I am such a jerk. So many people have is far worse that me and yet i am negative? that's not right. I am told that its ok to feel the way i feel, but i do not thinkit is ok. I thinki should be living in the joy of God and to a very small degree i have, but i need to not be so negative when things get so hard and negative around me... something to work on. Steve had a near death experience and he was the most joyful person there. I want so much to resonate Gods Joy and finally live up to my name. ;o)
Anyway, i went to fuel friday night. We talked @ fuel about where our joy comes from. I have not had much lately and i have been fully aware of it and completely hated that fact, but had no idea how to get it back. Does that make sense? I felt like i was inside a robot. I knew what was going on around me, but i could not change how i felt a bout it. I don't know if there is an adaquate way to explain it. Here are some verses steve used during his talk...
Romans 7:18
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
Galations 5:16-17
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want
James 1:17
good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows
Philipians 4:6-8
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
What do you think about this...
Our greatest role as Christians is to meditate (recieve and spread), celebrate and pursue goodness.
We also talked about hot to full recive what God has for us. to be able to do that we need to be fully aware of our sinfulness. We have to be willing to be open about our sin and confess and repent of it. A friend of mine told me once that if we dwell on our sins it is like crucifying christ all over again. He died already for our sins. Don't dwell on the sin, be aware you are a sinner and thank and praise God for dying for your sins.
There will always be horrible things going on in this world, but i think if we can still see hope and beauty and love we will have joy.
A friend of mine used to say 'Don't feel your way into acting, act you way into feeling'... meaning don't let you feeling take over you life, act happy and think of happy thinga and you will become happy.
time to go... more later... :o)
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2 comments:
See, I disagree to an extent, that you can act your way into happiness. It can be agateway, but if its a gateway you enter without God, without being open to God's change, then you're just faking it for a bit. I happen to be really good at that, and faked it for a long time. I do believe that God has the best in mind for me, but waiting to see that happen isn't one of my strong suits.
Feeling guilty for the honesty of your feelings isn't the way to get past them. If you acknowledge, own your feelings, even sit in them for a period of time, you come closer to purging them and making room for the joy of the Lord. Otherwise is is a band aid on a bullet wound.
But there again, these are all just my opinions. I believe you've got good intentions and want to see change, but you can't force it.
I know better than most feeling can't be forced. Dwelling on positive instead of the negative helps to improve upon that. Thnking of all the blessings i have instead of all the bad going on, and thinking of the hope for the future instead of the pain of the past helps to give joy. No it can not be forced, but i can only be changed if you choose to work towards change.
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