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agape, Corrie ten Boom, deception, depression, discerning the spirits, divine inspiration, entering his rest, experience, following Jesus, God's love, peace, rest, restlessness, Satan, separation from the world, spiritual flow, success, the devil, trusting God
View from Zirndorf’s Tower ‘Alte Veste’/Bavaria
(Photo by Susanne Schuberth)
This morning as I was searching for a quote from Corrie ten Boom which I had found on my German daily kitchen calendar, I discovered many others in the English language on the internet. However, the one I was looking for was not among them. 😉 In this particular quote Corrie said it so well, “You won’t lose time if you wait on God.” (1) Isn’t it true that our old nature wants to see things been done, if possible all at once… so that we can rest AFTERWARDS? Has it ever occurred to you that God might have forgotten about your concerns since you prayed and prayed… but nothing seemed to have happened?
Looking at the world we live in, we might see that this earthly life has become more and more busy during the last decades. Whether you are in employment or if you simply go on errands, you might have sensed that “only the quick (and strong) survive.” Whoever is slower, weaker, older, is easily ignored, especially if you live in a bigger city. In the countryside it is partly still better. Nonetheless, an accelerated progress both in economy and technology wants to make people believe that they do not belong if they can’t keep up with these difficult times at a hurried pace. Where is the solution for those who struggle to cope with adjusting themselves to this crazy and godless world? Another quote by Corrie ten Boom might help us out here.
“If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest.” (2)
Like me, you might have experienced your own inability to look at Christ when you already feel burdened or wrung out. It is not so that we could “save” ourselves here or to force ourselves to refocus on God during the day when we are not used to taking our private and quiet times with Him daily. Of course, the more you have to work, the more difficult it is to make time for God! However, HE knows how much time is needed for everyone until our focus is off the physical realm with its impossibilities and redirected to the Kingdom of God where everything is possible to the one who trusts in an almighty God. Or once again in Corrie’s words, “When I try, I fail. When I trust, He succeeds.” (3) Ha! Did you realize that it is not about our own success in this world? In this world’s view we might turn out a failure. But that does not mean that God’s thoughts about us were the same. Quite the contrary. God says,
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord…” (Jer 29:11-14 ESV)
In contrast, if we adapt to this world by ignoring God’s still and small voice that calls us to wait on His guidance and to rest in Him first, we can become successful ‘Christians’ who gain the approval of others. However, we might turn out failures in God’s eyes. We might do a lot of things for Him, we might feed the poor, we could publish books with teachings and doctrine, or we might try to encourage other (discouraged) believers, whatever. If we have not rested in Christ’s soothing and peaceful presence before and then let Him do the work through us, it is all to no avail. Or in Corrie ten Boom’s words,
Nevertheless, we ought to cautiously discern here since not every creative flow that befalls us has been originated with the Holy Spirit. The more educated we are, the more difficult it is to REALLY wait on God since we know we could do a lot under our own steam. Yet it is not so much our mind with which God is concerned. Again, Corrie ten Boom so rightly expressed it by saying,
“God never measures the mind… He always put His tape measure in the HEART.” (5)
Without loving God and our neighbors just as ourselves, we will never succeed (speaking spiritually here). Or as the apostle Paul described it so perfectly in his first letter to the Corinthians,
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.” (1 Cor 13:1-10 ESV)
It is all about (divine) LOVE. Even discernment of spirits is given to us by God so that we recognize who our enemies are whom we should love, too. As you might have already guessed, another quote from Corrie ten Boom inspired me to write down the aforementioned statement. She said,
“Discernment is God’s call to intercession, never to faultfinding.” (6)
Brothers and sisters, it is the heart and the mind of Christ we all need. We know that Jesus only did what He saw His Father doing. Therefore, if we dare to trust His guidance more than our own reason, Satan will have no chance to wear us out anymore. A last quote from our Dutch sister confirms,
“If the devil cannot make us bad, he will make us busy.” (7)
So, I will try hard to keep waiting on Him… 🙂
Hmm… a few hours later, evening in Fürth now. As I had already tried to publish this article in the afternoon, I could not ‘succeed’ with posting a link to a book I had tried to quote from. After various vain attempts to solve the problem, I sensed that I got more and more impatient, if not angry at last. “Stop, Susanne!” I said to myself. This is not HIS time for publishing!
