Bless you reader!

Continuing on in the ‘Love Chapter’
We are still on verse 6

“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth” 1 Cor 13:6 NIV

Last time we discussed the fact that God is continually using people to turn evil into good. This is something in nature completely unique to us as people. Dirt and seeds turning into flowers is not comparable because dirt and seeds are not evil. Making lemonade from lemons is not comparable because lemons are not evil. Humans on the other hand often take innocent things and make evil things out of them: weapons, foul instruments, pornography, country music (couldn’t help it.) A lot of what people do for lack of a better word, and sorry if this is offensive, is evil: lying and deceit, selfishness, greediness, impatience, cruelty, gossiping, violence and other aggressive behavior, malice, idolatry, lust, pride and superior behavior, jealousy, theft, worrying, unfaithfulness, hatred, unforgiveness. Anyone who cannot accept that they have a problem with some of these behaviors is either lying or living a completely unexamined life.

Notice 1 Cor. 13:6 again. It says “evil but.. truth”. It does not say “evil but.. good”. Curious. Right?
Not at all. In all of the evil we deal with, and cause, in this life and it’s affect on us (causing hardship and depression) God is not pulling us out of that by calling on His own Goodness, but on the truth of His Word. Included in this are the truth claims of Christ. God is not saying in our hardships, “Relax, Oh afflicted one, I am very Good.” Even if I heard it from Him personally that wouldn’t cheer me up much. Instead He calls on the truth of His Word and that Word is Jesus Christ Himself. Very good news. Curious the word gospel actually means ‘good news’. And who doesn’t like good news!?

“..but rejoices with the truth.”
Let’s look at some of the places ‘rejoice’ appears.
The first appearance in the NT sets the tone regarding rejoicing and it appears in the sermon on the mount. Jesus say, “Blessed are the meek.. Blessed are the poor in spirit… Blessed are the peacemakers”. But then in verse 11 and 12 Jesus raises it up a notch and says,””Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
“Rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” Rom. 5:2
“We also rejoice in our sufferings.” Rom. 5:3
“I rejoice in what was suffered for you.” Col. 1:24
And in the book of James he says that we should, “count it all joy when we fall into divers temptations.” James 1:2
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“rejoice in our sufferings”? huh? Is that a typo. Why, oh why would the Bible say that? Simple. Because it is an opportunity for us to be an instrument of Gods goodness as He turns our miserable situations into good. It is an opportunity for God to be glorified.

So when we are in the toughest of our struggles or if we are afraid or hurt. In anything we can choose to trust, “that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Rom. 8:28.  And that God says, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. Do not fear nor be dismayed.” Deut. 31:6,8

Many people will commonly think you foolish for being joyful in the midst of very tough times. And if  you give credit to God in it, and you should, they may think you are a little ‘touched’ and may not hesitate to say so. But are you a fool to trust God? My Bible says that “a fool delights only in airing his own opinion.” And that “Only a fool says there is no God.” Prov. 18:2 You may tell them and yourself that “God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble.” James 4:6

And so ultimately, the big issue is where is our focus? We will feel guilty and sad if our focus is on us: “I didn’t, I should of, I tried, I let them down, I don’t care like I should, I don’t feel like I want to.” Then we will “reap what we sow.” And this is exactly where the word depression comes from. It means to press down (here we are pressing down on ourselves.) But we will feel assured and hopeful if our focus is on God: what He is doing, how He is using us, His goodness above us all, His Love; as well as on His truths, His ways, and His promises of  “never leaving us or forsaking us” Heb. 13:5 and “Come to me, all of you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matt. 11:28 and so many others.

My dictionary says Depression is: Severe despondency and dejection accompanied by feelings of hopelessness and inadequacy.
Despondency: literally means to give up on a promise. Are we given uplifting and eternal promises in the Bible?
Dejection: means to throw down. Not to be thrown down, but the act of throwing down. Don’t throw yourself down!
Hopelessness: Our hope, our only hope, is in the finished work of Christ. For a Christian to overlook this hope and choose (yes, I said it!) to be depressed is a personal choice.
Inadequacy: No one is in adequate. Consider the story in part 1.

We are what God has to work with (and who would want THAT job!!)

So rejoice!
And Let God do His job.

1. Globetrotter Says:
   June 27th, 2010 at 6:39 pm

   aHHH!!! this is suchhh a gr8tt take on depression…A few years back i had a friend call me every night at 4 in the morning threatening suicide..She was bound by depression, brokenness, drug abuse, alcohol and sexual addictions. One night the Lord told me that her ” focus ” on her own disadvanages in life were actually becoming an ” Idol ” believe it or not and holding her back from everything he had for her in her future. He layed it on my heart to take her with me to visit a Childrens Hospital and volunteer our time with these children who were in situations they had ” no ” control over. All I can say is it was completely ” Life Changing ” for the both of us. It made us realize that the obstacles we were going through were minute compared to what some of these kids had to deal with..through those trials God gives us the strength to overcome in the face of adversity. and leaning on his Promise in Romans 8:28 ” That ” ALL ” things work together ” for the good ” to them that Love the Lord and are called according to his purpose.. we realized that he can take anything ang make it beautiful..
   Visiting these kids who had lost parents in car accidents, were dying from Aids, Cancer, dealing with life threatening illnesses and realizing that many of these little kiddos were dealing with it alone..forced us to take the focus off our own lives and place it on loving and helping other people get through the harships in their situation… my friend came back completely healed from her depression and began working with handicapped and fostered children. God took her Ashes and with his Grace and Love transformed the Pain of her Past into helping Love others in her Future….

2. Ileana Says:
   June 28th, 2010 at 5:49 am

   Wow depression!  I’ve been there a couple of times.  It is very hard to understand God’s greatness in your life when you are depressed.  And recently I learned why, and it is because your are under the enemy’s constant mind games.  The enemy rejoices telling you that you don’t have this, you don’t have that, that your are a shame for God, that you are not enough to ask God for his guidance, and so on.  It is a spiritual battle we have in your mind, and we don’t even notice it unless we are a very spiritual and ask for God guidance.  I read a book of Neil T. Anderson, The Bondage Breaker and it helped me a lot with understading what was going on with me and my depression, and also my fear to the Lord. Since I learned that, I reject every negative thought, in the name of Jesus and he takes care of them.  After that I keep being peaceful, happy and thankful of what God has given me and done for me.

3. Lizzy Says:
   July 19th, 2010 at 11:45 am

   Amen! I really relate to this. I praise God for the things that God has brought me through in my life. I hope and pray that I reflect Him and not myself. For, we are but clay…… But, we need to “allow” ourselves to be molded. We must live in TODAY. For, yesterday is but a mist. Truly.
   We must keep pressing in if we desire change in our lives. And, if we desire the reflection in the mirror to change, then read the word of God. Jesus IS our mirror.

4. Dan Pesterson Says:
   September 19th, 2010 at 4:49 pm

   Thank you for your honesty and your understanding of the Bible. I love this blog so much.