I wonder how that perspective would change our reaction to perceived moments of unfairness in life? When we are passed over for a promotion, when we are the victim of unscrupulous business practices, when we are the subject of neighborhood gossip, when our hard work goes unnoticed or worse, credited to another, when we feel neglected by our friends, when we are excluded from certain social circles, when we are judged prematurely... my kingdom is not an earthly kingdom, my kingdom is not of this world.
That perspective doesn't preclude us from feeling hurt, feeling disappointed, feeling sorrowful, even angry. It does however keep us from slipping into a place of self-pity, from regressing into an emotional state of defeatism, a life orientation that allows disappointment to always eclipse hope. We must be genuine and honest and courageous in embracing the emotion of the moment, allowing our hearts to feel deeply. But then we give those feelings in prayer to God, we give those feelings to trusted friends, we give those feelings to their proper place... felt, not followed. Truth must be what ultimately leads us, that my kingdom is not an earthly kingdom, my kingdom is not of this world.
That which I suffer in innocence here costs me nothing... my kingdom is not of this world.
Pastor Fred
No comments:
Post a Comment