Interesting Distinction

As I read the Puritans I keep running up on two terms they use that I find a real aid to my understanding and prayer.  The words are "comfort," and "ease."  

In most of the works I've read, comfort is always used in the context of affliction and/or distress.  It is what God provides for us to persevere in our faithfulness.  This comfort may be found in scripture, it may be found in prayer, i may be found in faithful family and friends. It is, however, in the writings of the Puritans, found in times of difficulty.

Ease on the other hand is that condition which is a danger to the believer.  When we are at 'ease"we do not sense any challenge of affliction.  We are prosperous and contented with right where we are.  This is a very dangerous place.  Ease encourages a weakening of the believer in their duties.  Ease encourages a lessening of our watchfulness.  Ease encourages a lessening of our intentional growth in His likeness.  

Ease is a dangerous place.  Comfort is a difficult place.

Ease is when we forget we are engaged in a continuous battle with the world, the flesh and the devil.  We let our guard slip just a little bit.  We don't pray quite so often or passionately.  We are not in the Word quite so often.  We have a deceptive sense that everything is A-OK.  God is in His heaven and all is right with the world.

It is a hard thing when our ease is interrupted, when we have grown just lax enough for our loving Father to press us with His discipline.  We are shocked and dismayed.  We may grumble and murmur.  We can grow resentful and sinfully fearful.

It is here where we must seek His comfort and not His comfort alone but His instruction.  there is always something to learn when we are being disciplined.  Sometimes discovering the point of the discipline is comforting - sometimes it drives us to Him.

I would encourage you, if you are at ease, to consider the dangers.

I would encourage you, if you are in distress to not wait for it to drive you to Him but go to Him now and regularly.  Energize yourself in your duties, cling to His promise, look to Him for all things.


2 Corinthians 1:3-5 ESV
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, [4] who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. [5] For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

MS
msanders.bc@gmail.com

Examine yourself - Contentment 008

Examine yourself - Contentment 008

But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak.

Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?"

In all this Job did not sin with his lips.   (Job 2:10 ESV)

"Evil" - from the Hebrew word meaning: literally by breaking to pieces.

Job understood and submitted to the sovereignty of God.  Happy he was not – but content?  I think so.

However, contentment is not just an, "Oh well, what can I do, God is bigger than me."

Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face.  (Job 13:15 ESV)

Ah, how wonderfully human is Job.  He has committed his hope to God and is content but he will "yet" go to God and plead his case.  He is bold before the Lord but not rebellious.

And so . . . . .

This will be my salvation, that the godless shall not come before him.

Keep listening to my words, and let my declaration be in your ears. Behold, I have prepared my case; I know that I shall be in the right. Who is there who will contend with me? For then I would be silent and die.

Only grant me two things, then I will not hide myself from your face: withdraw your hand far from me, and let not dread of you terrify me. Then call, and I will answer; or let me speak, and you reply to me.

How many are my iniquities and my sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin. Why do you hide your face and count me as your enemy?   (Job 13:16-24 ESV)

I'd paraphrase this as Job crying out, "Wait - wait - no more - let's talk about this.  What have I done to deserve this?"

And so we do the same don't we?  When we are in a place where our fleshly contentment is threatened we cry out to God, "What have I done to deserve this"  why are You picking on me?"

Teachable moment:
Remember, if God gave us what we deserved, we'd all be in hell right now.  We do not really want what we deserve!  That would not be a good thing!

Job is not happy - but happiness is not the same as contentment.  I believe that Job was content but confounded and confused - which is not unnatural.  But Job's hope was still in the God who had allowed these calamities to befall him.

I don't believe that God wants us to like or enjoy trials and adversity.  I would be worried about anyone who liked them.  But I know that God desires us to understand the purpose (and there is a purpose) for them.  For the believer they are neither arbitrary nor are they punishment.

Note:  "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat.” (Luke 22:31 ESV)

Uhhhhhhh - there is a real parallel here to Job's circumstances.

Note:  “but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."   (Luke 22:32 ESV)

Uhhhhhhhh - we are not alone or helpless.

Note:  Peter said to him, "Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death."   (Luke 22:33 ESV)

Uhhhhhhh - We think too much of ourselves.

Note:  Jesus said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me."   (Luke 22:34 ESV)

Uhhhhhh - See what I mean?

Job was blind-sided.  Peter had clear specific warning, assurance and purpose.  But there is little difference in God's purpose in these two circumstances.  His purposes were: to glorify Himself; to refine both Job and Peter; and to present us with a greater understanding of God's working in and through His people than either Peter or Job had.

