Spiritual Realities #2e – The Power to be Wronged: Faith That Purifies Hearts

All About Power

courtesy Dean Williams 2012

Today, we engage in high levels of frustration, anger, and fear over disputes aggravated by a sense of justice gone wrong—and in most cases, go unsatisfied. As a result, we feel strong emotions of betrayal accompanied by a sense that we have “the right” to see justice done. Fine. But these demands so often fall upon deaf ears—and nothing really gets resolved to our satisfaction, do they?

These are stressful times and disagreements will rise up tomorrow just as surely as the sun does; and when they do, our recourse is Jesus who said, “Follow me”. He had “rights” too, remember? Yet, he chose not to exercise them (Acts 8:32; Isaiah 53.7)! So, Jesus—who did no wrong even as wrong was being done to him—didn’t open his mouth to avenge himself. Instead, he committed himself to God.

In the Greek, the word “follow” means to “be in the same way with”. Thus, Christians who follow Jesus and carry their cross, will soon experience the purpose that cross has (Matt. 16:24)! So, don’t be surprised that along our Christian journey, other believers will nail us to it! Don’t like that? Then take it up with God. By the way, did you think I was a fool for letting go of the opportunity to sue in a court of law? Bet you did.

Until we die to all “the rights” we believe we “rightly” deserve, we’ll continue to be dissatisfied Christians who quote empty words like, “Let go and let God”. In reality, we never truly “let God”; and as a consequence, our incongruous lives depict a powerless God even as we grow more and more disappointed with him.

I realize that the power to humble yourself—especially when you’re right—is not an easy power to wield. However, when God decides disputes between believers, he also purifies their hearts by faith (Acts 15:7-9). So the power that ultimately believes in God and heals the sick—right within our own wounded hearts—is the power to trust God for the “last days” atmosphere

Now, just so you don’t think it’s okay to be a victimized Christian, be aware that once we “follow” Jesus real power comes because we no longer have an egotistical, evil, and wicked heart that wields a loaded gun. We’ve passed God’s test. With pure and clean hearts, power now follows us wherever we go.

Next week: #2f – Power Because God has Your Back

Scriptures are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version, Cambridge 1769. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

# 7c – A Story of Homelessness and of Faith that Purifies the Heart (Part 3 of 3)

2) Help others do the works of faith

Today, we engage in high levels of frustration and anger over disputes aggravated by a sense of justice gone wrong. We feel strong emotions of betrayal accompanied by a sense that we have the “right” to see justice done. Fine. But these demands so often fall upon deaf ears—and in most cases go unsatisfied. So, what recourse is there?

Christians, who are conscious of God, are called to bear up under the pain of unjust suffering (1 Peter 2:19, 21 NIV). Christ is our example. He too had “rights”, which he chose not to exercise; instead, he entrusted them to God—for care or for action (1 Peter 2:21-23 NIV).

After I became homeless, I learned that today’s atmosphere of disputes and disagreements are opportunities for a rare type of faith to flourish. If we are sick at heart over our present situation, if our heart is heavy or angry, if we let our heart give up in the face of prolonged suffering, then we need the faith that purifies hearts (Acts 15:9).

First, we refrain from making a distinction between “us” and “them”. Second, we trust God, who makes no such distinction because he knows the hearts of “us” and “them”. Third, then God purifies the hearts of “us” by faith, which ultimately heals the sickness within. And fourth, if God chooses to remove “them” from their position of power because their heart resists every opportunity to do good—then that is God’s business.

Ours is to love.

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Scriptures from King James Version of the bible and New International Version (NIV).