In fact, whenever I get impatient and do not immediately turn to God, asking Him for His wisdom in a particular situation, He withdraws His peace and protection more and more until I find myself VERY angry. It is the same when I allow other people to overstep my boundaries, again and again. At first I feel an impatience of sorts that increases the more I submit to their spirits instead of submitting to God’s Holy Spirit. And in the end I am angry, both at these people and at myself because of my disobedience. Actually, I have started to learn this and similar lessons during the last two or three weeks.
May God help us all to discern His voice better and to follow His leading so that His peace abides with us. Amen.
(1) I translated this quote from my German Catholic Calendar “Unser täglich Brot 2016” (Lambertus Verlag)
(2) https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/32394-if-you-look-at-the-world-you-ll-be-distressed-if
(3) https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/310062-when-i-try-i-fail-when-i-trust-he-succeeds
(4) https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/51450-trying-to-do-the-lord-s-work-in-your-own-strength
(5) https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/501651-god-never-measures-the-mind-he-always-put-his-tape
(7) https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/655841-if-the-devil-cannot-make-us-bad-he-will-make
Tower ‘Alte Veste’, Zirndorf/Bavaria
(Photo by Susanne Schuberth)
Entering the Promised Land 
Susanne, thanks for sharing these quotes. This one from Corrie ten Boom really struck me, “If the devil cannot make us bad, he will make us busy.” Boy is that the truth Father has been trying to get me to see these days! We are constantly tempted to jump right up and go do something when we are called to first enter into the rest of God and only do the works HE has for us to do. These works of His cannot be conjured up by our fleshly creative minds, but are only shown to us as we wait upon Him. Every morning I am tested when I wake up as to whether I will do what I think is right or desire to happen for that day or whether I will wait upon the Lord in prayer for HIS direction.
The more I am determined to wait upon God the more this thing called “necessity” raises its ugly head. Even family members can be used to distract us from our place of resting in Him in this matter. The enemy is determined to stir us up so that we can not hear the voice of our Shepherd and follow HIM! Remember, Jesus said that HIS yoke is easy and HIS burden is light. When the task we find ourselves in is not easy and the weight of it is not light, we might ask if it has come to us from Jesus or somewhere else. I have found that there is no greater tyranny than “the tyranny of necessity.”
Bless you, my dear sister!
Michael
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Yes, this quote from Corrie ten Boom hit me, too, Michael. It is much easier to be busy than to seemingly be ‘lazy’ by waiting on God to show up.
Today in the early morning as I had to get up, I had no time to pray before doing my duties, either. After a short night’s sleep I was trying hard to get my thoughts ordered while preparing tea and coffee. As I was tidying up and caring for the plants, I sensed God asking me to invite Him into my doing. Not that I did something special afterwards, yet my thoughts were circling around Him now (must have been His doing, no doubt!). And even now I feel God’s comforting and tender presence as if I had spent some time alone with Him before. I hope that makes sense to you, my brother.
This reminder that our burden(s) should be light if we came to Jesus before was a great reminder today! Thanks so much, dear Michael!! 🙂
Every blessing,
Susanne 🗻⛱☺
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You are welcome, Susanne. Hmmmmm, asking God into your doing? That is interesting. Jesus said that He only did the works He saw His Father doing. Maybe Daddy asks us to let Him in when we are too hard pressed to pray? He surely is full of surprises and knows how to kick the ends out our nice, neat theological boxes. I am glad that you felt His presence after you invited Him in. 🙂 ⭐
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Thanks, Michael. 🙂
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Dear sis,
This was enjoyable to read, and convicting, too.
I loved the quote about intercession. This is something the Holy Spirit has been teaching me. We’re seeing many things that used to be hidden, and the temptation is to judge those who offended and hurt us. But we know it’s not God’s will for us. Yes, He sovereignly chose to warn us so we wouldn’t continue to be slaves of men, but the purpose was to heal our hearts and grant us increased dependence on Him and Him alone. We hope and pray for God’s best for the people we love, even if they’ve wronged us.
I have also faced the temptation of busyness many times. The world teaches you that you are worth what you achieve… So part of my current stress is due to perfectionism and my tendency to become a workaholic. I have a new job now, which is a blessing, but find myself so tired that most days I cannot work at all. Having more time in my hands I find myself daydreaming at times, about the old dreams which have resurfaced with great intensity lately. Waiting on God can be hard when, like Abraham, you’ve been waiting on Him for 25 years and the vision He gave you has not been fulfilled yet. But stepping ahead of Him and trying to help Him can result in Ishmaels being born!
