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confusion, faith, feeling, flesh, God, heart, hope, hopelessness, Jesus Christ, mind, Oswald Chambers, pain, peace, psychology, rest, restlessness, Satan, the devil
There is always hope…
(Photo by Susanne Schuberth)
“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” (Rom 8:6 ESV)
Basically, it would be so easy to discern whether we have set our mind on the Spirit or on the flesh if we only took a short glance into our hearts and check them for their peaceful or restless condition. The problem is, as soon as we sense that there is NO peace at all, we might be inclined to look at our own failures or to those of others instead of taking a short glance to God who allowed Satan to bring us into that confused, disheartened, sometimes even hopeless condition. We can be sure that the devil always tries everything in order to keep us restless and discouraged. He does not cease telling us about our wrongdoings or about those of others in order to keep our thoughts running like a hamster in his wheel – from past events to the future, back to the past, and so on and so forth. The sorrow and those negative feelings that go with these thoughts ALWAYS come from the devil, too.
Indeed, Satan is not interested in comforting us when we feel sad. And he is not interested in giving us more faith in God. He wants to keep us anxious and in fear about what might happen in the future. Just think about most people’s reactions when they are confronted with the latest news (political, economic, or news about violence and bloodshed). Alas, the devil never wants to see us live in the HERE and NOW since if we are able to do so, we will have no worries any longer. Really!!! Or can someone worry who neither thinks of the past nor of the future? I don’t think so. Maybe the reason why God cannot worry about anything is that He is the eternal I AM who transcends our awareness of time and space. So, what can WE do in order to get from a confused condition back to a life in His rest?
In order to help us regain a peaceful condition of mind and heart, too, I’ll offer you another one of Oswald Chambers’ devotionals on here.
Christ-Awareness
…and I will give you rest. —Matthew 11:28
Whenever anything begins to disintegrate your life with Jesus Christ, turn to Him at once, asking Him to re-establish your rest. Never allow anything to remain in your life that is causing the unrest. Think of every detail of your life that is causing the disintegration as something to fight against, not as something you should allow to remain. Ask the Lord to put awareness of Himself in you, and your self-awareness will disappear. Then He will be your all in all. Beware of allowing your self-awareness to continue, because slowly but surely it will awaken self-pity, and self-pity is satanic. Don’t allow yourself to say, “Well, they have just misunderstood me, and this is something over which they should be apologizing to me; I’m sure I must have this cleared up with them already.” Learn to leave others alone regarding this. Simply ask the Lord to give you Christ-awareness, and He will steady you until your completeness in Him is absolute.
A complete life is the life of a child. When I am fully conscious of my awareness of Christ, there is something wrong. It is the sick person who really knows what health is. A child of God is not aware of the will of God because he is the will of God. When we have deviated even slightly from the will of God, we begin to ask, “Lord, what is your will?” A child of God never prays to be made aware of the fact that God answers prayer, because he is so restfully certain that God always answers prayer.
If we try to overcome our self-awareness through any of our own commonsense methods, we will only serve to strengthen our self-awareness tremendously. Jesus says, “Come to Me…and I will give you rest,” that is, Christ-awareness will take the place of self-awareness. Wherever Jesus comes, He establishes rest— the rest of the completion of activity in our lives that is never aware of itself.
http://utmost.org/christ-awareness/
The thing that struck me the most from your post was the comment–Christ awareness will take the place of self awareness…..man I want to burn that into my perception! Thanks for your great post.
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You’re very welcome, dear Kenneth. 🙂
Indeed, it would be a wonderful if we could burn that awareness of Christ into our perception. Tried it often, always failed….. Alas, we can only seek the Lord and wait on Him….and wait….and wait… 😉 until He sets our minds and hearts free.
Pheeeeeew!!! What a journey, my brother, isn’t it… 😛
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Well I tell you what–I am just like you–I also have tried to burn it into my life and failed–so I think we would be better off if we talked to Daddy and asked Him to burn it into our minds—I will ask him to burn it into you and you ask Him to burn it into me.
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Boy, that’s a great idea! 🙂 I promise, I will be asking our Heavenly Daddy for you to do IT. And I thank you so much for praying the same for me too!
AMEN.
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Great post! “I will give you rest” appears in several places in scripture. Often younger people in their teens or 20s say, “I don’t want rest; I want excitement.” I tell them, “Then go bungee jumping or sky diving. Bungee jumping will give you excitement for 1-3 seconds; sky diving will give you excitement for 1-3 minutes. Now, what are you going to do with the rest of your waking life?”
Of course, God’s rest is internal peace, characterized by a life with minimum stress. When that internal peace becomes visible to others. They will ask about it because the person with God’s inner peace stands out in a noisy stressed-out crowd. That inner peace creates awesome opportunities to witness. What do you think?
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Thank you, Lloyd. 🙂
Yes, you’re right; it must be important for God to give us rest since it can be read several times in the Bible. Your advice for those younger people who want excitement made me smile since it was both humorous and wise.
Also, I do think that people who have that internal peace of God attract others who still long for it because it is comforting for them – the latter – to be in their presence where they are fully understood and loved just as they are.
