bowl party with lots of people – many of whom you don’t know all that well. You know you won’t be able to see much of the game… and the other guests may be rooting for the opposing team. You don’t want to get dressed up and socialize with others… but you don’t want to disappoint the person who is asking you to come along. So you “play nice,” squelch your true feelings and agree to go. Whether anyone else knows or not, your heart truly is not in this.
Let’s be honest… a lot of life is about compromises. And that often means doing something when our heart truly isn’t in it, because it’s the right thing to do… on several levels. But compromising in matters of faith is another story altogether. Concessions in the natural have to do with the body… compromises in our faith have to do with the spirit. In Spiritual terms, your heart is where God resides. He has given you the Holy Spirit to live in your heart… to guide you and help you to make choices that honor Jesus and your commitment to Him.
While agreeing to go to a party that really doesn’t interest you is more a gesture of cooperation, choosing to join in a conversation that includes gossip and disrespectful talk about someone else is a rebellion against the Holy Spirit. It may be fun or feel good at the time… but on some level, we usually know (or we should know!) that this is wrong. If your “heart isn’t in” working out and eating right, that’s one thing. But if you don’t have a heart for the obeying God’s word and seeking Him in prayer, that’s another.
So often, we want to pat ourselves on the back for the smallest of gestures toward our faith. We want “brownie points” for attending worship services or helping the needy. We ask God to give us guidance – or we pray for someone in need – and we read our Bible every day for a week… then we congratulate ourselves on how well we are demonstrating our faith and living for Jesus. Even worse… we compare ourselves to others and decide that we’re really doing pretty well. After all… they aren’t serving on a committee or in a leadership role at church. They don’t go on mission trips or work in local charities. Hey… they don’t even come to church very often!
The truth is that they may have more of a heart for God than we ever will. The heart is the “hidden, inner man” and shows us God’s definition of your spirit. No one can truly know what is in your heart except for you and God. But we both know that often, what we say is in our heart… and what is truly there… are two very different things.
It’s time to reconcile our Spiritual heart with the Holy Spirit. It’s time for us to truly focus on what God has placed in our heart… and to operate from that position. We need to be deeply aware of the devil’s attempt to creep in and lure us into a false sense of security… to convince us that his way is more enjoyable. Many of us operate on the premise that as long as we do “enough” to appease God, we can do whatever feels good the rest of the time.
Remember… God knows your heart. He knows when you are operating from a place of honor and glory to Him… and when someone else has captured your attention. Don’t live in this state of limbo. Choose to seek God… to believe and serve Him with your full heart - and never miss the mark. Ask Him to give you wisdom and courage to resist the temptations that will surely come… and to stay on course.
Renew your commitment to delight in God’s commands… and to defy the devil’s petition for your attention. Give your heart fully to God… and live in the confidence that He is always in charge. You still may not have your heart in attending a Super Bowl party. But if God is telling you to in your “Spiritual heart” go, He will equip you with an attitude of love and generosity… and the grace to smile all evening.
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for January 15, 2011
John 3:6
Humans give life to their children. Yet only God's Spirit can change you into a child of God.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
If you belong to a particular church denomination, most likely this is the denomination of your parents and/or grandparents… or your spouse or another family member. We tend to be “born into” a particular church and stay there… or at least in that denomination. Maybe you have heard the joke, “I had a drug problem… I was drug to church all my life.” Plenty of parents, like my own, took their children to church from the time they were just a few weeks old.
It would be great if parents could guarantee the salvation of their children just by taking them to church. I’m sure many parents would gladly accept this responsibility. Lots of grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles, moms and dads and other adults would be happy to drag kids to church every Sunday if they were even 25% hopeful that this really could ensure them a place in heaven.
But this is the one thing that parents and other adults cannot do for children – or any other person. Each person is solely responsible for giving his/her heart to Jesus. Every one of us make this commitment for ourselves. And going to church does not change us into Spirit-filled children of God. Yes… we are all God’s children, meaning God created all of us. But to truly be HIS forever and into Eternity, we have to accept His gift of Jesus Christ and invite His Holy Spirit to dwell within our heart.
Your parents can provide lots of things for you – a home, a loving family environment, food, clothing, transportation, an education, payment of your debts, and more. They can pray for you, drag you to church, and provide a Spirit-filled home and atmosphere in which to rear you. But when it comes to choosing to become a Christian, you have to make this choice – and change – for yourself.
There is one thing we others can do… we can encourage you to make this choice and change TODAY. Give your heart to God… accept His gift of Jesus Christ for your sins, and begin to serve Him now. Becoming a Spirit-filled child of God will be the best “grown-up” decision you ever make.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Humans give life to their children. Yet only God's Spirit can change you into a child of God.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
If you belong to a particular church denomination, most likely this is the denomination of your parents and/or grandparents… or your spouse or another family member. We tend to be “born into” a particular church and stay there… or at least in that denomination. Maybe you have heard the joke, “I had a drug problem… I was drug to church all my life.” Plenty of parents, like my own, took their children to church from the time they were just a few weeks old.
It would be great if parents could guarantee the salvation of their children just by taking them to church. I’m sure many parents would gladly accept this responsibility. Lots of grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles, moms and dads and other adults would be happy to drag kids to church every Sunday if they were even 25% hopeful that this really could ensure them a place in heaven.
But this is the one thing that parents and other adults cannot do for children – or any other person. Each person is solely responsible for giving his/her heart to Jesus. Every one of us make this commitment for ourselves. And going to church does not change us into Spirit-filled children of God. Yes… we are all God’s children, meaning God created all of us. But to truly be HIS forever and into Eternity, we have to accept His gift of Jesus Christ and invite His Holy Spirit to dwell within our heart.
Your parents can provide lots of things for you – a home, a loving family environment, food, clothing, transportation, an education, payment of your debts, and more. They can pray for you, drag you to church, and provide a Spirit-filled home and atmosphere in which to rear you. But when it comes to choosing to become a Christian, you have to make this choice – and change – for yourself.
There is one thing we others can do… we can encourage you to make this choice and change TODAY. Give your heart to God… accept His gift of Jesus Christ for your sins, and begin to serve Him now. Becoming a Spirit-filled child of God will be the best “grown-up” decision you ever make.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)