Why is it that we as "Christians" take pleasure in another person's suffering? This is something that has puzzled me for a long time. Do you not realize that you are either coming out of a storm, in a storm or getting ready to go into a storm? And the very person you are laughing at or talking about may be the very person God uses to bless you in your time of need. Suffering is no respecter of persons. Suffering will hit all of us at some time and it is during that time that you truly learn who is in your corner. That is why you will always hear me say that the believer should be in constant prayer. Prayer for ourselves and those close to us. Yet, what do we do..we talk about our brother or our sister when they are down. We spread lies and gossip about them. How can you continue to hear and receive the Word of God and continue to do these things? The Bible says that 'the Word is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,and of the joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). Simply put..the Word of God should convict you. It is one of the tools God uses to change our hearts. Taking delight in another person's suffering is just plain wrong.
The Bible also tells us to 'bear ye one another's burdens'. How do we do this? By praying. Why should we pray? I will use my own life as an example. When I was going through, most times I didn't have the strength to pray. You will often hear me say that during my lowest moments it was the 'prayers of the righteous' that helped me. I believe that with all my heart. Women especially need to be better at this. Instead we look at another person's life with envy and jealousy. It's not about that. You don't know that person's story or what they may have had to go through to get the blessings they have received. All we are able to see is what we think is the finished project. Although even at our best we are still but a work in progress in the eyes of the Lord. We will never be all that we can be while living down here on this earth but we can strive to be all that God wants us to be during our journey. If we learn to live our lives as if God were sitting right next to us, we wouldn't be so quick to judge. I've said before that we are quick to ask God for material things and even some of the immaterial things. But if you know you have a problem with your tongue, then ask God every morning to 'let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O God, my strength and my Redeemer'. If you just can't shake that feeling of envy or jealousy toward your brother or your sister, ask God to help you to be satisfied with what He has blessed you with, knowing that if He is blessing them that means He is still in the blessing business. Ask Him to help you to show the love of Christ in everything that you do. God's power encompasses so much and He is ables to do so much more than we could ever imagine or think. As you study His Word and commune with Him, allow Him to change all of you for the better, to be used as a soldier in His army.
Dear Lord,
It seems that everytime I have started going along a better path something comes to trip me up. I admit that I take my eyes off you and start to look at other people. I sometimes start to compare them with where I am in my life right now. I know that I shouldn't do this because I could be blocking my very own blessing. Yet I still think the thoughts and sometimes participate in those conversations with other. Lord, help me to control my tongue. I do want to be happy for my brother and my sister. Help me to look to you when I feel the urge. In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.
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