Yes, I know that is a Bible verse, not a title. But, there is a message in that verse that very clearly speaks to me today. There are other pertinent messages. It is way too dangerous to base your whole life on a single passage from the Bible, from anything in that regard. There are good passages to commit to memory and honor above all others.
2 Cor 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight
Phill 4:13 I can do all through Christ which strengtheneth me
Romans 10:13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved
2 Tim 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind
And there are many others. It is an excellent book, written by the greatest author in creation, written for us, about Him with us, and ministering to us. We sometimes forget that the purpose of the Word of God is not to condemn us, but to save us. We use it as a brick and a bat, to demonstrate the wrong in others, but then fail to use it as a dressing and a cure full of love, over that wrong. It is an age old failing, and not solely the property of Jews and Christians.
That is, however, another post. Today the post is about the verses in the title. They read:
"We heard that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy, they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good."
I was feeling idle, and used one of the greatest Bible study tools, (and my personal theory as to why God tolerates the rest of the internet) Google, to find passages about feeling idle. That did not work very well, so I typed in Bible idle, and got several good responses. By the way, be careful about what you type in, searching for faith related material. The internet is the playground of all of our adolescent males and females. It provides the statistically highest relevant answers, not the spiritually relevant answers.
But, I have been idle, in terms of writing for a few weeks. And, as usual, the only thing I could churn out was a spleen venting about politics. Nasty business that, and kind of unredeemable in its way. However, I was feeling as if I was being idle about me. I kept telling myself, it has been a rough few weeks, I was just taking a break to heal and recharge. In reality, something was weighing on me and keeping my mind in places that were not useful.
I felt as if I were in a fog of hurt, sadness and shock. I was entitled. My Dad and my sister both gone in nine days. Other issues in the family. Work piling up because I had been gone so much. Health deteriorating as the stress built. It is a bad cycle, and one of the best designed destructive cycles of our enemy. I won't preach too often about the devil, but today, let me tell you how real he is.
2 Thes 3:3 says, "But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one." That would seem to imply that God will keep the devil away from us. But, it says that the Lord is faithful, not that we are. And that the Lord will strengthen and protect us, not shield us. Big difference in protect and shield. Protect means that He will prevent the devil from hurting us. Shield means He would prevent the devil from touching us.
Alot of folks that aren't Christian ask why a God, that loves, would allow a devil. Why, if we are made in His image, and to be with Him, would we have to suffer at the hands of another being He created? Because, while He is perfect, and we were created in the image of perfection, and have that capacity within us, we were not and choose not to be perfect. You tell your children not to partake of things because they are not good for them, and will hurt them, like alcohol, drugs, tobacco. Yet, you know that they ultimately choose what to do. It makes no sense, after all that you have told them, explained to them, expected of them, and still they go do it anyway. That is the crux of human nature, and the fall.
Why is there a devil? Because inside the sentient creatures of God, He put the capacity to deny Him. Rather than have slaves and automatons to adore and worship Him, He chose creatures of will and purpose. In that, He chose the potential of pain, experienced when we deny Him. It happened in Heaven, among the angels. It happened here on Earth, amidst the Garden. They are parallels, because we are parallel creations. The capacity exists. It is not in God's nature to forsake His creations.
So, at the time of the Fall, God had a plan. He knew the path He was going to take to reach a point where He could accept all His children, that so chose. That is where my idleness concerned me. I did not feel much like I was choosing God. I felt more like I was choosing pain and suffering that God was not shielding me from. I listened to the lies of the devil, and instead of understanding that God has already strengthened me and protected me, I was expecting to be shielded.
When we chose to know good and evil, we chose protection over shielding. God could not allow us free will and shield us from evil. He could strengthen us and protect us from evil overcoming us, and He has. I kind of lost sight of that, and could have used some good old shielding for a few days. But, it was my job to settle down and earn the food I ate. Meaning, I had to settle down and do the hard work of digging in the Word, finding my way, seeing the strength I was given, live to the purpose the Lord carved out for me. In times of greatest stress, we also have access to the greatest blessing. We get to choose.
I let the devil talk in my ear more than the Word of God. I did not lose faith, or lose my religion, or fall away. It is not always that concrete. Sometimes, it is just being willing to listen to the whisper that says you feel too tired to read the Bible. It is just listening to the whisper that says you don't feel up to praying. It is just listening to the whisper that says you can't do anything about the situation but live in it. It happens, to all of us. While created in the image of perfection, we have not yet been redeemed to perfection. We fall.
But, if ever you hear that voice in your head that says you don't feel like or have time to read the Word, understand that is not you, not your voice. If ever you hear that voice that says you don't feel like or have time to pray, that is not you, not your voice. If ever you feel as if the situation is beyond all control, and you are completely powerless in it, that is not your soul, not your self. We are made to be conquerors, victorious.
Everything is within the control and power of God. We have to accept that what He wills is best for us. Sometimes, what He wills hurts our feelings. That is part of the issue of being separated from Him. We no longer walk with and exist in His presence fully. We cannot see where He is looking and where He is going. We have learned to doubt that He is steering, or that He knows the directions. That is from the devil. It is the devil's masterwork of a lie. The more people the devil gets to believe that lie, the more people he steals from God.
The devil knows the outcome. He knows that he has been beaten. He knows that he has no victory in the end. He is so angry and twisted and evil over it, that he is not looking for us to join him in his victory and his kingdom. He is just looking to find more souls to damage and destroy as a way to hurt God. It is the last power he may possess. The more he hurts God, the more he enjoys it. It is not about you, you are simply a piece and pawn in the devil's schemes.
You are only important to God. Only God has a plan for you and a purpose for you. Only God cares for you. Only God loves you. The devil hates you and despises you. You have a path to redemption that he does not. It makes him the ultimate cornered animal and danger. The devil has power, as an angel of God, but he does not have the power or ability of God.
Don't be idle. Earn the wages for the food you eat. You have to pick up the Word, you have to stop in prayer. Works do not save, but you cannot live a committed life without working for the kingdom. You can't get anywhere without working for yourself. Feeling under the weather, burdened by life? It happens, to everyone. But, if you choose to work to get to God, it gets better. If you are not idle in your spirit, it becomes clear. Not permanently, there is never a time you don't have to work at it.
So, sorry I have not been working at it. I am sorry most to God. I keep asking Him to understand, because I can't accept that He does. Why would He notice me? Why would He care? It is so not a human trait, which is another of the most successful lies the devil has told. It is most definitely a human trait, it is just not a devil trait. The devil does not care and only notices as it pertains to his plans and deception. How do we face it all, keep going, keep the faith?
There is a way to get through. The closing of II Thessalonians: "Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you."
If you believe, the Lord is with you. If you do not believe, the Lord is with you. So is the devil. If you believe, the devil can only suggest and lie and scheme, he has no power. If you do not believe, you do not take on the protection that God offers. There is very real harm the devil can do to you then. Why is it the greatest commandment, to go out, baptize and make disciples of all men? Because without that, men are subject to real harm and damage from the devil. They do not take on the protection and strength of God. It is a dangerous world, if you are not choosing the Lord.
That is what idle means. It means letting yourself back into the dangerous world where real harm exists. Don't be idle. Dig, work, pray, worship. It is the sure path and the best medicine and the only cure and the quickest recovery. That is coming from the experience of one of the most idle, broken, sick and diseased people in the world, me. In this, I am an expert, and you would do well to heed my advise. Don't let it be like alcohol, drugs, tobacco. Remember when you were told they were bad for you? And what did you do? Listening to the devil, being idle is bad for you. I know.
GLYASDI
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