Biblical Counseling Insights https://biblicalcounselinginsights.com Life Discipleship Resources from Dr. Henry Brandt Thu, 09 Jul 2020 02:30:02 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.8.1 A Desperate Act https://biblicalcounselinginsights.com/blog/biblical-mental-health/a-desperate-act/ Thu, 06 Oct 2011 20:57:10 +0000 http://biblicalcounselinginsights.com/blog/?p=2006 Eric Green lay in a pool of his own blood on the bathroom floor. He watched the red stream spurt from his slashed wrists and trickle along the masonry grooves that separated the little squares of tile. Powerless to stop it, he saw the blood crawl steadily onward and spill into more grooves.

He had started this flow. It was something he had wanted to do—to end his life. But now the horror of his choice overwhelmed him. What a mistake he had made!

“O God I don’t want to die!” he cried feebly. He knew chances were small that he would survive. An hour might pass before his wife returned—and she would be too late to save him.

He marshaled his wits to give himself an order. Get up and look through the medicine chest for adhesive tape. He tried to bring his legs up under him, but could not. He was too weak. He could only clasp his wrists with opposite hands and press his fingers across the gashes in an attempt to hold back the blood. But the blood was not to be contained. He saw it flow from beneath his weakening fingers.

“I’m a fool. My whole life I’ve been a fool!” he gasped. Then his mind began to fog, and the brightness of the blood seemed to fade. Eric Green slipped into unconsciousness; he lay there alone somewhere in the twilight between life and death …

The day had begun when Eric woke up to the smell of bacon frying. He liked bacon the way Ann, his wife, fixed it. But this morning he had no appetite for any food. He had no “stomach” either for the job that faced him that day as office manager in a large industrial firm.

“I just can’t go to work today,” he said to his wife as he plodded out to the kitchen.

“Have some coffee, and you’ll feel better,” Ann said, holding a steaming cup toward him.

There was little breakfast conversation until Ann reminded Eric he’d be late for work.

Wouldn’t she ever take him at his word? “Ann, I tell you, I’m not going,” he said sharply. “I hate those people. They make me nervous. I can’t face them today.”

“That’s last week’s song, and you played it the week before that,” she said with sarcasm. “Try something else for a change.”

That brought Eric’s temper to a boil. “When we were first married, you understood the difficulties I faced at the plant. At least you said you did,” he shouted. “Maybe you were just as cold-hearted then as you are now—only I couldn’t see through you.”

An hour went by while the quarrel raged on. Eric pushed back his dishes and laid his head in his hands on the table.

“Don’t expect any sympathy from me for the mistakes you make consistently at the office or at church or wherever you go,” she said over the excessive clattering of her dishwashing. “You act like a kid enough without my babying you …”

“What do you mean by that?” he demanded, rising up.

“What do I mean?” she replied. “‘Why, everybody knows if Eric Green doesn’t get his own way he blows his top—and woe to anyone around when the fallout comes.”

Eric pushed back his chair. “Where are those sleeping pills the doctor gave me?”

“In the medicine chest. Why?”

“I need one,” Eric said. “I need a whole bottleful.”

Ann said nothing.

“Did you hear me, Ann? I said I am going to swallow all 20 pills at once.”

Ann turned. Lines of disbelief appeared around her mouth. “I thought you were too sick to make jokes to get my sympathy. But as long as you’re at it, there’s a new package of razor blades next to the sleeping pills in the cabinet. I’m going next door.”

Eric Green had been a sociable fellow, a back-slapper, a joiner. Flattery, manipulation, taking advantage of the situation for his own good—these had been his methods. They had gotten him through college and quite a way up the ladder of success. Who was the best darn fellow in the luncheon club? Eric Green, of course. Who made the biggest impression at church? Eric Green, everyone’s friend.

Inside, however, Eric realized he didn’t have much—except for an image. And lately that image was beginning to tarnish.

