2025-08-25
1 Johannes 5:4 NLV
‘n Pastoor moedig ons aan: ‘Die psigoanalis, Alfred Adler, het ‘n fassinerende navorsingsprojek oor die teorie van kompensasie van stapel gestuur. Hy het kunsstudente bestudeer en ontdek dat sewentig persent van hulle aan optiese afwykings ly. Hy het degeneratiewe afwykings in die ore van groot komponiste soos Mozart en Beethoven gevind. Hy het talle voorbeelde van mense wat op die gebied van hul grootste swakheid uiteindelik suksesvol geword het, aangehaal. Adler het geglo dat geboortedefekte, armoede, siekte en negatiewe omstandighede dikwels die springplank tot sukses is.
God wil jou teëspoed gebruik en dit in ‘n bediening verander. Mense gaan deur ‘n pynlike egskeiding, of die dood van ‘n kind, of ‘n vernietigende verslawing, maar God help hulle om uit die put te klim sodat hulle ander in soortgelyke omstandighede kan help. Een van die verlammendste foute wat ons maak, is om te dink dat ons probleme ons op een of ander manier diskwalifiseer om deur God gebruik te word. Niemand rol die rooi tapyt uit en nooi tragedie in hul lewens in nie, maar ons grootste gawes en passies is dikwels die neweproduk van ons ergste tragedies en mislukkings. Beproewings het ‘n manier om ons te help om ons doel in die lewe te herontdek.’
Die probleme waardeur jy met God se hulp geworstel het, word ‘n platform waarop jy kan staan en ander mense kan bedien. ‘God, die Vader van ons Here Jesus Christus, word geprys! Hy is die Vader van meelewing en die God wat in elke opsig bemoedig. In al ons swaarkry bemoedig Hy ons. Hy doen dit sodat ons ook in staat sal wees om mense in al hulle swaarkry by te staan met dieselfde bemoediging waarmee God ons versterk het’ (2 Korintiërs 1:3-4 NLV).
Sielskos: Eseg 5-9; Matt 21:12-17; Ps 119:169-176; Spr 19:9-10
1 John 5:4 NKJV
A pastor encourages us: “Psychoanalyst Alfred Adler conducted a fascinating research project that popularized the theory of compensation. He studied art students and discovered that seventy percent of them suffered from optical anomalies. He found degenerative traces in the ears of great composers like Mozart and Beethoven. And he cited numerous examples of other people who eventually became successful in the area of their greatest weakness. Adler believed that birth defects, poverty, illness, and negative circumstances often prove to be the springboard for success…
God wants to recycle your adversity and turn it into a ministry. People go through a painful divorce or the death of a child or a destructive addiction, but God helps them climb out of the pit so they can help others in similar circumstances. One of the most paralyzing mistakes we make is thinking that our problems somehow disqualify us from being used by God… No one rolls out the red carpet and invites tragedy into their life, but our greatest gifts and passions are often the byproduct of our worst tragedies and failures. Trials have a way of helping us rediscover our purpose in life.”
The problems God has brought you through become a platform upon which you can stand and minister to others. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV).
Soul food: Eze 5-9; Matt 21:12-17; Ps 119:169-176; Pro 19:9-10
2025-08-24
Revelation 21:7 NKJV
A pastor writes: “All of us want every day to be a good day. But if every day was a good day, there would be no ‘good’ days, because there wouldn’t be any bad days to compare the good days to… Sickness helps us appreciate health. Failure helps us appreciate success. Debt helps us appreciate wealth. And the tough times help us appreciate the good times… Adversity is often the seedbed of opportunity [because it has] a way of bringing the best out of us… Adversity is often a blessing in disguise.
We dream of zero gravity. We imagine what life would be like without any problems or issues or challenges. But from a biological perspective, zero gravity is hazardous to your health. Astronauts who spend any length of time in zero gravity experience serious medical complications. Without any resistance, they lose muscle mass and bone density, they experience high pulse rates and heart palpitations, and they can barely walk after re-entering the earth’s atmosphere.
