Post details: Massive trouble! What do I do?

11/18/08

Permalink 04:10:53 pm, Categories: By Trent, GraceHead counseling
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Massive trouble! What do I do?

I was recently asked this question: """ I can not find a job or finish school. I am getting deeper in dept and it is causing financial stress on my wife and me. even my marriage is falling apart because of this. what do I do?"""

Here is what I said in reply:

You can say "amen."
Amen \A`men"\, v. To say Amen to; to sanction fully. ...
a statement to express assent or approval.

When you wake up tomorrow and realize that you have no money, try this: "Well ... amen! , Amen. Well, just amen."

When you wake up tomorrow and recollect that people have been slandering you let your heart say: "Amen, Well, amen."

When someone takes too long at the ATM or cuts in front of you in traffic, try saying to God: "Amen. Well ... amen, just amen."

When your image has been torn down by embarrassing mishaps, or hatred, why not release it and simply say: "Amen, Lord, amen."

Problems arise as pressure to push us into God's presence. Do not try to shrink the problems by force. Instead yield to them, and give way. Let them cause you to rely upon Him. Do not struggle for control that you will never have. Don't fret. Say "amen."

You can always tell carnality by the struggle to press back against problems, but maturity in Christians is revealed the same as maturity in plumbs ... the ripe ones will yield to pressure.

The error that we do not have a good Shepherd to take care of us is a teaching that ultimately sends you in a downward spiral, because you have demand with no dynamic supply, and impossible burden with no rest.

Buddhists have the stupa, which is a giant and beautifully built dome. The stupa is not maintained, so that it will decay. They teach that existence is pain, and like the dome suffers pain and ruin through whatever comes against it. Ultimately, the goal is to become nothing, which is nirvana. Fatalism is just the Christian equivalent of the stupa-understanding, of misery concluding in the rescue of death.

Authentic Christian teaching never leads you to fatalism. There is no empty dome of existence; rather we spiritually see existence like an egg. Whatever trouble comes against us, can break us and spill forth life from within.

In me is an overcoming life that conquers anything that comes against it. It is like a diamond that is hidden in a cake. A knife will quickly cut through the cake, but if it ever makes contact with the gem then the knife will not cut the diamond, but rather be destroyed by the greater substance. Everything gives way to the Eternal Life that is in us.
So, if I have a problem outside of me, and a Solution that is inside of me ... WHAT IS IN THE WAY?
:-)

We have problems/tribulation in real life, but we don't let them point us towards Buddhist-ish fatalism. If it feels like life is tearing chunks of flesh off of you, that is exactly what is happening, and the sooner that you are out of the way, the sooner that you will have victory. We emphasize that inside every Christian is the Way, and the Way holds the entire answers for real (un-imagined) calamity. The ripe Christian yields to pressure instead of resisting it or pushing back, because the ripe Christian knows that they have a life in them that can easily handle everything.

You don't have to be a "tough-cookie," (hard on the outside) and try to hold it together while praying for a quick end to the misery. Let the pressure push you to find the sufficiency of the Way.

... you might find yourself with a new word on your lips ... and a peace that passes understanding in the face of calamity ... "AMEN, Lord"

Here is a prayer to get you on your way:

I am in alot of danger.

I can't cope with the challenges today. I can't live a life of peace. I can't find fulfillment.

Today is too big of a day for a man. Today is too big of a day for me.

With hand placed over heart, Lord Jesus you are welcome here, come be my strength. Lord, be my peace. I am out of love. Lord, you be my love today.

I don't want to go a single moment without You.

(I am getting in the habit of saying this, at first sign of pressure, because this similar sentiment has been the beginning of some of the best days of my life.)

Comments:

Comment from: Pam [Member]
Today is too big for me so here, take it Jesus! Amen!;-)

Love,
Pam
Permalink 08/31/06 @ 15:10
Comment from: Len Hummel [Visitor] · http://www.myspace.com/lenbenherehear
Trent, old buddy, I absolutely LOVE this offering. I printed it. It's definitely worth sharing. Know what? Two of my all-time favorite sayings (or exclamations!) are these:
"PRAISE GOD ANYWAY!"
and
"GOD IS GREATER!"
It's sort of like this (once you truly 'dive-in' to the TRUTH that There *Is* a Sovereign and Beneficent GOD)..."GOD ALWAYS HAS A BETTER PLAN. ... TRUST HIM, HE's still on The Throne." (!)
all the best to you & yours.
PS/ When you have time: click on a few of my friends at myspace.com. - Bear, and Dean, and a few others are really REALLY neat Christians.
Permalink 09/01/06 @ 07:06
Comment from: lisa [Member]
May I also insert an amen here? This morning's sermon was a reminder to not harden our hearts, and I also got that FWD thing about putting carrots, an egg and coffee beans in a pot of boiling water and see what happens?
I pray your friend learns to simply depend on Jesus, and know that he as mere man, can accomplish nothing, but he has the awesome privelage of resting in Christ.
These might be flowerdy words, and it sounds as if he is desperate. He may be sounding an alarm. I hope someone is there for him.
Permalink 09/03/06 @ 16:24
Comment from: Trent [Member] · http://www.GraceHead.com
Lisa,

So what happens? The carrots get soft, right? The egg gets hard, right? And the coffee beans? I guess they blend with the water, and make coffee. I get the first two points, but help me out with the coffee.

This question came from a stranger, through www.gotquestions.org. I volunteer as a question answerer. You should pray about doing the same, just to see who God might send your way.

Ripening,
Trent
Permalink 09/04/06 @ 23:19
Comment from: lisa [Member]
I am SOOOO far behind in the posts!! ACK!
Here's a cut and paste thing of the carrot, egg and coffee bean:

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity - the boiling water - but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" the mother asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?"

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate to another level?

How do you handle adversity? ARE YOU A CARROT, AN EGG, OR A COFFEE BEAN?

Of course, this has an aroma of self-sufficiency, but if as the proverbial coffee bean, we simply draw from Christ within us, we don't have to let our circumstances rule us. The level we elevate to, so to speak, is to realize our dependency on Christ.

Again... I am SOOO sorry I'm so far behind! I feel like a circus dog at work this week--jumping through all those hoops!
Blessings!
Lisa
Permalink 09/16/06 @ 00:58

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