2021-06-12
Philippians 3:8 CEV
The secret to surviving hard times doesn’t lie in what you know, but who you know. You say, “Right now I’ve got more troubles than Job.” Well, when the bottom dropped out of Job’s world, he said: “He knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside. I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread” (Job 23:10-12 NIV).
And Paul’s life wasn’t a picnic either: “I have been in danger from rivers…from bandits…from my fellow Jews…from Gentiles; in danger in the city…in the country…at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and…often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and…often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches” (2 Corinthians 11:26-28 NIV).
Reading that list makes us ask the question, “How did he do it?” Paul knew the secret to surviving hard times. What was it? He allowed his troubles to drive him closer to the Lord: “I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV). Do you want what Job and Paul had? Then draw closer to the Lord – that’s the secret!
Soul food: 2 Ki 16:1-18:16; Mark 15:33-47; Ps 80:1-11; Prov 13:11-12
Philippians 3:8 CEV
When we’re facing a difficult time and can’t see how we’re going to get through it, there’s one thing we must try and do: turn to God. When Job lost everything and his whole world was turned upside down, he said: ‘He knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside. I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread’ (Job 23:10-12 NIV).
Paul’s life wasn’t trouble-free either: ‘I have been in danger from rivers…from bandits…from my fellow Jews…from Gentiles; in danger in the city…in the country…at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have laboured and toiled and…often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and…often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches’ (2 Corinthians 11:26-28 NIVUK).
Reading that list can make us wonder how he managed to get through it. Paul knew the secret to making it through tough times – He allowed his troubles to drive him closer to God: ‘I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong’ (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV). Let’s try to remember Job’s and Paul’s attitudes, and be inspired by them when we’re facing our own troubles.
2 Ki 16:1-18:16; Mark 15:33-47; Ps 80:1-11; Prov 13:11-12
2021-06-11
Proverbs 14:29 CEV
It’s never okay to explode at those God has entrusted to your care. The Bible says, “Don’t get so angry that you sin. Don’t go to bed angry and don’t give the devil a chance” (Ephesians 4:26-27 CEV). Satan would like nothing better than to gain entry to your home and turn it into a living hell, and every time you fly into a rage, you lose ground to him. That’s why the Scriptures say, “It’s smart to be patient, but it’s stupid to lose your temper.”
The key to managing your anger lies in finding healthy ways to express it so that it doesn’t end up hurting more than helping. It’s important to share your feelings, but you must always do it in the right way. Ultimately it’s not about who’s right and who’s wrong, or who can yell the loudest. It’s about finding the solution that’s best for everyone.
Understand this: Nobody can be everything you want them to be all the time. It’s impossible to have a long-term, loving relationship without learning to accept human weakness. So instead of dwelling on one another’s shortcomings, focus on your collective strengths as a family. Clinical neuropsychologist Paul Pearsall says, “Most of us would give our own life for…a family member, yet we lead our daily life too often as if we take our family for granted.”
Learn to control your temper; your family is worth it. After all, who else loves you regardless of what you do? And where else can you go to find the comfort and strength that comes from that kind of support system?
Soul food: 2 Ki 13-15; Mark 15:21-32; Ps 143; Prov 13:9-10
Spreuke 14:29 NLV
Dis nooit in die haak om teenoor diegene wat God aan jou sorg toevertrou het, te ontplof nie. Die Bybel sê: ‘Moenie sondig as jy kwaad word nie. Moenie tot die aand toe kwaad bly, en die duiwel so ‘n houvas gee nie’ (Efesiërs 4:26-27 NLV). Satan wil graag toegang tot jou huis verkry om dit in ‘n lewende hel te omskep en elke keer wat jy ‘n woedeuitbarsting kry, wen hy grond. Dis hoekom die Skrif sê: “‘n Geduldige mens het insig. Iemand wat kort van draad is, stal sy dwaasheid uit.”
Die sleutel om jou woede te beheer, lê daarin om gesonde maniere te kry om daaraan uitdrukking te gee, sodat dit nie op die ou einde meer seermaak as wat dit help nie. Dis belangrik om jou gevoelens te deel, maar jy moet dit altyd op die regte manier doen. Op die ou einde van die dag gaan dit nie oor wie reg of verkeerd is nie, of wie die hardste kan skree nie. Dit gaan daaroor om die beste oplossing vir almal te vind.
Niemand kan altyd alles wees wat jy nodig het nie. Dis onmoontlik om ‘n langtermyn, liefdevolle verhouding te hê sonder om menslike swakhede te aanvaar nie. In plaas daarvan om dus op mekaar se tekortkominge te fokus, fokus op julle gesamentlike krag as familie. Die kliniese neurosielkundige Paul Pearsall, sê: ‘Die meeste van ons sal ons lewens vir ‘n familielid gee, tog lei ons te dikwels ons daaglikse lewe asof ons ons familie as vanselfsprekend aanvaar.’
Leer om jou humeur te beteuel; jou familie is dit werd. Wie anders is lief vir jou, ten spyte van dit wat jy doen? Waar anders kan jy die vertroosting en krag wat uit so ‘n ondersteuningstelsel spruit, kry?
Sielskos: 2 Kon 13-15; Mark 15:21-32; Ps 143; Spr 13:9-10
Proverbs 14:29 CEV
It’s never okay to explode and lose our temper with anyone God has asked us to care for, whether that’s a friend who needs encouragement, someone we supervise at work, someone we mentor, a partner, or a child. The Bible says, ‘Don’t get so angry that you sin. Don’t go to bed angry and don’t give the devil a chance’ (Ephesians 4:26-27 CEV). Satan would like nothing better than to gain entry into our lives, and every time we fly into a rage, we lose ground to him. That’s why the Scriptures say, ‘It’s smart to be patient, but it’s stupid to lose your temper.’
The key to managing anger lies in finding healthy ways to express it so that it doesn’t end up hurting more than helping. It’s important to share our feelings, but we must always do it in the right way. Ultimately it’s not about who’s right and who’s wrong, or who can shout the loudest. It’s about finding the solution that’s best for everyone.
Nobody can be everything we want them to be and live up to our expectations all the time. It’s impossible to have a truly loving and caring relationship with anyone without learning to accept human weakness. Instead of dwelling on someone else’s mistakes, shortcomings, or weaknesses, we should focus on working together to find a solution, and encouraging the other person more than criticising them. In 1 Corinthians 13, we read that ‘love is patient, love is kind’ (v.4 NIV). Let’s try to keep that in mind through all our interactions with others, and be beacons of God’s love for them.
2 Ki 13-15; Mark 15:21-32; Ps 143; Prov 13:9-10