We may dream of zero gravity, but what we really need is a healthy dose of adversity. The people God uses the most are often the people who have experienced the most adversity. This isn’t necessarily… what you want to read, but it’s true. Adversity can produce an increased capacity to serve God.”
Why? Because adversity causes us to turn to God, lean on God, seek God, and get to know God in a way we otherwise wouldn’t. Some of God’s greatest promises in Scripture begin with the words “to him who overcomes.” The Bible says, “People who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits” (Daniel 11:32 NKJV).
Soul food: 2 Ki 4:42-44; John 6:1-15; Mark 8:1-9
Openbaring 21:7 NLV
‘n Pastoor skryf: ‘Almal van ons wil hê dat elke dag ‘n goeie dag moet wees. As elke dag egter ‘n goeie dag was, sou daar geen ‘goeie’ dae wees nie, want daar sou geen slegte dae wees om die goeie dae mee te vergelyk nie. Siekte help ons om gesondheid te waardeer. Mislukking help ons om sukses te waardeer. Skuld help ons om rykdom te waardeer. Die moeilike tye help ons om die goeie tye te waardeer. Teëspoed is dikwels die saadbedding van geleenthede, omdat dit ‘n manier het om die beste in ons na vore te bring. Teëspoed is dikwels ‘n bedekte seën.
Ons droom van geen swaartekrag. Ons stel ons voor hoe die lewe sonder enige probleme of uitdagings sou wees. Vanuit ‘n biologiese perspektief is geen swaartekrag egter gevaarlik vir jou gesondheid. Ruimtevaarders wat tyd in die ruimte met geen swaartekrag deurbring, ervaar ernstige mediese komplikasies. Sonder enige weerstand, verloor hulle spiermassa en beendigtheid, hulle ervaar hoë polsslag en hartkloppings en hulle kan skaars loop wanneer hulle weer die aarde se atmosfeer binnedring.
Ons droom dalk van geen swaartekrag wat teëspoed voortbring, maar wat ons regtig nodig het, is ‘n gesonde dosis teëspoed. Die mense wat God die meeste kan gebruik, is dikwels die mense wat die meeste teëspoed ervaar het. Dit is nie noodwendig wat jy wil hoor nie, maar dit is die waarheid. Teëspoed kan ‘n groter vermoë om God te dien voortbring.’
Teëspoed veroorsaak dat ons na God draai, op Hom steun, Hom soek en Hom leer ken op ‘n manier wat ons nie andersins sou nie. Die Bybel sê: ‘…Dié wat in hulle God glo, sal egter sterk staan en doen wat reg is’ (Daniël 11:32 NLV).
Sielskos: 2 Kon 4:42-44; Joh 6:1-15; Mark 8:1-9
2025-08-23
Hebrews 11:16 NIV
There is a story about an American tourist’s visit to the home of a nineteenth-century Polish rabbi. The tourist was surprised to find it so sparsely and inexpensively furnished. The living area, a simple room lined with books, contained a table and a bench. When the tourist asked the rabbi, “Where’s all your furniture?” he replied, “Where’s yours?” The man asked, “What do you mean? I’m a visitor. I’m just passing through.” “Me too!” replied the rabbi.
Passing through aptly applies to each of us; we’re creatures of time and children of eternity. In reality, Christians are citizens of heaven heading home via earth. “Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20 NIV). Heaven is more than a destination or a doctrine. For the redeemed child of God, it should be a mindset; a way of thinking and living.
Paul writes: “Since… you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For… your life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1-3 NIV).
Heaven is our North Star. Let its beauty capture your imagination, its values determine your behaviour, its endlessness redeem your brief life span, its joys alleviate your sorrows, and its almighty King own your lifelong worship! To those of us who live briefly on earth, heaven should be a life-transforming truth. We’re not here to stay. We’re pilgrims on a journey, with a glorious destiny to spend eternity in our Father’s house (See John 14:2). We’re heading to our forever home!
Soul food: Eze 1-4; Matt 21:1-11; Ps 119:161-168; Pro 19:3-8
