‘If we did not know some Christians well, we might think from just observing them that they have no burdens at all to bear. But we must lift the veil from our eyes. The fact that the peace, light, and joy of God is in them is proof that a burden is there as well. The burden that God places on us squeezes the grapes in our lives and produces the wine, but most of us see only the wine and not the burden. No power on earth or in hell can conquer the Spirit of God living within the human spirit; it creates an inner invincibility.’ CHAMBERS
Have you noticed that some Christians seem to glide through life? As if they did not have to deal with the same intensity of problems that you do. As if they have some special blessing from God and He has given them a ‘free pass’ from any and all hardship. Well that is not the case. The reality is that we live in a fallen world. That we are subject to heartache, disappointment, disease … whatever … everyone will encounter something in this live that weighs heavy on them. The difference is that there is a Redeemer, Jesus God’s own Son … sorry those songs keep slipping out …. He said “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)
It is a supernatural rest … meaning that we are at rest even when the world seems to be crumbling around us. Because we have God’s Spirit in us … we can experience the fruit of that Spirit … peace … (Galatians 5:22-23) which is a condition that we find ourselves in .. in spite of our circumstances … in Philippians 4:6,7 the promise is that the ‘peace which passes all [human] understanding will keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
A couple thoughts on this. 1) that is a promise to everyone who is a Christian not just for the ‘super-Christians’. 2) That presupposes that we are abiding in Christ .. Jesus does not say .. ‘Oh it’s you. Haven’t seen you for a while. Need some peace? Here take two of these ‘peace pills’ and call me in the morning.’ Jesus said that we must abide in the Vine .. then we will bear fruit. Our life is not supposed to be a walk by the orchard, stopping now and again to pick some fruit when we need some. My heart is that you would make your life in Christ a priority, not an option. That you would abide in Him and enjoy the love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control that can only be found in and through that relationship.
Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)
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