Psalm 35:11-14; 19-25
Liars accuse me of crimes I know nothing about. They repay evil for good, and I feel all alone. When they were sick, I wore sackcloth and went without food. I truly prayed for them, as I would for a friend or a relative. I was in sorrow and mourned, as I would for my mother.
You see everything, Lord! Please don’t keep silent or stay so far away. Fight to defend me, Lord God, and prove that I am right by your standards. Don’t let them laugh at me or say to each other, “Now we’ve got what we want! We’ll gobble him down!”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
At some point in your life, you have probably felt mistreated. Someone has most likely lied to you and taken advantage of your kindness. You may have felt like standing in the middle of the floor - hands raised upward - and asking, “What did I ever do to this person to deserve such treatment?” You might have even asked God to step in…to vindicate you and “make this person pay” in some manner. From reading this Psalm, I would say that David was right there with you…and honestly, I can’t say that I would blame you, either.
Nobody likes to be duped or mistreated. No one wants to give of themselves to someone who repays with lies, deceit, and abuse. None of us likes to be the recipient of another person’s ridicule or exploitation. This is not what you expect from someone for whom you have shown utmost love and care…someone for whom you have truly prayed for, cared for in their times of need, and blessed in ways great and small. We don’t expect people to lie to us – or about us - much less repay good with evil. Neither did Jesus.
Let that soak in for a minute. Do you think that Jesus hung from the cross and asked, “What did I ever do to So-and-So to make him/her hate me this much?” Do you think that He looked to the heavens and asked God to make each and every one of us pay for the terrible things we have done to Him…each sin we have committed?” The truth is that Jesus did just the opposite. He asked God to forgive those who did not understand what they had done…Who they had maimed and killed. He forgave a thief on the cross next to His. He gave His very life to PAY for each and every one of my sins…and yours…and the sins of all who will ever choose to give Him their heart and follow Him.
Clearly we are not Jesus. We are not God in human form…we do not have Supernatural powers and abilities and truly have no business comparing our “sufferings” to His. But they do serve to illustrate the point that for everything we endure…Jesus has endured more. For every hurt and indignation we will ever suffer…Jesus agonized exponentially. We serve a God who fully understands our thoughts and feelings…and truly cares about each of us. It may seem at times like He has walked away and left us to wallow in whatever we are enduring…but I assure you, nothing could be further from the truth.
God never leaves us. While we might not be able to feel His presence as we desire, He is always working behind the scenes and meeting our needs. It may not be as we would wish… we may not “feel” as good as we would like in any given moment. But God is still with us. We must remember that the God who cared enough for us to send His only Son to earth and allowed Him to be brutalized for OUR sins is a God of profound love and care – for each of us!
So the next time you are mistreated, deceived, ridiculed, ignored and/or lonely, remember Jesus and the cross. You may be momentarily stung or disappointed by others, which is understandable. But don’t linger in those feelings…do not wallow in your hurts. Get busy loving others in Jesus’ name…sharing in THEIR suffering and reminding them of all that He did for us on the cross. Remember the cross…and what Jesus did for us there. Thank Him for the gift of amazing, incredible, unconditional love, grace, mercy and forgiveness. Feel His presence and trust that He is making a way where you can see none.
God is always fighting for you. The cross is proof if this. How will you serve Him in return?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label sharing burdens experiences. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sharing burdens experiences. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for April 9, 2014
Job 30:24-31
“Surely no one would turn against the needy
when they cry for help in their trouble.
Did I not weep for those in trouble?
Was I not deeply grieved for the needy?
So I looked for good, but evil came instead.
I waited for the light, but darkness fell.
My heart is troubled and restless.
Days of suffering torment me.
I walk in gloom, without sunlight.
I stand in the public square and cry for help.
Instead, I am considered a brother to jackals
and a companion to owls.
My skin has turned dark,
and my bones burn with fever.
My harp plays sad music,
and my flute accompanies those who weep.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I have to admit…I am mildly obsessed with TLC’s “The Little Couple”. I am so impressed with Jennifer Arnold and Bill Klein… two “little people” who live incredible lives, despite what many would consider an obvious “handicap”. Jen Arnold is a neonatologist at Texas Children’s Hospital. YES…she is a physician who cares for sick infants, despite being only 3’2” tall herself! Husband Bill (who measures a whopping 4 feet in height!) is a successful medical supplies and telemarketing businessman. They also own a doggy boutique in Houston, Texas…which is managed by Jen’s mother.
Jen and Bill endured countless surgeries during their childhood. And in fact, Bill underwent a hip surgery that was a documented story line in one of the early seasons of the television program. After their marriage, the couple decided they wanted to become parents. There were concerns with a conventional pregnancy and delivery because of Jen’s small size…but she underwent several attempts at in vitro fertilization – none of which were successful long-term.
