Sunday, October 29, 2017

Rise And Shine

Rise And Shine                                           10-27-17

Proverbs 18:1 (ESV) 1  Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.

I posed to myself and others this week the old maxim about the need for a reason or a purpose for getting out of the bed each morning.As my buddy says,"you have to have a reason to get up in the morning." I believe that statement in it's entirety and I will tell you why.

Quite a few years ago,for unimportant reasons,I was battling depression.So much so, that I spent about two days in bed. Not sick. Not injured. Depressed. It was VERY real, it was VERY exhausting, it was VERY tiring,and in MY particular case, it was
VERY MUCH a case of SELF ABSORPTION!! And herein lieth the lesson.

I was thinking about a conversation that I had this week past. The more I thought about what I had said, I was taken with the number of times that I used those words. What words Ronnie?.......I and...........my. What's that again?.................I and..................my. I wish this. I think that. This is what is wrong with my life,my circumstances,my job,my heart. I I I I I,MY MY MY MY MY. Yes,I am exaggerating for effect but only to a degree.Here's how it goes.

 We go through a rough patch,or worse. It is VERY easy and convenient to start looking inward.What's wrong with ME. What's wrong with MY heart. Why am I like this. Why is this happening to ME. Folks,when searching around in our hearts trying to find out what is really in there,it is better left to the professional. What professional Ronnie? The only pro that counts.

Psalm 139:23-24 (ESV) 23  Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!
24  And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!



You start looking around in your heart and the deeper you or I go.. the worse it will get. Let God do the searching and allow Him to tell you what's wrong or right on the inside.I digress.

Where was I? Oh yes.Paraphrasing what someone once said,life is full of ordinary days,accentuated from time to time with the extraordinary. It's not the extraordinary days that we must concern ourselves with. It's the regimen of mundane,same ol' same ol' that present the challenge. You see it is the grind. The daily routine. Day after day,month after month,year after year. That is where we will face the temptation to get discouraged,to allow the spirit of depression a cracked door,to LOSE HOPE.

I know all too well those feelings. I routinely battle in that arena.I watched my dear mother fight those demons the last years of her life. If we are not careful,we will allow ourselves to become self absorbed and caught up in ourselves to the point that we can't see anything except our own problems and what not. You feelin' me here?

As my friend Pastor Doug used to always say,"you have to get involved in something bigger than yourself." We must become a part of a larger picture. Look again. 

Proverbs 18:1 (ESV) 1  Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.



Isolation,or to separate yourself is unsound. Those words "breaks out" are better rendered defies. If we isolate ourselves we defy all sound judgment. One person defines it as "radical individuality."Absent the wisdom of many counselors,our only counselor is a fool....ourselves.

We have to be a part of a larger community. Something that takes our minds and hearts off of ourselves. Don't you think God has designed us that way? Family, job,church,on and on and on.We need to be involved with something bigger.We need to know that there are other folk out there that are experiencing the same tests,trials and also BLESSINGS that we are.

I remember the old church cliche that is so so true. God don't have any lone rangers. I know from personal experience. We get hurt. Family hurts,job hurts,church hurts on and on and on. If we pull away and isolate ourselves. If we move to our own private island, sooner or later we will turn in on ourselves and become so absorbed and filled with US that we won't have time or inclination for anyone or anything else.

Let's find something bigger than ourselves.That being said, I would fancy that MY search begin with ME and JESUS, letting Him direct ME where and to whom or what He will. Amen?

Psalm 119:37 (ESV) 37  Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.



God Bless





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