Bad Situations

Today's Reading: Jeremiah 33:9-11 & 1 John 5

Scripture:

"Behold I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them; and I will reveal to them an abundance of peace and truth." Jeremiah 33:6

Observation:

In this verse God is speaking of restoring Israel. The order in which He lays out His plan is: 1) Restore the city. 2) heal the people. 3) Bring peace and understanding.

This morning as I have thought on this passage I am sensing that God wants to teach me something about His way of healing conflict and I see three things He has for me.

Application:

First, I have to allow God to heal the situation. Bad encounters with people often leave tapes of situation in my mind. I play these tapes over and over. Each time I do this it is almost like reliving the event the first time. Often, I will imagine what I should have said, what I could have said or what I wish I had said. As my mind continually dwells on the moment I begin to live in a constant state of anger regarding it. It is impossible to find healing, peace or understanding if I am still miffed. I have to surrender the situation to God and follow His leading in resolving it before I can move on to healing. It is not until I have let go of the should have's, could have's or wish I had's that I will begin the process of healing.

Second, I have to allow God to heal me. It is not my place to worry with justice. It is not my place to worry with who got what. Consequences never bring healing; God does. Releasing my hurt and anger to God while the emotions are still in a raw state is a flipping hard thing to do. I want to demand understanding before I submit to that still, small voice in my spirit telling me to let it go. My faith in God means that I trust Him to work out all things for the good. It means that I separate my healing from my desired end.

Finally, I have to receive the understanding and peace offered. Once I have allowed God to settle the issue and received His healing; understanding and peace come. Sometimes this comes all at once, sometimes it comes a piece at a time, but it always comes. God sees the end from the beginning. Nothing in my life is random. Nothing is useless. If I continue to draw near to Him I will arrive at a place of peace and understanding.

Prayer:

Father everything that comes into my life has the power to make me stronger or to tear me down. The deciding factor is how I chose to respond. I pray today that You allow me to choose wisely.

Keep me from sin today. I ask that You guard my every thought and emotion. Help me to be attentive to where I am, what I am doing, and the thoughts I am nursing. I pray that I be empowered to immediately shut down any line of thinking that has the potential to carry me to a bad place.

Father this day is Yours. All that I am belongs to You. I pray that Your tangible presence me before me. I ask that You show me great and mighty things. Help me to rise above what comes my way and remain faithful to the life You have called me to live.