Victory Over Heartfelt Pain
David Cawston
Philippians 4: 4
Introduction:
As we approach this Thanksgiving season, there are many people that truly have a difficult time being thankful because of a lingering hurt or pain in there lives.
Spending time with family members or friends is sometimes painful because it reminds them of hurtful experiences.
We as people and Christians have unusual ways of dealing with heartfelt pain.
Verses such as my text, Philippians 4:4 create plenty of confusion and stress.
We apply it in ways that Paul never intended for us to apply it.
1. Deny Pain.
Some of us believe that living the victorious life and being thankful and rejoicing in God is something we do by denying the reality of what happens around us.
Many times I have stood by the side of a believer who is mourning the loss of a loved one and heard someone say, "Well Mary, we are praising the Lord for you today. Harold is home with his heavenly Father. He is rejoicing now with us. Isn't wonderful too, to be able to praise God even in this. You are praising God aren't you Mary? Your not loosing the victory are you?"
Mary kind of mumbles thanks and inwardly chastises herself for not being a stronger Christian.
She can't seem to respond, think or sing the Hallelujah chorus at that moment.
Many Christians decide to rejoice no matter what, even if it means denying their pain, their loss, their anger, their embarrassment, their hurt or their feelings or abandonment.
They have been taught that the Christian cure for grief is to spiritualize it away.
If they praise God passionately enough, the full effect of the tragedy will never take hold.
It is like the Teflon shield.
Just pray and grief will slide right off.
Some Christians make heroes of people who smile and sing their way through funerals and loved ones.
They make role models of those who never crack, never cry, and never stop praising God in the midst of the deepest valleys.
If only o ...
David Cawston
Philippians 4: 4
Introduction:
As we approach this Thanksgiving season, there are many people that truly have a difficult time being thankful because of a lingering hurt or pain in there lives.
Spending time with family members or friends is sometimes painful because it reminds them of hurtful experiences.
We as people and Christians have unusual ways of dealing with heartfelt pain.
Verses such as my text, Philippians 4:4 create plenty of confusion and stress.
We apply it in ways that Paul never intended for us to apply it.
1. Deny Pain.
Some of us believe that living the victorious life and being thankful and rejoicing in God is something we do by denying the reality of what happens around us.
Many times I have stood by the side of a believer who is mourning the loss of a loved one and heard someone say, "Well Mary, we are praising the Lord for you today. Harold is home with his heavenly Father. He is rejoicing now with us. Isn't wonderful too, to be able to praise God even in this. You are praising God aren't you Mary? Your not loosing the victory are you?"
Mary kind of mumbles thanks and inwardly chastises herself for not being a stronger Christian.
She can't seem to respond, think or sing the Hallelujah chorus at that moment.
Many Christians decide to rejoice no matter what, even if it means denying their pain, their loss, their anger, their embarrassment, their hurt or their feelings or abandonment.
They have been taught that the Christian cure for grief is to spiritualize it away.
If they praise God passionately enough, the full effect of the tragedy will never take hold.
It is like the Teflon shield.
Just pray and grief will slide right off.
Some Christians make heroes of people who smile and sing their way through funerals and loved ones.
They make role models of those who never crack, never cry, and never stop praising God in the midst of the deepest valleys.
If only o ...
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