Two of our kids got into an argument that delayed us from our first commitment. Then, during the second commitment I learned of a fun outing that had taken place among friends that I was not invited to. Next, on our way home from the pool we passed by our boys playing at an all boy birthday party, and we could hear the frustrations in their voices as they developed the rules for the game they were about to begin. Finally, I find myself considering the damaged or strained relationships that I've either known or been a part of in the past; and this all makes me sad.
When our boys finally returned from their time away, we spent the next hour + just debriefing from the party and sorting through the relationships that needed repairing. Why can't people, including us, just get along?
This I've considered all week. I've thought about how we hurt one another in families, in neighborhoods, in schools, in businesses, in towns, and in many other places. We hurt others because we ourselves hurt inside. As long as my wounds are festering, I cannot give healing to others. Oh the pain!
I've asked the Lord about the solution. He's put on my heart that we cannot ignore pain and pretend that it never happened or that we were never hurt. That's living a lie--we can't base our lives on a lie. As I write this, one of my kids is in the midst of pretending that his friend's actions toward him do not hurt. I know as I watch that it's simply not true.
The Lord has also put it on my heart that we cannot be consumed by pain. We can't fixate on things that have caused us harm to the detriment of everything else around us. I remember losing almost a year of my life years ago because I was so inwardly focused on a pain that was troubling me. That's not how we're supposed to live either.
Instead the Lord's reminded me that we have to live overcoming the pain and suffering that comes our way. We have to totally face those very painful moments--tears, grief, depression, anger, frustration, you name it. We have to feel the intensity of the pain and let it come to the surface and come out; bottling it up is not good, but neither is letting it ooze out for years on end. We've got to delve into the feelings, find a way to release it, and then finally discover the solution to our problem whether that be to talk to the other party, or to forgive them of their sin, or to do something else entirely. In essence, we have to feel it, deal with it, and then heal it.
So, as I type this and we're living in the afteraffects of today's arguments and disappointments, I see that our time spent releasing our frustrations, talking about our feelings and regrets, and sticking with the issues till we brought them to resolution really were hours (and I do mean hours) well spent. I think I'll sleep well tonight though..... : )
In conclusion, I want to share with you something our friend Kyle wrote for his devotional this morning. It brought me to tears. I just hope it gives you a higher perspective than the one you have now:
“No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth” (Revelation 14:3).
Certain
songs can only be learned while in life’s valley. No music school can
teach these songs, for there is no theory for music found in the heart,
nor for songs sung by the burdens of personal experience.
In this verse, John tells us that even in heaven there will be a song that will only be sung by those “who had been redeemed from the earth.”
It is a song of triumph—a hymn of victory to the Christ who set us
free. Yet the sense of triumph and freedom will be born from the memory
of our past bondage.
No
angel, nor even an archangel will be able to sing the song as
beautifully as we will. To do so would require them to pass through our
trials, which is something they cannot do. Only the children of the
Cross will be equipped to learn the song.
In
this life you are receiving a music lesson from your Father. You are
being trained to sing in a choir you cannot yet see, and there will be
parts in the chorus that only you can sing. There will be notes too low
for the angels to reach, and certain notes so far above the scale that
only an angel could reach them. But remember, the deepest notes belong
to you and will only be reached by you.
Our
Father is training us for parts the angels cannot sing, and His music
school is the school of pain and suffering. Some say that He sends
trials our way to test us; I would agree, but He also sends them our way
to educate us, thereby giving us the proper training for His heavenly
choir.
In
the darkness He is composing our song. In the valleys He is tuning our
voices. In the storms He is deepening our range. In the rain He is
sweetening our melody. In the cold He is giving our notes expression.
And as we pass from hope to fear, He is perfecting the message of our
lyrics.
So
let’s not miss a day at our music school of pain and suffering. It is
training and educating us for our unique part in the heavenly song.
“Then
I saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him were 144,000 who
had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. And I
heard a sound from heaven like the roar of mighty ocean waves or the
rolling of loud thunder. It was like the sound of many harpists playing
together. This great choir sang a wonderful new song in front of the
throne of God and before the four living beings and the twenty-four
elders. No one could learn this song except the 144,000 who had been
redeemed from the earth. They have kept themselves as pure as virgins,
following the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been purchased from among
the people on the earth as a special offering to God and to the Lamb.
They have told no lies; they are without blame” (Revelation 14:1-5).
Thanks for reading! Blessings, kim
wow, i just had one of these hard conversations with my mom. thank you.
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