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Author Topic: Loving Out the Fear (Purpose Driven Life Devotional)  (Read 11114 times)
artsymominnc
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« on: January 29, 2008, 05:17:26 AM »

Loving Out The Fear
by Jon Walker



All of you should be of one mind, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds. (1 Peter 3:8 NLT)



God enables us to love the fear out of one another.


We drive fear from our families and friends by loving one another so supportively that every one feels safe inside the group. (1 John 4:18) This safety allows us to bring our humanity into the open, including all our pain and joy, our ups and downs, our victories and defeats.


It means you give to others the same uncommon safety Christ gives you – to be real, to be sad, to be messed up and confused, yet to be loved.


God challenges us to create a Christ-community where we love like our lives depend upon it (1 Peter 1:22) and can each “live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28)


We’re to weep together and celebrate together, caring for each other equally (1 Corinthians 12:25-26) as we comfort and confront, warm and warn, cherish and challenge, within an atmosphere of supportive safety.


Loving the fear out of each other requires that we develop:


Tender hearts – We give support to each other because God gives us support, and we’re to encourage others with the encouragement we receive from him. (2 Corinthians 1:4) In the New Testament, the word ‘support’ can literally mean “to increase one another’s potential.” (Romans 14:19 NJB) We strengthen one another by extending love, instead of fostering fear, and we do that by offering relationships that are safe and sympathetic.


Humble minds –True humility focuses on the worth of others. We understand our value in Christ, and we understand that God shapes each of us for a unique purpose.


Godly eyes – Loving the fear out of our family and friends – in fact, loving the fear out of the world – means we see others for what they can be, not for what they appear to be now. Jesus called Peter a rock when the fisherman was still acting on impulse (Matt. 16:18), and God called Gideon a mighty man of courage when he was hiding from the enemy among piles of grain. (Judges 6:11-12) God calls us to encourage and affirm each other (1 Thessalonians 5:11), seeing those around us in terms of their purpose and mission in life.


What does this mean?

· God enables us to love the fear out of one another. You can love the fear out of others, and you can allow the fear to be loved out of you.

· We exhibit tender hearts when we say to one another:

§ It’s OK to have a bad day.

§ It’s OK to be tired.

§ It’s OK to admit your mistakes.

§ It’s OK to say your marriage is failing.

§ It’s OK to confess your addiction.

§ It’s OK to share you’re scared.

§ It’s OK to want a day away from your toddler.

§ It’s OK to grieve a loss.

§ It’s OK to doubt, to be confused, to cry.

· We exhibit humble minds when we say to one another:

§ It’s OK to be happy you got a new car.

§ It’s OK to celebrate that you got a huge raise.

§ It’s OK to joyfully tell us you lost 17 pounds.

§ It’s OK to say you won the sales competition.

§ It’s OK to shout “Hallelujah!” because God’s presence in your life is so good.

§ It’s OK to tell us these things because we will be as happy for you as if these blessings had come to us, and we will join you in hearty celebration.


© 2008 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved.
Pastor Jon Walker is a writer for www.GraceCreates.com
 
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momo7
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« Reply #1 on: January 29, 2008, 08:52:10 AM »

Liz,
Thanks for sharing this.  It touches me right where God has me at this time.  Real change in mindset towards my dd's3.  I started a thread on my trust issues that have come out since getting my horse.  The same trust issues come into my home in the relationships here.  Between myself and dh, and dd's3.  Lack of trust takes me quickly down the road to fear of the future.  The things God has shown me with my horse, (how crazy is this!) that have given me understanding with people has really opened my mind to understand my feelings and address them.  I love my horse so much, she gives me comfort when I'm close to her, and yet she scares me when she gets scared and physically reacts.  Same with my girls.  I know I love them, but the scare me with the "what are they going to do next!"  Rambling now.  I'll stop. 
I want to love the fear out of our family.  I pray that God will give me the wisdom to move forward with that.
thanks again...
Karen
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mom to bios 28dd, 26dd, 23ds, 21dd, 2 ds-in-laws; adopted dd's3 16-14-13. Grandma to one adorable little buddy.
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Lorenekm
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« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2008, 12:53:56 PM »

That was a great devotional.  I have ten adopted children and I have been able to love them into trusting me except for my ds12wrad.  I was thinking about this and I saw some reasons in scripture.  Using the Peter example...He was often too quick to speak and OCCASIONALLY acted impulsively, but he LOVED Jesus Christ and when he was called he CHOSE to follow him.  Our children with rad hardly have that kind of devotion and rarely are wanting and choosing to do the right thing.  That is the missing key ingredient (the mystery ingredient!)  None the less how wonderful to be reminded OUR part which is to keep loving them and not give up hope that one day they will be able to decide to trust us!  Poor Judas was living with Jesus himself and still made couldn't do the right thing.  I have often pondered that Huh?
Lorene
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« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2008, 10:27:21 AM »

Dear Liz;
     Thank you SO much for the continued uplifting of me/us through your faithful devotionals. You continue to be in my prayers, how are things on your end with all the potential changes?
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" and the drip goes on..." sung to the tune of Cher's song 'and the beat goes on'
artsymominnc
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« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2008, 06:04:54 AM »

Thanks for asking.  We're doing OK.  Dh is out of town again...this time for some job-related training.  He'll be back Friday night.  Ds has been having a good week...fell apart a bit yesterday because we had not prepared him for dh's departure.  It was one of those judgment calls that I can't regret now because ds was having a really good day on Tuesday (very unusual.)  If I had told him about dh's plans, it would have impacted him immediately in a negative way.  I figured why spoil something good?  So...hopefully today will be better now that the proverbial dust has settled a bit.

We met with the special ed. director Tuesday morning and we're looking into having ds work with a special ed. resource teacher either individually or as part of a small group of kids with similar needs for a couple of hours every day--focusing on math and/or reading.  We can keep it flexible and informal for a while until we are better able to determine if it's a good move.  If it just stresses him out more...we'll pull back and try something else.  I'm waiting for more details from the director.  At the very least, we want someone to work with ds enough to support us in writing an IEP for next school year.

The job search continues.  Dh's brother accepted the offer he had for a position in La Crosse, WI....which puts a different slant on the search because we'd been hoping to relocate to be near each other.  Dh is expecting details of an offer from Duluth, MN, but I don't know how seriously he's thinking about that.  We were hoping more for an offer for a position in Ashland, WI--same company, different clinic.  Apparently budgeting issues make Duluth more of a priority for filling the position.  Dh has also recently applied for positions in Fargo, ND and Cincinnati, OH.  He's hoping to be contacted for interviews with both.  Time will tell.

Liz 

 
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ellasmom
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« Reply #5 on: February 01, 2008, 11:01:44 AM »

Thank you for the update, you continue to be in my prayers!
Denise

ps my husband JUST got a new job after many months of looking and sweating and holding my stomach in.....we laugh now and call our precious Lord our '11:59 God' because he ALWAYS provides, ALWAYS for our best interests,ALWAYS with complete love but ALWAYS seems to be at 11:59 with a 12:00 deadline laugh
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" and the drip goes on..." sung to the tune of Cher's song 'and the beat goes on'
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