Hard

Hos:10:12

Plow up the hard ground of your hearts

For now is the time to seek the Lord.

Parched ground is difficult to be used for planting anything. Even if you dig it up, because there is no water, nothing will grow.

You need to soften the ground with water, to plough it up first. And unless you plough it, you can't plant. And even if you plant a seed; unless you provide more water, the seed won't grow.

How do I soften my hardened heart so that the word that is planted in me will grow? How do I plough it up?

A broken and contrite heart instead of callousness. That brokenness He will not reject.

The softening, the word does. But let me also be ready to be ploughed. To water with my own tears. To continuously be in an attitude of repentance.

And not to defend myself when the finger is pointed at. Not to justify myself. Not to give an excuse. But to cry out - against you and you alone have I sinned. Take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore my joy. Forgive me. Purify me.

As David cried out. Not as Saul gave excuses.

Image credit: https://www.thestatesman.com/opinion/people-suffer-cows-die-thirsty-in-parched-land-1496782980.html/amp

Comments

Endure

2 Cor:4:18 For the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal. Unless we live with this perspective, there is no hope, there is no strength to endure, there is no sap left to hold on. For endurance depends on your ability to look beyond the physical to the spiritual, beyond the present to the eternal and beyond the visible to the invisible. It is not imaginary. But a reality into which we place our trust. Therefore our afflictions though may appear heavy when we face it, it is in reality light and momentary, for the glory awaiting is much more heavy - far beyond any comparison. So look forward. Look beyond. Focus on eternal things. Store up treasures in heaven and not here in this earth. Set your heart in treasures above. That will help you to face your afflictions here on this side of eternity. That will help you to have faith and put your trust in the One who called you. He will not leave you half way. He who has taken care of your et...

Comfort in sorrow

2 Cor:2:7-8 You should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. When someone is sorrowful. 1. Forgive - forgive him for what He has done unknowingly or knowingly, personally and publically, verbally or physically, out of his sorrow. Just forgive. Just forget. Give another chance. Keep on giving one more. 2. Comfort - tell him it's okay to feel so. To feel overwhelmed. Tell him, I am there for you. God sees you and knows you. 3. Affirm your love to him - tell him I love you. I am there for you through thick and thin. To the best that I can, I will be there. You are not facing it alone. I am praying for you. Do not judge. Do not label. Do not gossip. Image courtesy: https://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/child-and-dog-comfort-and-sorrow-vector-61716299

Be a man.

1 Cor:16:13 Be on the alert, stand firm in faith; act like men; be strong. Watch out. Look out. Be on the alert. Stand firm in faith. That is what men do. Be strong. Stay strong. Dwindling in your trust in God is what children do. Act like the man you are. Be a man. Stay strong on your faith. No matter what happens, hold fast to your God. That is mature faith. Do not let go to fear or anxiety. Be strong. Faith is trusting God, the Father despite what the circumstances look like. Knowing fully that He is in control. That He will take care and thats enough. He is enough. Image credit; https://www.freepik.com/premium-photo/hand-holding-fist-symbol-determination_139829368.htm

Trust the process

Thorn in the flesh. To keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me - to keep me from exalting myself. 2 Cor:12:7 Is there something which is a constant pain for you? Something which has not sorted out yet? Something for which you have fasted and prayed but hasn't worked out still? The pain is still there for a purpose dear one. To keep you from exalting yourself. To keep yourself humble. Know that your Abba is in control. He is Sovereign. He is good. And He will not allow anything beyond what you can endure. He has allowed this with a purpose. So when prayers are still unanswered, rejoice. For God is in control. He has this for a purpose. You might not get the big picture now. But God knows. Trust the process.

Smell good

For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 2 Cor:2:15 Do you smell Christ? Do you exuded His fragrance to God, among others? Do you have that sweet aroma of the knowledge of Christ? Or do you stink? The knowledge of God and sim cannot stand together. Sin will run in the presence of the knowledge of God. Wash clean of your dirt and apply the aroma. Similarly, wash clean of your sin by the blood of Jesus through confession and apply the knowledge of God. Simple. Image credit: https://gulfnews.com/amp/story/friday%2Fbeauty%2Fyou-smell-nice-choosing-the-perfect-fragrance-learn-the-art-1.1643542938723

It's a process

Are being transformed from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. 2 Cor:3:18 The purpose of our existence is transformation. We have been called into salvation into one glory. From one glory to another we are being transformed. From fallenness we have been made children until the ultimate glory. It is not a one time event - the transformation into the final glory or the ultimate glorification. Salvation is. But transformation is a process. You are definitely better than yesterday. You are definitely a little bit more like Jesus than yesterday. You are improving. Though you may fall, your graph is rising. Trust the process. He who began a good work in you, will carry it on to completion untill the day of coming of Christ Jesus. Phil:1:6 You have to trust Him in what He is doing. Do not lose heart. Keep trusting. Image credit: https://blog.softexpert.com/en/process-management-key-issues-and-how-to-solve-them/

Why do I quickly desert?

I am amazed that you are quickly deserting Him who called you. Gal:1:6 How do I desert Him who called me? By believing in a different gospel! How has your belief changed? Has self sufficiency creeped in; instead of absolute trust? Has materialism barged in; instead of simplicity? Has pride crawled in; instead of humility and self denial? He should increase. And I should decrease. Paul the greatest missionary, the saintest of us all, trained and knowledgeable of all spiritual doctrines and truth, says I am a bond servant of Christ; I am the worst of all sinners. Where is the sin consciousness in me? Where is the person I used to be? Where is the passion to know Him? Where is the urgency to repent and correct myself for His sake? How did I get diluted? Why do I seek favour of men? Why do I live a life trying to please men; rather than God? Why are my standards that of the world? Why do I neglect the standards of God? Why do I give more importance to the outwardly e...

The halfbaked Bard

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