I have surrendered my dream and am waiting for God to show me His will about it. The if, the when and the how. In the meanwhile, I’m filling my heart and mind with Scripture, reading with a devotional attitude and praying with abandon. We do things for God, humble things that wouldn’t impress anybody, but our focus is to abide in Him.
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Thanks, my sister. I am glad He has you, Carina. By the way, I am a perfectionist, too. 😇
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Bryan and I purchased a new mattress last weekend. As we laid on a few different styles and used their fabulous pillows, the sales lady said there is a “strength test” they do to see if the pillow you’re laying on is appropriate for you; something chiropractors came up with. She said, “If the spine isn’t aligned the body is not at rest.” And I’ve thought about that periodically this week. It’s like our faith, or our focus, when it is aligned with the Giver of Life, we are at rest. To add, we did purchase those fabulous pillows and I’ve not regretted it once 😉
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Glad to hear you and Bryan have enjoyed your new pillows, dear Becky. This comparison with the spine has been very helpful! Thanks so much for sharing it with me. 🎼🎶⛱😊
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I began writing a reply when I first read your post. I started to ramble, so thought I’d better try again later. It happened again just now. Think I may have respond w/ a post of my own. It won’t be the first such you’ve inspired, Susanne. 🙂
Lots of love,
A.
xxxxx
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You’re such a sweetheart, dear Anna. ❤ Thanks a bunch for the encouragement! 😙😙😙😙😙 Much love to you, Susanne 🤗😍
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Amazing Stuff with a beautiful photography. There is a lot more behind the camera lens, Susanne. 🙂 Thanks.
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That was very encouraging to read, Ankit. Glad you like my ‘cell phone pics’. 🙂 Thank you for your likes!
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Susanne,
Your wrote in your blog,
“In fact, whenever I get impatient and do not immediately turn to God, asking Him for His wisdom in a particular situation, He withdraws His peace and protection more and more until I find myself VERY angry. It is the same when I allow other people to overstep my boundaries, again and again. At first I feel an impatience of sorts that increases the more I submit to their spirits instead of submitting to God’s Holy Spirit. And in the end I am angry, both at these people and at myself because of my disobedience.”
This very accurately describes what I also go through. For years my policy has been, “When the going gets rough, the rough get going!” In the last three years I have known you God has been drawing my attention, through your example of being in prayer all through the day, to this stubborn flesh in me that wants to engage in my daily battles without calling on Him. And when other people overstep and invade my boundaries, I also get mad and feel pressured. With the ones that are close to me I can react by getting quite snippy with them. Handling all these things in prayer and seeking the grace of God to do so is the key for sure. Thanks again for your great blog. ⭐
Michael 🐻
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That was sweet, thank you very much for your encouraging words, dear Michael. 🙂
Indeed, for a long time I tried to suppress these feelings of impatience and anger because I thought they were not ‘Christian’. That’s the way I was raised in Catholic belief, that is, not to show any negativity. But alas, it is still there, inside of us. Having come to know the Lord closer, I saw that I truly need these feelings in order to show me where I deviated from HIS path. If I did not FEEL my disobedience, there would be no ‘urge’ to change anything. From hence, makes sense… 😉
You are very welcome to all I can give, my dear brother. Thank you for this great fellowship in the Spirit with you!
Susanne 🐱
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Susanne, have you ever noticed how “un-christian” Jesus was when confronting the demands of other people that did not come from His Father?
“Who is my mother and brothers and sisters?” while they were waiting outside to talk with Him.
He is bid by the family of Lazarus to come and heal him and then delays for three more days before He goes until Lazarus is dead and the whole family is grieving!
He calls a Gentile woman a dog when she comes to Him for the healing of her son!
He calls Harod, the Roman ruler a “fox.” And He calls the rulers and religious leaders of the Jews a “brood of vipers.”
Nope, if we follow the Spirit we will not appear “Christian” to the Christians who do not know His voice, either.