His lack of depth had started to show up at the office. And more than one person had recently questioned his sincerity in Christian work. As Ann said, his violent temper was his trademark. But he had always been able to laugh off his angry outbursts, and people seemed to forget. Over the past few months, however, people had stopped laughing with him.

The old techniques of getting by were no longer working, and that bothered him. But he’d find another way. Adjustment was his middle name.

If Eric ever felt guilty, he transferred that guilt to his father; his dad had always been too busy for the family. Or, he blamed his well-meaning, but inept, mother. She had tried to rear her children by high Christian standards, but somehow when Eric or his brother protested such standards, the boys always won out—first by tears and tantrums, later by threats and defiance. His mother’s practice of Christianity never seemed equal to the demands of two wild boys.

Not until he married did anyone really know what Eric was like. In the two years Ann and Eric had been together, she had frequently confronted him. She had made him unsure of himself. Maybe that was why he had been having so much difficulty with the people in his life lately, why failure was piling upon failure. He had to show her …

In the seconds just before Eric lost consciousness, he admitted it wasn’t Ann or his mother or his father who had caused his trouble. It was no one but himself.

Eric woke up in the hospital. He found Ann by his side. She had hardly stirred in the cream and sugar at the neighbor’s when she became convicted about the mean things she had said to her husband. She went back home, called for Eric in a tone of conciliation, and found him when she saw a tiny stream of blood trickle under the bathroom door.

Eric, his old image laid aside, asked his wife for forgiveness. They had a tender reunion, and after his recovery, Eric made an appointment for counseling help.

“Dr. Brandt,” he said, “I’m a Christian, but I haven’t much lived like one.”

There was little of the Christian life I could tell him except to review what he already knew—and had known since the days when his mother had tried to teach him in her inadequate way. We spoke of hate and anger and insincere relations with others as the works of the flesh.

We discussed the spiritual walk of the Christian as outlined in Galatians 5 and Colossians 3, and what Jesus has to say in Matthew 15:8 about mere lip service.

Eric had been deliberately rejecting God’s demands on his life. The severe indictment of Romans 1 against those who do not want to retain God in their knowledge was beginning to apply to him. Seeing this, he earnestly repented and asked God to change him.

Eric came around so fast that people doubted the genuineness of the change. This was another blow to him. But gradually he realized that this was a part of the test he had to go through in order to prove that the Eric Green who came back from near-death was thoroughly renewed by Jesus Christ.

 

The names and certain details in this true case history have been changed to protect each person’s identity and privacy.

 

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Overcoming Resentment https://biblicalcounselinginsights.com/blog/inner-peace/overcoming-resentment/ Thu, 24 Mar 2011 21:51:44 +0000 http://biblicalcounselinginsights.com/blog/?p=1954 Overcoming ResentmentAmy was a widow–the consequence of a motorcycle accident. Her husband was killed instantly. It happened two years earlier, and she continued to grieve over the loss of her husband. He was fun-loving and outgoing. She missed his friendly, cheerful presence. She always looked forward to his coming home. They were best friends. There were no children. She now lives alone in the house they were buying. She works in the church office and loves her job. When the church doors are open, she is always there. But going home is hard and lonely. Some friends have suggested that she move out of the house and live somewhere else. Her house holds too many memories.

That statement caught my attention. What kind of memories? Isn’t it good to have happy memories? Is it possible that there are unhappy memories that crowd out the happy ones? I encouraged her to recall some unhappy memories toward the people who caused the accident that killed her husband.

She took me by surprise. Yes, there were unhappy memories. They centered around that motorcycle. She did not want him to buy it. In the first place, it was a strain on the budget. They could not afford a powerful motorcycle and a decent car–so they drove a ten-year-old car. They would go for long motorcycle rides in the evenings. He was a bit reckless, cutting in and out, going too fast. She hated those rides. He loved them. He insisted on riding the motorcycle to church. She despised showing up at church with her helmet and messed-up hair.

One night he proposed that they go for a ride. It was an ideal evening. She did not want to go. The discussion became heated, but she stood her ground. He went for a ride alone. A car went through a stop sign and hit him broadside. He died on the pavement.

