http://www.goingtojesus.com/site/php/thoughts.php?tname=tfeintro
I thank God for “Thoughts for the Day” such as this one, below. John,
your gentle and wise counsel resonates so deeply in this. I cherish
this advice. It lifts BURDENS from my soul when you explain it in
this way…
Brad C
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Thought for the Evening
5-26
THE BURDEN OF THE LORD
An inquiry from a young sister in the Lord
Hey Pastor John,
The relationship between my sister and me is stressed. There is
unspoken tension between us which stems from our different beliefs.
Whenever Jesus comes up, he is discussed only briefly, which should
not be. I want to share so many experiences with her, but I can’t
because I know she won’t understand. When I do tell her something, I
get the same feeling as when I try to tell my mother a testimony. It
robs my joy. So I try not to talk to her about Jesus at all. It hurts.=============
I know it hurts, and that is part of what “bearing your cross” means.
That pain is also part of your “being crucified with Christ”. It is
also part of what is meant by the phrase “bearing the burden of the
Lord” for his people. So, you may be both humbled by and thankful for
that pain because in reality, it is not your hurt; it is Christ’s, and
he is letting you feel it. If you were still in sin, you would know
nothing about it.There are times when the Spirit tells us just to be quiet; however, if
the Spirit tells you to speak, but you do not because you dread a
person’s negative reaction, you are failing to do the will of God.
Don’t allow a dread of people’s bad reaction to your testimony
determine what you do. You must be led by the Spirit. I have seen
people fail to do what is right because of dread of people’s reaction
many times, and have probably done my share of it myself. We have to
get past that if we are ever to be happy in Jesus.=============
After leaving her house the other day, I was so angry. I was just
disturbed. This is the first time I have felt real anger for
Christianity. I understood the harm it does to the children of God,
but I am experiencing firsthand what I knew to be true . . . if that
makes any sense.=============
Of course it does. It’s the only thing that does make any sense.
=============
It’s like I knew how sad it was, but it didn’t touch my heart like it
is now. It is just frustrating and sad.=============
Multiply your experience by a few billion, and think of what God sees
all the time, and how He feels. You love your sister and hurt for her
(and others) as you do only because Christ does. You came out of sin
to know him. Well, here it is. It is his love and his hurt that you
feel. Now that you feel that pain, too, your prayers and your life
will be more perfectly in fellowship with the will of God in Christ
Jesus.”