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ALSO, I DO THINK THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE THAT INTERNAL PEACE OF GOD ATTRACT OTHERS WHO STILL LONG FOR IT BECAUSE IT IS COMFORTING FOR THEM-THE LATTER- TO BE IN THEIR PRESENCE WHERE THEY ARE FULLY UNDERSTOOD AND LOVED JUST AS THEY ARE.
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Thank you, dear Bernie. 🙂
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There is a hymn that goes along with one being attracted to another:……”spend much time in secret with Jesus alone by looking to Jesus like Him thou shalt be. Thy friends in thy conduct, His likeness shall see.”
I WOULD LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN TO ME! My experience tho is when I had an encounter with the Holy Spirit. My comrades at church criticized me. One said that I had gotten to emotional.
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Don’t you worry, Bernie, when we encounter God, we won’t ever be too emotional for Him. Actually, an intimate encounter with God does hardly happen in a church so that others might be able to observe us meeting Him in the Spirit. Also, there are people who have more intense feelings than others because God created them that way. I see no problem here – at all.
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Oh Susanne, this post of yours is such wonderful confirmation of what God has been speaking to me these past few days! I had been restless and worried and feeling separated from God (knowing this was a lie, but still unable to sense his presence), and worst of all, not knowing why or what to do. Then revelation came – I had been walking according to the flesh, not the Spirit, after being distracted by wrongful fear of God’s judgment.
It is so true that lack of peace is the key and first symptom, but how slow I am to recognise it!
Thank you for another thoughtful and spirit-led post!
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Oh Penny, what emphatic words that truly touched my heart! ❤ Thanks so much for your honest and humble comment, my lovely sister! 🙂
I am glad you found the post helpful and confirming as to your recent experiences with NOT feeling God’s presence. I do know what you are speaking of here since I have been struggling a lot lately, too. It is indeed a big difference between knowing in our mind that God is omnipresent and another thing to really FEEL His comforting presence once again.
Much love,
Susanne xx
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THANK GOD,THE ONLY THING THAT I HAVE TO KEEP MY MIND ON HIM! EVERY DAY SO FAR, I GET A NEW CHRISTIAN SONG:
yesterday: “I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR, MOST GRACIOUS LORD…; I NEED THEE STAY CLOSE NEAR BY……O BLESS ME NOW MY SAVIOR, I COME TO THEE.”
today:. “WHO CAN CHEER THE HEART LIKE JESUS BY HIS PRESENCE ALL DIVINE! TRUE AND TENDER PURE AND PRECIOUS ! O HOW BLEST TO CALL HIM MINE! LOVE OF CHRIST SO FREELY GIVEN, GRACE OF GOD BEYOND DEGREE…ON HIS STRENGTH DIVINE RELYING: HE IS ALL IN ALL TO ME!”
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Oh, Bernie, I even need Him every minute and I truly know today that I can only rely on His strength since I have none of my own left. Not a good feeling, humanly speaking, but I think I am on the right track with my ongoing weaknesses and helplessness.
Great songs, both, thanks so much for sharing, my brother! 🙂
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Thank you for the post. It is fellowshipping with you when I read the post. Fellowship is a great gift from the Father.
Love in Him,
Pat Orr
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You’re so welcome, dear Pat. ❤
I am happy to hear that you have been feeling the connection with me while reading the post. Yes, it is quasi fellowship in the Spirit which we may share on here, a great gift from God. Very well said, my sister! Thanks so much for the reminder about the gift from our Father in Heaven. Your comment was so encouraging for me! 🙂
Love you in Him,
Susanne
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Your beautiful picture gave me peace Susanne …. thank you xx
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You make me happy by saying this, dear Jacqui. 🙂
I can tell you that I thought of you when I chose that pic because I recall that you love poppies that much. Indeed, I took that picture only a few meters behind my prayer bench #1 to which I often bike when I need some time alone with God. I do not always find that rest I long for, sometimes only pain and tears. Nonetheless, after another dark valley of tears, the sun will shine again as we both know from our own experience, don’t we…
Love you ❤
Susanne xx
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Yes, Jacqui and Susanne, what a lovely picture! One lone poppie among the daisies.
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“One lone poppie among the daisies,” has a melancholic undertone…
Am I wrong, Michael?
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Susanne, thank you so much for this timely word. You quoted O. C. saying,
“Don’t allow yourself to say, “Well, they have just misunderstood me, and this is something over which they should be apologizing to me; I’m sure I must have this cleared up with them already.” Learn to leave others alone regarding this. Simply ask the Lord to give you Christ-awareness, and He will steady you until your completeness in Him is absolute.”
I have found that some people can become easily offended with us and then are very slow to or even lacking in forgiveness when we seek things to be made right with them. I spent years being controlled by this type of person, not wanting anyone to be out-of-sorts with me. I was always the peace maker and hated any open rift between me and anyone else. But the problem was that this desire in me became leverage in the hands of controlling people and a kind of witchcraft that they could hold over me to get me to do what THEY wanted. I would walk on eggs with them hoping not to say anything or do anything that they could hold against me.
