2020-07-13
Psalm 84:7 NLV
As jy in ‘n kultuur grootgemaak is waar enige emosies as ‘n teken van swakheid gesien is, moet jy leer dat dit ‘n gesonde proses – en ‘n Skriftuurlike een – is om oor jou verliese te rou. Die Bybel sê: ‘Gaan hulle deur ‘n droë vallei, word dit omskep tot ‘n fonteinedal… Hulle kragte sal vermeerder…’ (verse7-8 NLV). Wanneer jy jou krag van die Here kry, kan jy deur ‘n ‘droë vallei’ stap en sterker anderkant uitkom. Die lengte van die tyd wat elkeen van ons in die vallei spandeer mag verskil, maar daar kom ‘n punt waar ons God se wil moet aanvaar en aan moet beweeg. Ons is dikwels geskok oor die afsterwe van ‘n geliefde, maar God is nie. Dawid het gesê: ‘U het my gesien voor ek gebore is. In u boek is alles opgeteken; elke dag is bepaal voordat een van hulle daar was’ (Psalm 139:16 NLV). Daar is niks wat jy kan doen om dit te verander nie, al probeer jy wat. Die waarheid is dat ons nie soos mense ‘…sonder ‘n toekomsvooruitsig [treur] nie’ (1 Tessalonisense 4:13 NLV). Eendag sal ons met ons verloste geliefdes in die teenwoordigheid van die Here herenig word, waarna ons nooit weer geskei sal word nie. Die vaarwel is net tot wedersiens. Moet intussen nie skaam wees om na hulp uit te reik as jy dit nodig het nie. Onthou: ‘…Jou broer is gebore om jou te help…’ (Spreuke 17:17 NLV). Vra God om jou na ‘n persoon, ‘n berader of ‘n ondersteuningsgroep te lei wat jou kan help om ongedane sake te identifiseer wat jou in die siklus van rou vasgevang hou. Koester jou geliefde se nagedagtenis, maar beweeg vorentoe en vervul jou goddelike lewensdoel.
Sielskos: Jer 49-50; Luk 7:1-10; Ps 118:1-9; Spr 15:27-30
Psalm 84:6 NLT
We’ll all have to walk through valleys in our lives. These are times when things seem hard and we face struggles. Some of these valleys will last a short while, others can last for so long that we wonder if we’ll ever make it to the other side. When we’re in the valley, we might experience emotions such as sadness, discouragement, and anger. It’s okay for us to grieve, cry, and express our emotions. We don’t have to pretend that everything is fine, especially not to God. In fact, the Bible tells us that God’s with us in the valley, so He knows exactly what we’re going through and what we’re feeling. The psalmist said: ‘Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me’ (Psalm 23:4 NIV). It can be tempting to give up when we’ve been in the valley for a long time. But we will walk out of the valley and experience God’s goodness again. The Bible says, ‘When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs…They will continue to grow stronger’ (Psalm 84:6-7 NLT). In this verse, ‘they’ is referring to people whose strength is in God. So if we’re trusting in God, we can know that our valley will become a place of refreshment. And we’ll grow stronger because of our time in the valley. The valley’s teaches us to rely on God and trust in Him. God says that He ‘will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope’ (Hosea 2:15 NIV). Achor means trouble. While we might have to walk through a valley of trouble for a while, God can use it to bring us into a place of hope.
Jer 49-50; Luke 7:1-10; Ps 118:1-9; Prov 15:27-30
2020-07-12
Philippians 4:7 NLT
The word worry comes from a Greek word meaning “to divide the mind.” Worry splits you right down the middle; instead of dwelling on God’s promises, you dwell on your problems. Worry is like a rocking chair – it gives you something to do but it doesn’t get you anywhere. Instead of relieving you of tomorrow’s troubles, it robs you of today’s strength – and you can’t afford to lose your strength. So how can you stop worrying? The Bible has a two-part answer: God’s part, and our part. Our part includes prayer and gratitude: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” (v. 6 NLT). In order to worry less you must pray more, and also remember to express your gratitude. You can go to God confidently for the next thing, when you’ve taken time to thank Him for the last thing. And what’s God’s part? “If you do this you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus” (v. 7 TLB). Note the words “You will experience God’s peace.” Imagine having God’s peaceful state of mind! Do you think He battles anxiety? Or wrings His hands and asks the angels for antacids? Your problem is no more challenging to God than a twig is to an elephant. He enjoys perfect peace because He enjoys perfect power – and He offers His peace to you. When you do your part through prayer and thanksgiving, you’ll have a peaceful state of mind.