How does she feel when she talks about this? It makes her mad. He left her with an old car, house payments, and even motorcycle payments. He was underinsured, which left her to pay off some debts. She hates writing those checks. If only he had listened to her, it would not have happened. Her thoughts are usually disapproval of his choices. She resents the position he left her in. Over and over, she reviews her grudge against him.

I could see another problem. But when to speak and when to wait is often difficult to discern. The Bible says, “Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:15).

My heart went out to her. Was she ready for my opinion? What does she think I will say? She thinks I will tell her to quit resenting her husband. But she tells herself that she is entitled to resent him. I agree. Her husband left her in a mess. She can nurse her grudge against her husband as long as she wishes. But she must realize that she is punishing herself. As long as she holds her grudge, her life is anchored in the past. Over and over again she relives the agony of that day and nurses her resentment. She can be released from this bondage only if she is ready to let it go.

Jesus instructs us to forgive men their trespasses (Matthew 6:14) and to love one another (John 13:34), so I finally said, “One option you have is to forgive your husband, repent of your resentment, let the Lord forgive you, and then ask him to fill your heart with love.”

She was ready for that opportunity. I observed a miracle as she released her grudge, asked for forgiveness, and received the love of God in her heart. Immediately she was released from her burden, and now she is free.

Amy’s experience illustrates what happens when two problems coexist. One can overshadow the other. It seems reasonable that the tragic death of her husband would explain her misery. In this case however, it was the resentment that held the sting.

[This story is taken from Dr. Brandt’s book, The Word for the Wise. The names and certain details in this true case history have been changed to protect each person’s identity and privacy.]

[Go to Discover Inner Peace]

 

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Is Feeling Guilty the Same as Repentance? https://biblicalcounselinginsights.com/uncategorized/feeling-guilty-and-repentance/ Thu, 10 Mar 2011 21:18:45 +0000 http://biblicalcounselinginsights.com/blog/?p=1950 Is Feeling Guilty the Same as RepentancePerry Black was the production expediter for a printing firm, a bachelor in his 30s, and lonely. He hurried to do what was required of him if asked by someone he liked; if asked by someone else, his feet seemingly were of lead. He gave the impression that he was always available and willing to do anything at all to be helpful, but admitted it was just an impression. He actually hated to be disturbed.

He liked a pat on the back and, if praise was to be the reward, would dig for hours to come up with an obscure fact or figure. But if he felt someone was taking advantage of him, he put on his suit of armor:  “OK, Mr. Big, let’s just see if you can put one over on me.” He found satisfaction if someone esteemed by others was tripped up by an error.

Perry wanted people to like him, but resented having his routine broken. He preferred to live alone, talk on subjects of interest to him, give anyone the deep freeze that interrupted or contradicted him – but he was overwhelmed by loneliness.

I suggested that he was quite an artist. He had painted a perfect picture of selfishness and deception. However the picture was known not only to him and to me. In talking with some of his associates, I discovered that he had been unsuccessful in trying to hide his true feelings and attitudes. Everyone who knew Perry Black knew him as a fellow who served reluctantly and was impatient and self-centered.

Was it any wonder that he was left out? He had driven himself into a lonely corner. He wanted life served up to him on his own terms.

To be helped, Perry first had to face the truth about himself and admit that all his life he had denied what now was his own description of himself. Then, he had to recognize that to feel inadequate, guilty, and self-conscious was not the same as to repent. He needed to be saved–from all that was the old Perry Black.

He confessed his sin and asked Christ into his heart. The Bible became his guidebook for life. Proverbs 18:24, for example, took on meaning for him:  “A man that hath friends must show himself friendly.” He found it was possible to “lose” his life yet “find” it.

The change did not come overnight. For months he fought the truth about himself. But today the Holy Spirit is the motivating power in his life, and he is enjoying the ”peaceable fruit of righteousness” of Hebrews 12:11 in his work and in his relationships with other people.

 

[The names and certain details in this true case history have been changed to protect each person’s identity and privacy.]

