Mindset on Jesus
Losing a loved one is one of the most difficult times in life and one of the most difficult things to understand. When we are tied in knots with grief and heartache, life slows down. When we are not exercising our strength to say good bye, it seems someone we know is going through the painful stages of grief. The heart ache penetrates to a deep place forcing us to grapple with the meaning of life. I have a friend who reminds us that it’s actually death that brings our attention and focus back to life. During this grieving process we have recollections of what this world is all about. It’s about the living.
Envy: The Enemy of God’s Peace and Wisdom
In his letter to the Christians in Rome, the Apostle Paul notes that the “mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.” Of course, one must return to Paul’s earlier letter to the Galatians, where he lists the nine characteristic “fruits of the Spirit” (5:22, 23). One of the nine “fruits” is peace. And in his letter to the Colossians, he instructs his readers to “let the peace of Christ rule in (their) hearts” (3:15).
Which Way Will We Choose?
“Following after the Holy Spirit leads to life and peace, but following after the old nature leads to death.” Romans 8:6 TLB
It took only a second. One second to choose a path that would indelibly mark his life and future. Just one quick second. In that second lay one decision to turn away from the life which granted him peace and life and make the one decision to choose regret and death.
Peace in the Turmoil
I remember the day clearly. It was right before Christmas in 2012. Our house was decorated to the hilt. Cookies and treats were everywhere. The chaos and busy-ness of the season could not drown out the joy of Christmas. Particularly this one. It was my first Christmas as a mama. I got home from work and as usual, checked the mail box. And there it was. The envelope I sent a week prior to my father with pictures of my son. With the note scribbled on it, “Return to Sender.” I hadn’t spoken to my father since May of that year. I hadn’t seen him since our wedding three years prior. There were a million and one things rushing through my mind and a tsunami wave of emotions flooding my heart. But the common theme I felt in that moment was very familiar. Rejection.