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Ha! That would be stuff for a blog post: “Jesus was no nice guy and so aren’t we if we truly follow HIM!” XD
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Susanne, how often in the past I would fall under condemnation and the control of others when they would say of me, “Is that the Christian thing to say or do?” and then try and adjust me to meet THEIR expectations. Maybe He will lead you to post such a blog as this, being He is teaching you that “being nice” in responding to others can often lead them to cross over your boundaries that God has given you for your peace and safety. I only gave a few examples of how Jesus was not always “nice,” BUT He was always obedient to His Father’s leading and God looks on the hearts, not just the outward appearance of things. This is why Jesus’ replies and actions with people seems so out of step with what we would have said and done in our “Christian” preconceived ideas. I will also pray if He would have me write such a post.
Your brother and friend always,
Michael
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Thanks for your kind words, Michael. Indeed, I also thought about writing a blog post, “Was Jesus a nice guy?” – Part 2 … God willing, we will see, my dear brother. 😊
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Good! Maybe a joint post? 😊
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That’s what I was thinking of… 😇
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I would love to read such a post, Susanne and Michael.
In fact, I was also thinking of posting something similar, though I’ve left my blog inactive for a while…
Two things that the Holy Spirit is bringing to mind all the time are
Jesus’ reactions before the Pharisees. He was not nice at all with them! Matthew 23 is a masterpiece. If He had said nothing else about this group, this chapter would have been enough of an indictment. And we could write a whole book just to comment on this chapter! I see this first and foremost as an indictment of MY hypocrisy, an area where I have made some improvement but still… a big piece of the plank in my eye still needs surgery. Ouch!
Jesus’ reaction before the money changers and merchants of the temple. It seems to me most of us, far too often seek Jesus for convenience, rather than worship. We want our loaves and fishes, don’t we? I confess I have used Jesus more than I have loved him, many times. I need His whip sometimes to expel the moneychanger, entitlement-mentality, self-centered old Carina. Ouch again!
Of course, feel free to use these ideas, which are not mine at all, in your joint post if you feel led to. 🙂
Now I need to go back to translation. I’ve fallen behind with my work because I was under so much stress that God told me to STOP! and do no work until I felt better. My mental vacation has finally restored me, at least partially. But the blog and the book will have to wait a bit.
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I am glad God told you to rest and that you are doing better now, dear Carina. ❤
Regarding the joint article you would like to read…ahem, ahem… it seems to me that you already read it since it was my altered repost Why Jesus was no nice guy which Michael reblogged on A Wilderness Voice. It was God’s leading to do it that way, unpredictable as always, you know… 😉
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Oh, now I am confused… I thought I’d read part 1 and you were going to add some content in a future part 2? Well, never mind, ha ha… You see, a title can make a difference. 😉
If you decide to add anything about Jesus’ “political incorrectness” (one of the reasons why I love and admire Him so much!) I will be most glad to read it.
It seems to me we have become extremely (excessively?) concerned about not being “offensive” at all, ever.
I understand we should try not to be a stumbling block for others with our religiosity, yes. But we tend to go from one extreme to the other, and it seems the world is only hearing the “alt right” view and the “liberal left” view, but not a biblically balanced view.
It seems to me there ought to be many intercessory voices (Isaiah 62 was given to me as a personal challenge) and a few prophetic voices calling the world (AND THE CHURCH!!!!) to repentance.
But then again, we should all be doing what GOD wants us to be doing, not what we in our reasoning THINK we should be doing. There is a world of a difference between being called by God to a ministry (meaning, service) and appointing yourself (or being appointed by mere mortals thinking they know the mind of Christ when they don’t!).
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Sorry, my sister, I did not want to confuse you at all. However, the Spirit’s leading is not only unpredictable, He also makes things suddenly ALIVE in my spirit… in order to take them away just a few seconds later. In one moment I am hell-bent on writing about a certain topic, but FEEEEEEEW… all thoughts completely gone and forgotten at once due to the Spirit wind. Just now I have had a title for another blog on my mind, but I don’t know whether it will turn out an article or not. That happened to me once about two years ago and only after several months, God gave me the article to the headline that had still been on my mind… isn’t that funny? 😉
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I finally had to trash my novel and other ‘fat books’ before publishing anything, Carina. Life in the Spirit, in the Kingdom of God, is so much more intriguing than anything which we might ever create apart from knowing eternal life.
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This big fish thing made me grin, Carina. Funny girl! 😊
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