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So are we not to be happy?

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by superwoman8977, Jun 17, 2008.

  1. David Lamb

    David Lamb Active Member

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    Thanks for that extra information, Pinoy. As well as knowing a little more about Beth Moore, I have also learned that when in conversation with Americans, I must try to remember never to use the abbreviation "A&E" as we do here. Here, it stands for a department in a hospital, "Accident and Emergency" - I think the equivalent of America's "ER" ("Emergency Room"). :laugh:
     
  2. pinoybaptist

    pinoybaptist Active Member
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    It is not easy, you know, this divorce thing. That is why I believe God is, and alwasy has been, against it, and erroneous teaching going around that the only time God allows divorce is for sexual infidelities doesn't help any.

    I can sense bitterness and disappointment in you. (Understatement of all understatements of the year.)

    Bitterness about what is going on in your life, and disappointment at your brethren who couldn't give a word of encouragement or sympathy without peppering it with seeming criticism.

    I know of a woman years ago. Her husband left her for a younger woman. Worse her husband also married the other woman, with whom he had two children, and with whom he lived for 13 years. When he left his first wife, he had been married to her for only 9 years.

    She had to raise three kids, by herself, sometimes with the help of her parents. And she lived in a third world country. Poor. There was a time when she and her children lived in what could only be described as a bird house, six feet away from a creek that tended to overflow, and in summer stank because of filth and waste thrown by people around. That "house", if you can call it that, had only a curtain for a door, and so they lived in danger constantly.

    At one point, they lived in the provinces, too, where she was hired as a teacher in a local college, pay not big enough unlike here in Western States. Sometimes pay was delayed.

    She nursed her kids, all alone, when they got sick.

    But, one thing she never forgot, is to worship. She took her kids to worship wherever they lived. In the city, in the provinces. In the province where she taught as a teacher, the church they went to was just a few feet away from the sea and when the tide came in, and it happened to be monsoon, the water reached to their waists, but still they worshipped.

    She was in miserable circumstances, but she knew Her Lord saw her, because Her Lord knows her by name.

    In the end, the Lord worked things out, and brought her husband home to her. She once again had her family, and her children had grown with respect for her the size of the world, and a love for the Lord she loved.

    She is in the States now. Her circumstances had changed. A bit. She still needs to work. But her husband is with her. And above all, she knows Her Lord is with her.

    Little sister, I have no idea at all why the Lord seems to bless others, and allow others to go through fire and tribulation. But this is the only thing I can offer you:

    "Casting your cares upon Him; for He careth for you". 1 Peter 5:7.
     
  3. belvedere

    belvedere Member

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    The conclusion I've come to is that some people get jealous whenever someone else is happier than they are. They try to make you feel guilty for being happy. Misery loves company!
     
  4. Allan

    Allan Active Member

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    There's more gold in this truth brother than in Fort Knox!
     
  5. Sopranette

    Sopranette New Member

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    After my injuries and subsequent recoveries, I was better physically, but something emotional inside me had changed. Everyone in my family had been encouraging, but I had not heard one word from my church. Month after month, this one thing grew big and ugly inside me. The people I knew there, they had forgotten me, was my impression. I never wanted to attend church again with so-called Christians, although I still loved God. I was withdrawn and bitter. I actually wrote a note to my pastor with this bitter spirit inside, but at the last minute, I didn't give it to him. Then, just yesterday, my church contacted me and lifted me up again in the most wonderful way. I guess my point is, the hard times can be lonely and long, but the good God-filled times are enough to make you strong enough to get up and fight another day.

    love,

    Sopranette
     
  6. superwoman8977

    superwoman8977 New Member

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    Okay and I havent given up going to church I still go in fact I have been attending 2 different ones -- one on Saturday night and one on Sunday morning plus time in the word plus reading alot and right now if I have one more person tell me the scriptures are gonna give me answers and hope I so want to smack them. Right now as much as I have been in them the scriptures feel empty to me. I am angry I had an awesome life. An awesome church, friends, family, a vehicle that ran, a husband that I thought loved me, I have lost it all. I am driving to work this morning in a van that needs tyrods and brakes and needs to be fixed when i see these nice new cars zipping around me. I am like ok God what did I do to deserve all of this, love you I guess and well look where I ended up with that. I am not a person that can just open the bible and start to read and understand it. Thats why I listen to Beth Moore and Joyce Meyer and others and then study the scriptures to back what they are saying. I went to church this weekend and when I got home I took my son to the pool and spent that time while he was swimming pouring over the scriptures as to what the pastor preached that day. For some reason I have been in this blah mood since Sunday, not sure why. Basically go to work and come home and mope around the house, making dinner as simple as possible and cleanup as easy as possible and then just laying around the rest of the night till bedtime, then get up in the morning and drag myself to the shower and start all over again. I would just like one thing to go well, just one thing would be nice, thats where I am coming from.
     
