The anguish we encounter in life is immeasurable at times. It's big. Too big. What do you do with anger and the impulse to express it without a satisfying outcome? What do you do with fear/shame that reveals our vulnerability at its core and that our worst fears can come true? What do you do with sadness so profound, so far-reaching that it drains our ability to cope? Some things you will never get over in this life. Some things you will never get back.
No wonder numbness takes over and leaves one unable to think. Definitely, for a period of time nothing will help. Don't try to make the feelings go away during this time and do not try to help others in this way. Grief is so varied that no one knows what it is like for another person.
This psalmist describes his experience this way: "My heart is sick, withered like grass, and I have lost my appetite. I lie awake, lonely as a solitary bird on the roof. My tears run down into my drink because of your anger and wrath....
It was my mother’s ambition to give my two brothers and I as many opportunities to see the world as she possibly could. Though we were dirt poor, mom saved every year so we could go on vacation in the summer. One of these summer excursions led us into Mammoth Cave of western Kentucky. As a small child I was amazed that a hole in the ground could stretch so far, nearly 400 miles. I fantasized about being the one to explore parts of the cave where no man had yet been.
This summer I provided my eight year old son, Kameron, with the Mammoth Cave experience. He trembled with excitement as he took each of 300 steps downward into the cave. He enjoyed the coolness of the cave as it held its temperature steady at 54 degrees. He loved the stalagmites and the stalactites. “A stalactite holds tight to the ceiling and a stalagmite stands mighty on the ground,” his mother taught him to distinguish between the two.
Half-way through the tour our guide gave us opportunities to ask questions....
Have you ever just wanted to crawl into a hole and hide from everything and everyone?
I certainly have.
Sometimes the troubles of this life seem too much to bear. As Christians we tend to view depression as an issue of the mind rather than as a thermometer of the heart. What do I mean by that?
If she would just start thinking positively, she wouldn’t feel so gloomy all the time! If she hadn’t made all of those poor decisions she wouldn’t be feeling depressed now.
Many people correlate depression with an act: thinking negatively, or doing things that go against your beliefs (personal sin) that cause you to feel depressed.
Alternatively, I believe depression is a way to gauge the health of our hearts. It is a thermometer that tells us Hey! You’re sick, you need a doctor!
Depression has become such a cultural taboo– those of us who have it don’t speak of it; and those of us who don’t have it don’t understand it. The Church is no exception. In fact, I would argue that many churches avoid the discussion of depression altogether,...
Christian Articles | A Memoir of a Broken Girl: Victoria's Letter
A Memoir of a Broken Girl: Victoria's Letter
By: Carmen Love
A Memoir of a Broken Girl: Victoria’s Letter
(I've attached a photo of myself, so you know what I look like)
Hi,
My name is Victoria. I'm 16 years old and it seems like I've been struggling for some time now. This seems a bit weird, I'm not good at talking about my feelings or emotions, but there's some things I need you to know. I can't even tell you how long it has seemed that I've been in this dark hole. From the time I can remember, which had to be about 6, I've been angry. Angry at myself, my parents, friends, the world, seems like. Though, if you asked why, I wouldn't have an answer for you. I've never understood why I felt the way I felt or did the things I did or why certain things happened. It wasn't until I finally heard my mom crying in the bathroom to my grandma about how she felt like a failure as a mother.
Christian Articles | From the Least to the Greatest
From the Least to the Greatest
By: Deborah Hall Branch
Why do we often compare someone else’s failures, goals, accomplishments to our own? Most go no further than the failures they witness in others lives and immediately equate it to them. Therefore, they negate to strive any longer to reach their goals which soon result in them forfeiting the accomplishment. How does God view us when we do that? For certain no two people are exactly alike. He intentionally created it that way. Although family members resemble one another, children exemplify certain characteristics from their parents; there will still always be one significant thing that will distinguish a difference in our personalities, our drive to prosper. We never stop to examine one main issue, the more we compare ourselves to others failures we will soon adopt that theory as truth and apply it without even attempting to move towards our goals.
You ever hear someone say, “I never pursued college because my parents paid for my older brother/sister to go and they soon dropped out.” An unfortunate immediate relative connection begins to take place. Society and some religious affirmations spend...
Forgiveness is given only after repentance, not before!