 

 

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Do I Accept What He Has to Offer? https://biblicalcounselinginsights.com/blog/inner-peace/do-i-accept-what-he-has-to-offer/ Thu, 24 Feb 2011 19:45:48 +0000 http://biblicalcounselinginsights.com/blog/?p=1940 Do I Accept What He Has to Offer 2Let me share this letter from a woman to her brother that she recently shared with me:

Dear Bill:

I don’t have to remind you of the problem Mom always was. How well you knew her self-pity, sarcasm, jealousy, suspicion, injustice, self-righteousness, and nagging that ended only in long periods of sulky silence. You rebelled openly, but my rebellion was silent. I buried the bitterness and resentment, but I buried them in the wrong place. I hid them in my heart and they have come back to torment me. Even after she died, I blamed Mom for making me the wretched person I was.

Things got worse after Ken and I married. I no longer had the moral support of family and friends to bolster my attitude. I was suddenly surrounded by new people, and a new set of circumstances. In them, I discovered a new measurement of myself, and in the balance I was found wanting. About a year ago, a series of events brought me to a long conversation with the Lord. When it was over, I realized I couldn’t go through life blaming someone else for what I was. The trouble was, I didn’t know what to do, I only added confusion to resentment.

Two weeks ago, Dr. Henry Brandt came to speak in our town. Talking to him privately, I told him in more detail what I’ve told you. He said I needed to do two things: 1) forgive Mom, and 2) pray for grace to face the kind of people to whom I react bitterly. He said that if the memories of Mom stir rancor in me, it is because rancor is in me. “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts…wickedness…pride and foolishness” (Mark 7:21-22).

My problem, then, turns out to be not Mom, but me and my relationship with the Lord. Because Christ offers peace and joy in place of bitterness and anger, the question boils down to this: Do I accept what He has to offer, or don’t I?

Bill, I have made my choice, but much still remains to be worked out in my daily life. Frankly, I’m a little scared. However, although I know a lot about my own weakness, I also know something about the strength of the Lord.

All through the years, our problem of rebelliousness and hatred has been the same. The answer is the same, too. I want you to enjoy the wonderful peace that has come into my life through Christ.

Your sis,

Linda

 

The names and certain details in this true case history have been changed to protect each person’s identity and privacy.

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Marriage God’s Way https://biblicalcounselinginsights.com/blog/inner-peace/marriage-gods-way/ Fri, 24 Sep 2010 00:50:16 +0000 http://biblicalcounselinginsights.com/blog/?p=1877 Marriage God's Way“… present yourselves to God …” (Romans 6:13).

Sometimes it seems as though a long-lasting marriage is determined by chance or circumstances or just plain old luck. However, there are some steps that will enable you to establish your marriage on a solid foundation that will help you stay in it for the long haul. Taking this series of steps will bring your life into continuous subjection to the will of God. If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior, consider seeking someone out today who can show you how to know Him personally. Then follow these steps (and repeat as necessary!):

1. Evaluate your behavior

2. Accept your condition

3. Receive forgiveness from God

4. Surrender to the power of God

Evaluate Your Behavior

Before you can solve a problem, you must first find out what the problem is. We live in an orderly world. It operates according to definite, dependable laws. For example, we take care to make allowance for the law of gravity. A dear, elderly gentleman put up a ladder to do some work on his roof, but he placed it so that it was crooked. When he climbed up the ladder, it began to slide. He fell and broke his hip. Here was a man, a devout Christian, who was careless about observing the law of gravity. He fell just as the worst criminal would have fallen if he had gone up the ladder.

People take the laws of friction into account. A student took a curve in the road too fast on an icy day. His car went end over end, and he came out of the wreckage with a battered head. He had ignored the laws of friction. He did not do this intentionally. He was not deliberately reckless. Yet the same thing happened to him as would have happened to the most reckless of drivers.

All of us know the importance of abiding by the laws of gravity and friction. These laws have been gathered and catalogued in books. As we study them, we learn what to expect if we abide by them and what to expect if we violate them.