Soul food: Heb 11:7; Gen 6:9-22; Gen 8:18-22; Matt 24:36-44
Filippense 4:7 NLV
Die woord ‘bekommernis’ kom van ‘n Griekse woord wat beteken ‘om die gedagtes te verdeel.’ Bekommernis sny jou middeldeur; in plaas daarvan om aan God se beloftes te dink, dink jy aan jou probleme. Bekommernis is soos ‘n wiegstoel – dit hou jou besig, maar dit bring jou nêrens. In plaas daarvan om toekomstige moeilikhede te verlig, steel dit vandag se krag – en jy kan nie bekostig om jou krag te verloor nie. Hoe kan jy dus ophou om jouself te bekommer? Die Bybel het ‘n twee-ledige antwoord: God se deel, en ons deel. Ons deel sluit gebed en dankbaarheid in: ‘Moet oor niks bekommerd wees nie, maar bid oor alles. Vra alles wat julle nodig het van God, terwyl julle Hom ook dank vir alles wat Hy doen’ (vers 6 NLV). Jy moet meer bid sodat jy minder bekommerd kan wees en ook onthou om jou dankbaarheid te betuig. Jy kan met vrymoedigheid na God vir die volgende ding gaan, wanneer jy onthou het om Hom vir die laaste ding te bedank. Wat is God se deel? ‘As julle so bid, sal julle God se vrede beleef. Hierdie vrede is wonderliker as wat ‘n mens ooit kan dink. Omdat julle aan Christus behoort, sal die vrede van God julle harte en gedagtes soos ‘n veiligheidswag oppas’ (vers 7 NLV). Jy sal God se vrede beleef. Dink net hoe wonderlik sal dit wees om God se rustige gemoedstoestand te hê! Dink jy dat Hy met angstigheid sukkel? Of dat Hy sy hande saamslaan en die engele vir sooibrandmedisyne vra? Soos ‘n stokkie voor ‘n olifant se poot, so uitdagend is jou probleem vir God. Hy geniet perfekte vrede omdat Hy perfekte mag het – en Hy bied sy vrede vir jou aan. Wanneer jy jou deel deur gebed en danksegging doen, sal jy ‘n rustige gemoedstoestand hê.
Sielskos: Heb 11:7; Gen 6:9-22; Gen 8:18-22; Matt 24:36-44
Philippians 4:7 NLT
The word worry comes from a Greek word meaning ‘to divide the mind.’ Our mind becomes divided between the things we fear and the promises of God. We know we should trust God but we fear what might happen in our futures. But worry doesn’t get us anywhere. Jesus said: ‘Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?’ (Matthew 6:27 NIV). All worrying does is take away our strength and peace of mind. So how can we stop worrying? The Bible has a two-part answer: God’s part, and our part. Our part includes prayer and gratitude: ‘Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done’ (Philippians 4:6 NLT). In order to worry less we must pray more, and also remember to say thank you to God. Before we go to Him for the next thing, let’s take time to thank Him for what He’s already done for us. Too often we can forget what God’s just done in our lives because we’re too focused on worrying about the next thing. So what’s God’s part? He takes the worry we bring to Him and exchanges it for His perfect peace. The Bible says: ‘You will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.’ The Bible doesn’t say we might experience God’s peace, it says we ‘will’. It’s a promise and a definite. He’s offering His peace to us right now. We need to make sure we’re doing our part by praying and thanking Him, and then we’ll have a peaceful state of mind.
Heb 11:7; Gen 6:9-22; Gen 8:18-22; Matt 24:36-44