  7. 4His_glory

    4His_glory New Member

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    Pinoybaptist great post.

    I had often wondered how a Christian can suffer so much pain, hurt and sorrow but still have joy. God has taught me that one of the paradoxes of the christian life is that the greatest joy is often encountered in the times of greatest sorrow and distress. Its not that the one enjoys the circumstances of his trial but that he finds he can rejoice in the graciousness of God. To truly understand this one must experience it. Thats the bottom line.

    One of the prayers in the book The Valley of Vision, which is a book of puritan prayers and meditations that has blessed me, is this:

    Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from
    deepest wells,
    and the deeper the wells the brighter
    Thy stars shine;
    Let me find Thy light in my darkness,
    Thy life in my death,
    Thy joy in my sorrow,
    Thy grace in my sin,
    Thy riches in my poverty
    Thy glory in my valley.


    To me, that says it all in regards to joy and happiness in the christian life.
    Dear sister in Christ I still pray that you will find true christian joy in your life.
     
  8. pinoybaptist

    pinoybaptist Active Member
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    These are good words, really, and they are true. One cannot take issue with it.
    And you are right.
    It is easy to talk of comfort when you're not the one hurting, because, really, in the end, it all boils down to you, and your Lord.
    We have you in our prayers, and I am sure there are people praying for you, sister, here on this board, and elsewhere.
     
  9. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    SW - I understand your pain. What you are experiencing is absolutely normal for anyone who has been through your circumstances but what God tells us is that our joy is not to be dependent on our circumstances.

    What I'd counsel you to do if you were a friend of mine or one of the ladies in our congregation is to make a plan. I'm going to suggest that you not worry about your boyfriend right now but find joy in the Lord today. Look at the beautiful flowers that are on the side of the road and know that God has dressed them - and will take care of you too. Look at your child and rejoice that you have been giving a tremendous blessing to raise for the Lord. Realize that you have a precious gift in having a job, a roof over your head and even a car that needs tires and brakes.

    I have a friend who's really struggling right now. She and her husband have a great marriage and beautiful children but he does not make enough to support the family. They have NO vehicles to use right now because the brake cable broke on their one truck so he has no way to get to work. Her children are eating just 2 meals a day and it's mostly rice with some cast-off vegetables from a local grower. She is struggling but you know what? She just showed me pictures of her children in brand new clothing - that she sewed from some material she had around the house. The kids are thrilled with their new shorts and shirts and have such glowing faces on!

    Does she have the right to be bitter? Yes. And I'm not going to say that she doesn't complain a bit about their circumstances, but she'll whine a little then say "Well, we have more than a lot of people have. I still have a roof over my head when all those people out in Ohio and such have no homes to go to. God is so good." It was a decision she made to have joy in her trials and I think because of that, her children are growing up in a healthy home even with the struggles. There is joy, laughter, and a thankfulness to God.

    I would really suggest that you begin to work on the heart issues you're having of bitterness and anger. I know you have been through some hard places but that doesn't mean that God has changed or is treating you differently than any other.

    (BTW - I'm also driving a car that has issues and we can't afford to fix them right now. I know others are driving nice cars but let me tell you - the majority are either leasing or in debt for those cars. I know that my car is paid off and I'm saving money over those other people. Perspective makes a huge difference.)
     
  10. donnA

    donnA Active Member

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    This is my main problem with Beth, and it isn't just her, I've noticed in a lot of bible studies they want you to write what that bible charcter might have been feeling or thinking. Asking you(not you personally) to answer what the bible does not say, adding opinion to scripture, now it looks like scripture because you(not you but the person using the study) managed to deduce it from scrupture. They base too much on what you or someone lese 'feels' and not on direct scripture.
     
  11. superwoman8977

    superwoman8977 New Member

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    The "pit" in my life to answer your question is my marriage and at the moment my life in general.
     
  12. donnA

    donnA Active Member

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    Since I've heard Beth speak about this many times, read many of her studies, and even saw her speak in person, I can say when she talks about 'the pit' is is sin in your life, and you wallowing in it, and the need to climb out of that pit.
     