The laws of human behavior are likewise gathered together in a Book–the Bible. To understand why people behave as they do and to understand why you behave as you do, you must understand the laws contained in the Bible. Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

The cause of inner unrest, conflict between people, and separation from God is because people live in violation of the laws found in the Bible. Isaiah 59:1-2 says, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” Deliberately or in ignorance, we reap the results of violating God’s laws, just as we reap the results of friction or gravity.

To understand the cause of inner unrest, conflict with people, and separation from God is to understand the effect of sin. To understand God’s solution is to understand the preventatives that keep us from sinning.

Paul wrote in the New Testament, “Indeed, I do not understand what I do, for I do not practice what I want to do, but I am always doing what I hate. But if I am always doing what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is right. Now really it is not I that am doing these things; but it is sin which has its home within me. For I know that nothing good has its home in me; that is, in my lower self; I have the will but not the power to do what is right. Indeed, I do not do the good things that I want to do. But if I do the things that I do not want to do, it is really not I that am doing these things, but it is sin which has its home within me. So I find this law: When I want to do right, the wrong is always in my way. For in accordance with my better inner nature I approve God’s law, but I see another power operating my lower nature in conflict with the power operated by my reason, which makes me a prisoner to the power of sin which is operating in my lower nature.” (Romans 7:15-23)

To illustrate, a student tells of his experience. Night after night, before he retired, he determined that he would go through the next day with a wholesome, positive reaction toward circumstances and people. One morning, he was particularly determined to have a good day. He left his room, raced for the elevator, and just as he got there the door closed. He was forced to wait a few minutes. When he did get on the elevator, another passenger accidentally stepped on his foot. He walked away very aware that he was annoyed at both incidents in spite of his determination to react in a wholesome, kindly way toward all such happenings.

A mother of two preschool children tells of her struggle with her attitude toward her children. Two specific tasks that faced her daily caused her much annoyance. She hated herself for it, but no amount of determination, willpower, or good intentions could give her control over her annoyance at feeding picky children or dealing with their fusses. Granted, these are trying tasks, but the point here is that this woman was unable to achieve the desired attitude toward these tasks.

All of us, sooner or later, find ourselves doing, saying, feeling, or thinking in a way that is distasteful to us. And all of us, sooner or later, find ourselves not doing, saying, feeling, or thinking as we would like. All of these behaviors–or lack of them–are sin. And often these behaviors come from within us and feel as though they are beyond our control. To recognize and accept this fact is the first step toward a solution to the problem.

Most often we are angry when we are responding to the actions or attitudes of others. Anger, bitterness, wrath, pride, and hate are reactions to circumstances. These reactions may be invisible and can often be concealed to those around us, but not to God. We tend to overemphasize the value and importance of outward behavior and to minimize–or fail to realize–the importance given in the Bible to inward behavior.

In Galatians, Paul tells us, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

Again, these are inward, invisible qualities. You can act this way in your own strength, at least part of the time; but you can’t genuinely be this way without the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. If you doubt it, just pay attention to your inner responses to people or circumstances for one week.

Accept Your Condition

It is easy and common to find a reason outside of yourself that keeps you from loving your neighbor as yourself. It seems reasonable that missing an elevator, getting a toe stepped on, feeding picky children and dealing with their fusses, associating with people who have undesirable habits, or living with an uncooperative wife or husband are justifiable reasons for being unhappy. Under such circumstances anger, wrath, malice, bitterness, and resentment seem normal.

This reasoning seems to be sound. However, the Bible calls such reactions sinful. In other words, these circumstances are not putting these reactions into you; they are bringing these reactions out of you.

Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.” (Matthew 15:16-19)

Many people find this to be a shocking idea. It seems clear that the circumstances or the other person is the cause of their distress. It is hard to accept that their distress is a response to the circumstance or person.

The answer is that you can find peace and contentment without changing your circumstances or the people in your life. To do so involves recognizing that the situation you are in is not causing your distress. You must accept or acknowledge personal responsibility for your distress, for your sin.