The couple decided that adoption was a better option, so they sought children who had a similar form of dwarfism…feeling that this would be a good fit for them as parents – and that since there would be fewer parents seeking children of small stature, they could bless the lives of someone else with this condition. The couple traveled to China in March 2013, to adopt their son…3-year-old Will. Before they could actually make the trip, the couple was contacted about the availability of a daughter in India. On October 25, 2013, Arnold and Klein adopted beautiful, brown-eyed, 2-year-old Zoey from an Indian orphanage.
While completing Zoey’s adoption in India, Jen became seriously ill and had to return to Houston for medical attention. She was diagnosed with late stage choriocarcinoma… a rare form of cancer that resulted from a miscarriage in September 2013. Jen Arnold underwent four months of heavy-duty chemotherapy treatments…and today, she is totally cancer free! The first part of the current season’s episodes dealt in part with her illness…and chronicled her treatments and the jubilant “ringing of the bell” in her oncology ward after the successful outcome was announced.
There will be some who point to this couple’s notoriety…their “fame and fortune” on this popular television series…and say, “They’ve got it made. What do they have to complain about?” For the record, I don’t recall a time on the series (and I’ve watched every episode!) that either one of these people have complained about anything…much less asked, “Why me?”…or wrung their hands about all of the challenges that they have faced.
I am certain that you can name at least one person who would qualify as someone who is a “good person” that experiences “bad things”…or at best, cannot seem to “catch a break”. Maybe you are even one of them. Almost 16 years ago, my family experienced something of a “successive chain” of losses and serious illnesses. My brother and my dad were both terminally ill at the same time…a dear cousin died while telling a joke one morning at a local coffee shop… another cousin’s wife died of breast cancer…and my grandmother’s long-time companion (who was like a 2nd grandfather to us) died of bladder cancer. Then my brother’s dog contracted tick fever and died. She had become my mother’s constant companion…and it was like losing my brother all over again. Even today, close friends will say to me, “Your family has gone through SO much!” And yes…that was a rough, rough time…and there have been others before and since. But I hope these experiences do not define me...at least not in a "pitiful" way.
Here’s the thing. We’re not the only ones with challenges. God did not look at my family and say, “I think I’ll pick on them!” He didn’t look at Jen Arnold and Bill Klein and say, “These families need to suffer through years of heartaches and surgeries and challenges with a child who has dwarfism. THEN, I’ll put the two families together and give them even BIGGER hurdles and anguishes. And He has not singled you out for suffering, either! God does not operate like this!
Yes, God allows us to “go through stuff”…and a lot of it ain’t all that pretty! But here’s where “the wheat separates from the chaff”, so to speak…God equips us to handle these things – and more. Our “test” is not the “rough stuff” per se…it’s what we do with it. How we react…what we do with our troubles…the way that we use these experiences to strengthen our faith and be a more effective witness for Jesus is what truly matters. This is what God looks for…what He expects!
If we wallow in self-pity and allow our experiences to define us as a victim, our faith has no substance. Nobody enjoys heartache and suffering. No one wants to be sad…or to face one struggle after another. But we have a choice…we can wallow in misery and defeatism…or we can say, “God got me through this…and He will do the same for others.” It is up to us to use our own experiences to share God’s grace, mercy, compassion, love and kindness with others… to encourage them to stay strong, keep their chins up, and expect a better day.
I pray that Jen Arnold has “smooth sailing” from this point forward…that she can focus on saving the lives of countless infants who pass through the doors at Texas Children’s Hospital. I also pray that she can give priority to nurturing her two precious children, Will and Zoey…and giving them a bright and promising future. But I have a feeling that whatever comes her way, she will handle it with dignity, faith and courage…and she will continue to serve as a source of encouragement and hope for others.
What about you? Will you be a person who says, “Why me?”…or one who asks, “What do I do with this?” A life in Christ is not so much about how “good” you are as it is about how well you serve…in all circumstances. Bad things DO happen to “good” people. But God can use all of it for His glory. Are you allowing Him to do this in your life? Isn’t it time you did?
©2014 Debbie Robus
“Surely no one would turn against the needy
when they cry for help in their trouble.
Did I not weep for those in trouble?
Was I not deeply grieved for the needy?
So I looked for good, but evil came instead.
I waited for the light, but darkness fell.
My heart is troubled and restless.
Days of suffering torment me.
I walk in gloom, without sunlight.
I stand in the public square and cry for help.
Instead, I am considered a brother to jackals
and a companion to owls.
My skin has turned dark,
and my bones burn with fever.
