Wednesday, January 9, 2019
IT’S FRUSTRATING!
John
16:33
33 These things I have spoken unto
you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation:
but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Isa
41:10
10 Fear thou not; for I am with
thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will
help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
I am
impatient and often frustrated.
I particularly dislike stupidity masquerading as smugness. I particularly enjoy
ripping away that mask. I tell you this not for the sake of confession or to
garner sympathy but so that you will know that I am not very different from
most.
These
days, some of the most ignorant human
specimens are seated in political opulence spewing foolishness to the hurt of
the common good. Moreover they are well paid to do so by electors who are even
more ignorant. There are few things more frustrating to me than foolishness in
a well tailored suit.
This is
the world. This is what Jesus warned us about
in John 16. The word “tribulation” is the Greek word thlipsis and it means “to
be pressured; to be anguished; or burdened.” It is a heavy load that can’t be
easily put aside.
The word
“dismayed” in Isaiah 41 is the Hebrew word shaw-aw
which means “to gaze at; to be nonplussed; to stare in amazement.” Yes, this is
the “deer in the headlights” look we give to unhidden and unashamed ignorance.
Someone
once asked D. L. Moody if he
ever got tired of the work he was doing. Moody replied, “I’m tired IN the work but I’m not tired OF the work.”
To those
who are suffering tribulation,
Jesus said to be of good cheer. To those who are dismayed, God reminds us that he is our God. He has everything
under control.
Ps
37:5
5 Commit thy way unto the Lord;
trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Dear Lord, foolishness makes me
shake my head in wonder. I get frustrated. I want to lash out irrationally and
I know that would only make things worse. Let me trust your authority and
control. Let me rest in your peace. AMEN
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