My World Is Shrinking
BRD REFLECTIONS:
James 5 and Psalm 35:17-28 (NIV)
(Yap Siew Ling, Counsellor & Pastoral Team Member)
READ:
James 5:7-16 (NKJV)
Verse 9 – “Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!”
Verse 10 -11- ” My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.”
Verse 15-16 – ” And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours… ”
OBSERVE:
My world is shrinking because I grumbled and stopped loving people. People are hard to get along with.
My world is shrinking because I gave up trying. My circumstances are too overwhelming.
My world is shrinking because things are not going my way. My lot in life is harder than others.
My world is shrinking because I lost hope. My prayers for myself and others are not answered.
As a result, I choose to withdraw and isolate myself from people. I give in to despair and wallow in self-pity.
APPLY:
The verses in James are a stark reminder to not complain or grumble; to endure hardship with perseverance and patience; and to live a life of prayer and service to others.
DO:
I will enlarge my world by choosing to love and overlooking offences by the grace of the Lord.
I will enlarge my world by being willing to persevere in the strength of the Lord.
I will enlarge my world by living a life of prayer and service to the community with the love of the Lord.
I will enlarge my world because I will not let hopelessness, fear or difficult circumstances control me.
I will enlarge my world because God lives in me.
PRAY:
Dear Heavenly Father,
We are anxious and grumpy people.
We need immediate answers and quick deliverance on our terms.
But You said otherwise.
We are called to love, to persevere and to serve regardless.
Help us Lord so that our worlds do not shrink
but be enlarged for our good and for Your glory.
In the precious name of Jesus, Amen.