My harp plays sad music,
and my flute accompanies those who weep.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I have to admit…I am mildly obsessed with TLC’s “The Little Couple”. I am so impressed with Jennifer Arnold and Bill Klein… two “little people” who live incredible lives, despite what many would consider an obvious “handicap”. Jen Arnold is a neonatologist at Texas Children’s Hospital. YES…she is a physician who cares for sick infants, despite being only 3’2” tall herself! Husband Bill (who measures a whopping 4 feet in height!) is a successful medical supplies and telemarketing businessman. They also own a doggy boutique in Houston, Texas…which is managed by Jen’s mother.
Jen and Bill endured countless surgeries during their childhood. And in fact, Bill underwent a hip surgery that was a documented story line in one of the early seasons of the television program. After their marriage, the couple decided they wanted to become parents. There were concerns with a conventional pregnancy and delivery because of Jen’s small size…but she underwent several attempts at in vitro fertilization – none of which were successful long-term.
The couple decided that adoption was a better option, so they sought children who had a similar form of dwarfism…feeling that this would be a good fit for them as parents – and that since there would be fewer parents seeking children of small stature, they could bless the lives of someone else with this condition. The couple traveled to China in March 2013, to adopt their son…3-year-old Will. Before they could actually make the trip, the couple was contacted about the availability of a daughter in India. On October 25, 2013, Arnold and Klein adopted beautiful, brown-eyed, 2-year-old Zoey from an Indian orphanage.
While completing Zoey’s adoption in India, Jen became seriously ill and had to return to Houston for medical attention. She was diagnosed with late stage choriocarcinoma… a rare form of cancer that resulted from a miscarriage in September 2013. Jen Arnold underwent four months of heavy-duty chemotherapy treatments…and today, she is totally cancer free! The first part of the current season’s episodes dealt in part with her illness…and chronicled her treatments and the jubilant “ringing of the bell” in her oncology ward after the successful outcome was announced.
There will be some who point to this couple’s notoriety…their “fame and fortune” on this popular television series…and say, “They’ve got it made. What do they have to complain about?” For the record, I don’t recall a time on the series (and I’ve watched every episode!) that either one of these people have complained about anything…much less asked, “Why me?”…or wrung their hands about all of the challenges that they have faced.
I am certain that you can name at least one person who would qualify as someone who is a “good person” that experiences “bad things”…or at best, cannot seem to “catch a break”. Maybe you are even one of them. Almost 16 years ago, my family experienced something of a “successive chain” of losses and serious illnesses. My brother and my dad were both terminally ill at the same time…a dear cousin died while telling a joke one morning at a local coffee shop… another cousin’s wife died of breast cancer…and my grandmother’s long-time companion (who was like a 2nd grandfather to us) died of bladder cancer. Then my brother’s dog contracted tick fever and died. She had become my mother’s constant companion…and it was like losing my brother all over again. Even today, close friends will say to me, “Your family has gone through SO much!” And yes…that was a rough, rough time…and there have been others before and since. But I hope these experiences do not define me...at least not in a "pitiful" way.
Here’s the thing. We’re not the only ones with challenges. God did not look at my family and say, “I think I’ll pick on them!” He didn’t look at Jen Arnold and Bill Klein and say, “These families need to suffer through years of heartaches and surgeries and challenges with a child who has dwarfism. THEN, I’ll put the two families together and give them even BIGGER hurdles and anguishes. And He has not singled you out for suffering, either! God does not operate like this!
Yes, God allows us to “go through stuff”…and a lot of it ain’t all that pretty! But here’s where “the wheat separates from the chaff”, so to speak…God equips us to handle these things – and more. Our “test” is not the “rough stuff” per se…it’s what we do with it. How we react…what we do with our troubles…the way that we use these experiences to strengthen our faith and be a more effective witness for Jesus is what truly matters. This is what God looks for…what He expects!
If we wallow in self-pity and allow our experiences to define us as a victim, our faith has no substance. Nobody enjoys heartache and suffering. No one wants to be sad…or to face one struggle after another. But we have a choice…we can wallow in misery and defeatism…or we can say, “God got me through this…and He will do the same for others.” It is up to us to use our own experiences to share God’s grace, mercy, compassion, love and kindness with others… to encourage them to stay strong, keep their chins up, and expect a better day.
I pray that Jen Arnold has “smooth sailing” from this point forward…that she can focus on saving the lives of countless infants who pass through the doors at Texas Children’s Hospital. I also pray that she can give priority to nurturing her two precious children, Will and Zoey…and giving them a bright and promising future. But I have a feeling that whatever comes her way, she will handle it with dignity, faith and courage…and she will continue to serve as a source of encouragement and hope for others.
What about you? Will you be a person who says, “Why me?”…or one who asks, “What do I do with this?” A life in Christ is not so much about how “good” you are as it is about how well you serve…in all circumstances. Bad things DO happen to “good” people. But God can use all of it for His glory. Are you allowing Him to do this in your life? Isn’t it time you did?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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