  13. superwoman8977

    superwoman8977 New Member

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    but see thats the thing. What sin do I have in my life? I work all day come home be mom all evening, attend church, have time in the word, I dont have anywhere to go thats a sin maybe I am not understanding all of this. I dont know the whole thing is confusing and no I am not saying I am perfect because God knows I am not but at this moment in my life there isnt much wrong that can be done. I will be 31 years old in August and be a divorced mom with 2 kids struggling to make ends meet I dont drink., dont smoke, love the Lord, spend time in the word, and in prayer I dont know what sin there is in my life. Or why I am in the pit I feel like I am in. I am just confused by all of this.
     
  14. ReformedBaptist

    ReformedBaptist Well-Known Member

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    I am sorry to hear of your struggles and depression. I pray the Lord Jesus Christ will shine His face upon you, lift up His countenance to you, and give you peace. By reading your words I see that you are burdened, heavy in heart, and weary. Come to Jesus with all your troubles and cares, He is meek and humble in heart, and in Him you will find rest for your soul.

    There may be many unanswered questions for a time. Be at peace with that. Find your refuge under the shadow of His wings. Do you sometimes feel the weight of condemnation for sins? Is Jesus your Lord? Then know of certainty that He invites you to His side, covering you in His righteousness, that you may come to the throne of grace and mercy in your time of need.

    You are confused you say, let the Lord give you a sound mind. You are hurting, let the Lord bring His healing. Let Him who became your sin minister to you. He became sin that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. It is upon the merits of HIS obedience that you can come freely without fear to God your Father in this time.

    My family will be praying for you and your husband. We will lift up your chldren before the Lord and ask for His intervention in all of your lives.

    Blessings.
     
  15. donnA

    donnA Active Member

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    I know it has to be a struggle being a single mom, I've seen women go through this, it's never pretty.
    I know it's confusing, you don't know whats going on or why. Just trust God to know, as long as He knows we don't need too, just follow Him.
    But, we all have sin in our lives, and need to work on removing them, how about attitude toward God because of your husbands actions, might be a good place to start.
    I'm only telling you this is what Beth means by 'the pit', our own sin dragging us down in 'the pit.
     
    #55 donnA, Jun 18, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 18, 2008
  16. nunatak

    nunatak New Member

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    Thank you for giving words of charity to our sister.
     
  17. menageriekeeper

    menageriekeeper Active Member

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    Look, you mustn't buy in to the idea that because bad things are happening that you must be sinning. Yes God often chastens us for our sin but sometimes bad things happen because God wants to make a point. Jesus put it this way:

    John 9
    Joh 9:1And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.Joh 9:2And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?Joh 9:3Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

    Now you might say "I don't want God making points with my life. I want things the way I want them." But that is somewhat selfish considering all God has done for us and we don't want to go through a little suffering for Him.

    Now, you might have sin in your life, we can't say. God can, so asked Him to show what needs working on.

    You might not have sin in your life and in this case you ask God what you need to be learning from this experience or what you are teaching others by how you go through this experience and whether or not you are doing a good job of it. (yes, it is just as possible to suffer with a good attitude as with a bad one!)

    The whole point of a Christian's life is to glorify God! Sometimes in order to do that we have to go through trials and tribulations. That is just the way it is. The bad times aren't fun, but when you come out on the other side you will likely be amazed at what you've learned and how you've matured in your faith.
     
  18. superwoman8977

    superwoman8977 New Member

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    But its so much more than that. I know if I am not in a good mood then I am not of a cheerful spirit etc. I really thinks the Lord wants us happy so we can be lights of Christ to others. I know like today I am in a really blah mood actually been in it all week and for me to paste on a smile and be a light isnt going to happen at least not today. I am so much more open and everything when I have alot to smile about. It seems in here its all about sharing Christ well great but you cant share Christ when your walls are crashing down around you and you cant get a grip etc. Because people can tell me all they want to look past whats going on but for me and most humans thats kind of hard when you are at the point of devastation. I look at Paul and I think what was he on that he can sit there with a smile when he is being beaten etc I am not that strong I admit it wholheartedly. At this moment my life is in shambles I want nothing more than to go home tonight escape all the happy people and climb into my bed and cry. Hoping that this all ends soon. Hoping for one ray of sunshine in a very dreary day.
     
  19. donnA

    donnA Active Member

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    MK, just wanted to make sure you know I wasn't saying bad things were happening in her life because of sin, we were discussing what Beth Moore means by 'the pit'.
     
  20. donnA

    donnA Active Member

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    We can be lights even when we aren't happy. The world knows how they handle these situations, what they need to know is how a christian handles them, which is why we sometimes have to go through bad times, so the world sees what a christian looks like. For the christian it is important to handle these bad times as scripturally as we know how, God will give us the strength.
     
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