But as we see from this great Chambers post, we are to be Christ-aware, not people controlled! To be a people pleaser is to not please and obey God first! Our completeness must be found in Christ, not in having perfect relationships with all who are around us for these are dictated not only by our actions, but by their willingness to accept us as we are and lift us up to God in their prayers to deal with us as HE sees fit! We are not the God of our little universe and all who are in it! God IS! Or as Paul put it,
“Who are you that judge another man’s servant? to his own master he stands or falls. Yea, he shall be held up: for God is able to make him stand.” (Romans 14:4 KJ2000)
“For I know nothing against myself; yet am I not thereby justified: but he that judges me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.”
(1 Corinthians 4:4-5 KJ2000)
God bless you, dear sister,
Michael
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You’re very welcome, Michael. Yes, I found Ossie’s devotional to be very timely for me as well. Great comment of yours, thanks a bunch, dear brother! 🙂
Since I have known some controlling people in my life, too, and I read a lot about psychology in the past, I decided to copy and paste an excerpt that describes how to deal with such persons, here esp. WHY they do what they do.
Why do people control others?
Before you know how to escape from someone’s control you must first understand why people control others. While there is no single reason behind the desire to control others still in most cases one of the following reasons will be the root cause of the control attempt:
Lack of control of one’s life: Some people try to control others because they lack control over their own lives. The only thing that makes them feel in control is to see other people helpless and so feel that they are powerful. In my book “Breaking the habit tonight” I explained how some people use bad habits like smoking or shopping in order to feel in control over their lives. This is no different than people who try to control others in order to feel in control of their own lives.
Low self esteem: In relationships this is the most common reason for controlling the other partner. A husband who controls all the moves of his wife might actually be suffering from low self esteem and want to make sure that he is in control of the relationship.
Fear and anxiety: A president who controls the people of his country with an iron fist is actually anxious and afraid of what might happen if they were to express their opinions freely. Fear and anxiety of what might people do is one of the most popular reasons for the desire to control others.
If someone is interested, you can read more here http://www.2knowmyself.com/dealing_with_controlling_people
May God bless you too, Michael,
Susanne
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The statement that Satan “…does not cease telling us about our wrongdoings…to keep our thoughts running like a hamster in his wheel – from past events to the future, back to the past….” struck me. Really, getting us to focus on ourselves, in this way, is a diversionary tactic. We cannot then focus on God. Only in Him can we find rest, peace…and that elusive self-forgiveness.
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Thanks so much for your confirming words, dear Anna. 🙂
So true, we cannot focus on God and ourselves at the same time, but how long I always need until I realize my fault. 😛
Much love ❤
Susanne
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Much love to you, too, Susanne. ❤ ❤ ❤ Your words are sometimes the scalpel God uses to heal my heart.
A.
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Dear Anna,
I am not sure whether I like to be used as His scalpel with my writings since I do not want to hurt anyone, but I know myself when I read something and suddenly feel triggered, I know that there is still some work to do for God in my very heart. Not always that funny, is it…
May God bless you with every divine blessing, but particularly with His GREAT LOVE! ❤ ❤ ❤
In His Love,
Susanne
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I rewrote your comment about someone attracted to another. If I understand what
you are saying, I will give an example about you. Obviously, you are attracted to
the writings of Oswald Chambers. I am attracted to the writings of Derek Prince. I have
many of his tapes. I listened to one about PRAYER THAT BLESSED ME GREATLY.
another tape about TRIUMPHANT PRAISE, WHEN I PLAYED IT I WAS ABLE TO
JOIN HIM WITH ANOINTED SINGING. His ministry is on going. The manager
sends me e-mails and snail mail messages.
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Sorry, Bernie, that I obviously did not speak plain English here.
No, I am not attracted to the writings of Oswald Chambers although it might seem as if… Indeed, he was the only evangelical mystic I know of who also went through the second part of “The Dark Night of the Soul” (John of the Cross), that is, the “Dark Night of the Spirit” which is a painful experience (i.e., dying to self completely). Therefore I use parts of his devotionals at times to substantiate my own experiences which I see reflected in his. To be honest, I am not attracted by anyone’s writings at all, not even by the Bible any longer. That might sound strange to some who think they must read the Bible, but it is part of the freedom that God gives us when He makes us fully His possession.
In the past there were, of course, times when I felt attracted by several writings. Also, I read the Bible for several years eagerly. But one day God freed me from the need to read (oh, a rhyme 🙂 ) and now it’s over. I only read something if God nudges me to do so and then I use it in my writings. So, if you love to read Derek Prince, please, go on doing so as long as you feel an inner “nudging” and profit from his writings.
Every blessing to you and Pat,
Susanne
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I did not mean to suggest that you ever say anything hurtful, Susanne. Far from it. But there is still a great deal of work for God to do on my heart. You just happen to be particularly fine instrument. With love and thanks, Anna :0)
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Pheeeew! That was relieving to read for me. 🙂
Thanks so much for your clarifying words, dear Anna! ❤
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