If you have been strengthened and encouraged by either or both of these examples, would you be willing to be one who experiences such trials to encourage others?  If God so desires to use you and your adversities to encourage and instruct His, could you be content with that?  Would that excite you?  If God simply wants you to go through adversity so that you will be more conformed to the likeness of His Son - could you be content with that?

I think most of us would react like Peter - but also like Peter, we would be way off base.

This and That 090412 Comforted??

Men may look shy upon you, and alter their respects as your condition is altered; when Providence has blasted your estate, your summer-friends may grow strange, fearing you may be troublesome to them; but will God do so? No, no: “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” says he.   Flavel, John (2010-08-03). Keeping the Heart (Kindle Locations 402-404).  . Kindle Edition.

Flavel doesn’t hold much back.  His aim is true and his shot is straight.

When we face adversity, we have to remember that God is sovereign and that nothing comes but by way of His providence.  We also need to remember that it is only those whom He loves that he disciplines.  Though a comfort it does not make the adversity any more pleasant – as a matter of fact, God Himself tells us that no discipline seems pleasant when we are undergoing it.  So our being “not” pleased as we are disciplined (or as I prefer disciple) He is not offended that we struggle.

We can have confidence in God but other people, not so much.  Whether it comes from our inward parts of their outward distancing from us there is an arrow of shame that pierces our hearts when we are in adversity.  We, as well as others, look for a negative cause of the adversity.  We want to blame someone or something.  The assumption, which can be correct at times, is that we have somehow brought this on ourselves and are being punished.  And shame hitches a ride.

But if He does discipline those He loves and His discipline is for our betterment we need to address the shame we feel and perhaps if possible ,the shame that is inflicted upon us. 

The only way I know to do this is to surrender to the discipline as a sign of His love and His care.  We need to accept it and praise Him that, although we may be clueless as to His immediate purpose, we know He has our good in His hear

I like the KJV for the following verse:

Jas 4:10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Now the word humble sounds nice but perhaps we miss the idea here.  The Greek word means to abase or humiliate.  For us those are very negative words.  But in reference to God whose grace we enjoy isn’t that just – well - appropriate?  The picture here is of a vassal kneeling before his or her liege lord in utter submission.

But our liege lord doesn’t revel in our humiliation he. “lifts us up.”  He reaches down and raises us to our feet, acknowledging and accepting our submission and promising His care and protection.  Yeah, it’s hard for us to “get” that but it is a beautiful picture of His grace and mercy.

Other people?  Well, let me just say this.  When God disciplines one of His it scares the willies out of those who witness it.  I’m sure Job had lots of friends but think about it, only three came to his assistance and they weren’t much help. 

When God disciplines on of His, all His other folks tend to act like the one being disciplined has leprosy.  Now, leprosy is interesting.  Note this:

Leprosy is contagious, but is not easily transmitted. It requires the transfer of body fluids to cause infection in another person. Generally, it is not infectious in all forms, and people undergoing long term treatment are not infectious. Most people who are in contact with leprosy fight off the bacteria and do not develop leprosy. Symptoms do not develop for at least a year after infection.   http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_leprosy_contagious#ixzz25WivIzYWL

So is God’s discipline catching?  No, but the cause may be.  Of course the cause is sin.  Is sin contagious?  Well, you tell me;

Gal 6:1  Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

However the one under discipline (for whatever reason) must be restored by his brothers and sisters – his mature brothers and sisters. 

Ahhh – note the verses that follow this admonition:

Gal 6:2-3  Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.  (3)  For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

When we are undergoing God’s discipline, for whatever reason, we should expect the comfort and assistance of our brothers and sisters.  We need their care not their rejection or avoidance.  Indeed, the last verse gives us some insight into the hearts of those who withdraw from the one being disciplined.  They think, perhaps, in comparison to the disciplined disciple, that they are something.  It may be that part of the reason for the discipline is to convict and move the others to examine themselves as well as fulfill their obligation to care for and restore the brother or sister in distress.  Paul always viewed his struggles as being for the benefit of the body – Mmmmmmm……

Let me ask you this.  When you have undergone God’s discipline has anyone come alongside you and asked to help you discover what God is trying to teach you?  Has anyone come alongside and prayed with you and looked into God’s Word with you?  Or have they just patted your back, said they’d pray for you and then disappeared?

The hardest part of God’s pruning and refining us is being alone.  Sure, we kind of want to be alone but that’s not His plan.  Do a study on the admonitions concerning “one another.”  How do we do that if we aren’t with one another; if we aren’t informed about one another’s needs; if we don’t get down where they are and help? 

When God blesses we have a party.  When God disciplines we scatter.  Not right!!

For me it is sad to say that in adversity God and only God is with us.  Yes, He is absolutely sufficient – but is that really His desire, His plan, His order?  I don’t think so, do you?

2Co 1:3-4  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,  (4)  who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.