If you're anything like me, human that is, you come across difficult situations with other humans. Maybe it's at school? Maybe it's on your job? Maybe it's at your church? perhaps a relative, neighbor or spouse keeeeps pushing your button.. This is completely natural, however there are vital Spiritual components that are overlooked and therefore, keep us feeling natural about those situations. What the heck am I talking about? Well, keep reading. In this post, I would like to share 6 key postures (spiritual positions) that I oft rely on. No! Absolutely not! This is NOT a step by step method or even a methodical approach. I am solely expounding on 6 key figures the Holy Spirit wants etched into your spirit for times like these. Am I saying there's only these six? No, in no wise. But I am saying, these are what I work on and toward, DAILY. So, instead waiting to explode from button pushing overload, try seeking God on why you have that button to begin with.
Here are some key actions to allow God to do IN YOU when stressful disagreements take place, so that He can get you on the road to healing, restoration and growth.
1. Don't allow it to linger!
2 Corinthians 10:3-6
When unfavorable situations take place, cast down those imaginations that begin to rise up and add more to the situation than what it is. Those imaginations being, rehearsing the incident over and over, recalling past situations that were similar or not, thoughts of revenge or even taking note of it to bring up or remember later. This thought process easily enables you to harbor destructive emotions that disguise things like unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment and grudges, all of which are sin and will stick with you much longer than those emotions. How is this so? As mentioned in the scripture above, though we are in our flesh suits, we don't war against other flesh suits. Everything is spiritual and there are spiritual exchanges, breakthroughs and battles that are taking place all the time, completely unnoticed to the natural eye. So, when sticky situations arise, be quick ready and steady to relinquish those thoughts, emotions, the person or people to God, as well as your own self will and the situation itself. Remaining in that readiness to relinquish is a prostration unto God. Think of a football player, the receiver. He is at all times with his focus on being ready to catch that ball and with all his might, speed and agility, run that ball to score. We have to be spiritually and mentally prostrated that same way to run that ball to God - regardless of what tries to stop us. After you've passed him that ball, leave it there and let God be God. That's right, hands off (but heart on). Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good. You want to test me today? Well I'll show you how mighty my God is by a WILLFUL act of kindness.
2. Get understanding!
"..in all thy getting, get understanding" -Proverbs 4:7
Many times the "problems" we encounter or go through with other people are escalated due to a lack of understanding. Getting understanding takes a made up mind that's geared toward peace and Love. Getting understanding requires patience and selflessness. Romans 15:2,3 says - "Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me." It's easy to let bygones be bygones if the matter benefits you, but according to that scripture, we should also seek to lift up one another for THAT person, solely - not even seeking our own gain. Let's be honest, it's easy to say someone else is wrong and walk away from a situation than it is to take time and evaluate things starting with ourselves or even apologizing FIRST when we've done "nothing" wrong. If we constantly approach and operate in every situation as the victim or always pointing the finger, how are we letting patience have her perfect work? When are we ever looking at ourselves? Furthermore, what understanding can be had when we feel justified with "I'm right, you're wrong?" This train of thought and behavior is immature, self righteous, stubborn pride and is a complete work of the enemy in us because we are not prostrating ourselves to Christ for our well being or that of others. Without understanding, we become fools. Yes, even that entire argument you saved up that you can't wait to let them have it! ...foolish without understanding. When we become fixated on any opinion, we have neglected acknowledging Him in all our ways and therefore we are without direction and without truth. There is no such thing as a right opinion, as an opinion is drawn from an individual frame of reference. For this reason scripture tells us not to be wise in our own conceits. It's not of the Greater Good. God. "He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding" -Proverbs 15:32 "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God" -James 1:19,20 Want understanding? Gotta be able and willing to first, listen.
Much like understanding, the effort of seeking peace is something that literally has to be sought after. Though understanding may seem as if it can go hand in hand with acquiring peace, sometimes we may have understanding but not be settled in ourselves about what happened. However, understanding may open the door for peace to be had. Remember, with every type of situation that comes about, peace is there just sitting back and waiting to be found and welcomed in. (Chances are we never have peace because we never search for it). If Jesus is the Prince of Peace, (which He most certainly is) then His Peace is ever reigning in us. His Peace is sobering and sustaining. Finding peace in things or other people will always, only be temporal and conditional - but if you're reading this post, you know that already. Jesus has a Peace that can utterly overpower the chaos and strife we go through with our peers or even individually in our own minds. His Peace is beautiful and it is amazing. Once you have obtained it, you realize it's value and that there is absolutely NOTHING that could take place in your life that could rattle it. But again, this is that prostration word again.
In Genesis 1:3, God commanded darkness, "Let there be light and there was light". In that same concept, we must ALLOW there to be light in the midst of our darkness. We too must command for the darkness to move aside so the light can shine through. Unlike our Mighty Creator, it may not always be a verbal command from us, but rather an action or non-action that exemplifies our position of the command. For instance, you're in a hurry, driving in traffic and someone is trying to cut you off. Don't continue in that dark by driving more aggressively, let the light shine by easily letting them pass and waving them on with a smile without riding their bumper afterwards. (This was a very light example but I live in the Houston area, so you catch my drift). Light wants to shine! But we shun it and keep it shut out with actions and thoughts that perpetuate carnality. Constant bickering and spats are a bit carnal. At some point, someone has to acknowledge that Greater is He who is inside me (than he who is in the world), and therefore I seek His way of handling this matter. Light though it's Spiritual, can be seen and perceived naturally. If Light is present, there is Life and all things that yield to Life. When there is an absence of Light (darkness) there is the opposite, corruption and all things that yield to evil works -death. Obtaining resolve can be immediate or a process which will sometimes be contingent on your own will and desire to deny self and allow God. It's a choice. Remember that. Also, remember, resolve starts on an individual basis that should NOT be contingent on the other person or people involved. Regardless of the occasional or frequent actions of others, your soul still needs Salvation. You can come to resolve and find peace within yourself, even if the people or circumstances never cease or change. Therefore, choose Life!
"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." It's really that black and white. We're either loving or we're not. Love doesn't require an apology from the other person or people, nor does it take their change. All love requires is your own submission. Want to know what to submit to in Love? 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 -"
Love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not; love vaunts not itself, is not puffed up, Does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails... NEVER.
There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
What I would like to focus on here is when the creditor realized the debtors had nothing to pay, he THEN forgave them. Looking at this scripture and lining it up with our own actions, it's easily and rather quickly understood how we fall so very short. When we've experienced some sort of altercation with someone, we tend to wait for an apology or wait for them to confess or make it right in some way and THEN we forgive them. But that's not what the scripture says to do. As we see here, they didn't pay him and then he forgave, no, instead, while the debt was still owed is when he forgave. So, even while that person is wrong, even while they continue in their wrongness, it's key to forgive. Understand, it is vital that we experience negative confrontations with others because these are necessary for forgiveness to be wrought in our hearts. If no one ever mistreated us, how would we ever learn to forgive? Furthermore, how could we begin to understand Jesus giving His life for us, purchasing us with His blood and forgiving our sin while we yet, sin? What could we offer God to gain His forgiveness? Absolutely NOTHING. Yet His Grace is sufficient to forgive and cleanse us of all unrighteousness if we confess it to Him.
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. Romans 12:8
I pray this post has blessed and helped you.
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