September 7, 2016
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Christian Articles | Forgiveness is given only after repentance, not before!
Forgiveness is given only after repentance, not before!
By: Shaila Touchton
If one does forgive that person without his repentance, he is adding to his wickedness that is being committed by him and this will not produce love or any good. It must be understood that repentance must always be first to God and then to the offended member. Repentance means Recognition, Remorse, Rejection and willing to change as a new person. If there is remorse and rejection of a sin, but you don’t recognize the hurt or damage you have caused other person who is a victim, it becomes sin. The root of it that is, it will come back cloaked as something else and cause you to commit the same hurt /sin! No one can force another to forgive. People have their own timing in forgiving.
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' Luke 3:8
It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little...
Christian Articles | I confess but I can not repent!
I confess but I can not repent!
By: Shaila Touchton
We see in Acts 17:30,God commands all men everywhere to repent .Even Christ came to call sinners to repentance not the righteous. God call us to repent when we have forgotten and offended him and living in sin or in unrighteous ways.
There lots of people who do not want to repent truly and if they do, they do merely do lip service of repentance .They fail to acknowledge their sins. After their lip service they go right back and sin again. That is not true repentance.
There are also different kind of people who have enough pride who are not willing to look bad, will gladly say sorry” through lip service to save their image. They think if you just say sorry is repentance. This is not true repentance either.
There are few others who think that by saying formula of sinners prayer will save them without being genuinely REPENTED of their sins. Some false preachers say that you can gladly receive Christ without following Him or without obeying his commandments they strengthen the hands of evildoers, comforting...
Christian Articles | Should We Forgive An Adulterer?
Should We Forgive An Adulterer?
By: Edward Mrkvicka
It is in the DNA of a Christian to want to forgive those who have done us wrong. In doing so, most believe we are following the example of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who said on the cross "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." (Luke 23:34 NKJV)
But making doctrine out of one Bible verse is spiritually dangerous to the enth degree. The Word of God is to be read in total. By reading and understanding but single verses, our good intentions can do more harm than good.
The Bible says that adulterers will not enter heaven. “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
So in forgiving an unrepentant adulterer, you are doing what God Himself will not do - which I suggest is not a good spiritual decision.
Neither is it good for the adulterer. In forgiving...
ABUSE: Does Sharing My Personal Story Mean I Lack Forgiveness?
September 7, 2016
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Christian Articles | ABUSE: Does Sharing My Personal Story Mean I Lack Forgiveness?
ABUSE: Does Sharing My Personal Story Mean I Lack Forgiveness?
By: Carmen Love
THERE IS NOTHING MORE AGONIZING THAN BEARING AN UNTOLD STORY. Maya Angelou
(There are so many who have been there and need to hear your message loud and clear.)
Getting a message out there does not necessarily mean that one has failed to practice forgiveness, it could possibly mean that the author's goal is to simply educate, prevent others from falling into similar traps, or to continue raising awareness.
Mistreatment of any kind is devastating whether it is real or perceived; and although forgiveness is indeed paramount in the healing process, possessing it immediately by no means has the power to determine one's ability to share his/her story effectively. In many ways one’s testimony can be a powerful reflection of a higher level of self- awareness, personal growth and having a profound understanding; and does not necessarily cast light on the person as being a vigilante for justice or portrays an act of disloyalty or betrayal, nor does it mean that a victim’s mentality is the center stage of the platform. In contrast,...
Christian Articles | Today Is Only One Day From Being The Past...
Today Is Only One Day From Being The Past...
By: Sandy Clay
Today is only one day from being the past... look forward to tomorrow. Looking back at yesterday too much will only hinder your tomorrow. If you can never get 'past the past,' tomorrow will never be tomorrow, you will just keep reliving yesterday. In Philippians 3:13 Paul wrote in his letter to Jesus’ followers, “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind, and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me Heavenward, in Christ Jesus.” If we could just break away from our yesterday's our tomorrow's could be so amazing.
People and situations from our past just seem to have a way of coming up again and again. Ask yourself why? Is it Love? Hatred? Happiness? Sadness? pain? Why? Sometimes, pondering the past can be a good thing, it is always said that hindsight is 20/20, and it truly is. You just can't dwell in it. Look at it, learn from it, let it go, and look forward. If God can...
