Freedom for Everyone - Day 148 Month 5-28 Week 22-1
Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year)
Joshua 4,5, Psalm 119:49-72, Jeremiah 30:18-31:14, John 14:16-15:11
Freedom for Everyone
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” Words of Jesus spoken to His disciples….and that includes me.
So why did I get up this morning with an extremely heavy heart, feeling no peace and feeling no joy? The pressures on me today are both real and just perceived, but they are real to me and I want out of this funk!
I read a blog post by New York Times best selling author, Rachel Held Evans (1981-2019), called “Dear Pastors-Tell Us the Truth” https://rachelheldevans.com/blog/pastors-tell-truth written in February 2011. It outlines how we crave for honesty from our faith leaders rather than a portrayal that they are always ok. We crave for them to be genuine and real because very often faith leaders feel the pressure to be perfect all the time. Syl and I have also recently started watching a series on Prime Video called “It’s not like that,” where one of the lead characters is a pastor who was recently widowed. The first service he returns to the pulpit, he shares the realness of his feelings. The congregation, through their comments and actions, put pressure back on him to be perfect rather than real. I am not a pastor, but there are many reading this blog. I want to tell you that it’s ok to be real - it’s human and honest.
Sylvia did a sermon to a ladies group many years ago. It was titled : “How Are You.” It was about being real and sincere with an added spin - being sincere when asking other people how they are and making time to listen if they are not ok or don’t ask if you don’t care. Perhaps she will share her notes from this sermon in the next Intermission post. Bear in mind this was written for a Christian audience but can be applied in everyone’s life.
I am fully aware that several days ago, I quoted from the book of psalms a scripture that states “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” The first thing I will now do is recognize that this is the day that the Lord has made. Because I know the Lord has made this day, I also know He is very aware of how I’m in a funk and He is allowing me to go through it. I’m also blessed because I am sitting in a relaxing chair, sipping my decaf coffee, and I am able to read my Bible and write about what I’m hearing today. Also the Holy Spirit is in me. From our reading today, Jesus promised another Helper (Holy Spirit) and He will be with me forever. From these seeds of truth - that God both made the day and knows where I am, and His Spirit dwells in me - I can move forward step by step on this day that God has allowed me to have. I’m sure that as I move through it , I will feel God’s presence and the funk will lift. And as I’m being honest, some of the weight has lifted just sitting down and reading and writing today’s post for you.
I’m being very real today and I hope this is also an encouragement to you. When your spouse or trusted friend asks you how you are doing, be real! If you're doing great, tell them, but if you’re not, don’t lie and tell them you're fine. If you can be real with them, they have license to be real with you. It’s how we hold each other up. If you have no one to share your thoughts with on those down days, email me. I promise I will read your email, pray for you, and respond if you wish.
At the end of Rachel’s blogpost she said, “Tell us the truth and you won’t be the only one set free.” There is freedom in honesty. It’s freedom for everyone!
Have a great day!
Steve
You can subscribe to this blog and receive an email each day or week. Just visit the following link. https://follow.it/my-faith-view-from-here-daily-readings-and-thoughts?leanpub
Comments
Post a Comment