You need a power outside yourself if you are to respond differently the next time you find yourself in a trying circumstance. You must accept personal responsibility without reservation. Dependence and faith in willpower, resolutions, insight, and/or determination are not the answer. A lingering thought that another person must be at least a little bit to blame is not the answer.

Many people prefer to find a reason for justifying anger, wrath, malice, envy, and similar emotions rather than finding freedom from them. They seek to change the circumstance or the person rather than to search for a source of peace, joy and comfort in the circumstance or with the person.

For example, consider a young man who had habits that his mother believed were bad. The mother kept insisting that her misery was caused by her son’s behavior. Accordingly, this mother felt quite clear in her own mind that the solution to her problem was to see a change in her son. Further, this woman believed that, being a Christian, she should not be agreeable toward her son lest she seem to be giving her blessing on his unacceptable habits. She was being a good Christian, she thought, by being angry and impatient with her son. The son, in turn, felt quite justified in being bitter, rebellious, hostile, and stubborn. He would not give in if it killed him. If there was a source of strength that would enable him to have a spirit of love, tenderness, gentleness, and compassion toward his mother, he would turn away from it. He insisted that his mother was the cause of these reactions.

The woman who had the task of teaching two small children how to eat right and how to stop fussing preferred to be annoyed. According to her, you should be annoyed at such a job. There is nothing wrong with being impatient with such a task. It is quite normal to be disgusted, tense, and dissatisfied at the end of the day. The children are the cause of these reactions. In her opinion, being a Christian has no bearing on the matter.

Many Christians find comfort in speaking of nerves, tension, anxiety, or stress–any term but sin. Many Christians feel that they have long ago settled the matter of living in sin. They are saved. They are sanctified.

But remember our definition of sin! “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness” (1 John 3:4).

If it applies, then it applies. It matters not who you are, how much responsibility you have, what your status is, or who your family is. You may have been trained to believe that to grin and bear it, even though you are seething inside, is evidence of piety; to speak in a well-modulated voice, even though you feel like screaming, is a mark of culture; to perform the task assigned, even though you rebel inwardly, is evidence of determination. Such behavior is surely to be expected from a social standpoint. However, from a personal standpoint, you benefit nothing. Your inward reaction is evidence of sinfulness.

You have seen that acceptance of your condition implies accepting personal responsibility without reservation. If you feel that you can and will conquer your circumstances, then you are not yet ready to accept the tendency to sin. It is best for you to try yourself. Expose yourself to your circumstances and pay attention to your inner reactions and your outward actions. Acceptance means that you are convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt that you are subject to your tendency to sin and that this causes you to react the way you do not want to react–and prevents you from reacting in a way that you would like to react. This applies to thoughts, feelings, desires, actions, or speech. These must be identified in detail and dealt with separately. Acceptance or acknowledgment of the presence of sin in your life opens the way for you to avail yourself of a better way of life as defined by Paul: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2).

Receive Forgiveness from God

Christ died to make forgiveness available to us: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

You may have noticed that acceptance of your tendency to sin is often a difficult step to take. Seeking forgiveness is an even more difficult step to take. To ask for forgiveness implies repentance and a willingness to forsake sins. Isaiah 55:7 teaches, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.”

Many people insist that a period of depression, self-condemnation, sadness, remorse, or weeping is evidence of repentance. In Quebec, one can see people climb five hundred cathedral steps on their knees in evidence of repentance. In India, a man may be lying on a bed of spikes. It is true that conviction of sin causes some people to react emotionally or to show evidence of repentance. However, true repentance is not found in the emotion or the action. It is, rather, being truly sorry enough for sin to hate and forsake it. Repentance involves following God’s plan and believing His Word.

1 John 1:9 says “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

The simplicity of receiving forgiveness is hard to accept. Nothing is required of you apart from acceptance of your sinfulness and of God’s forgiveness on His terms, not yours. This must be done from the heart. There is no other way. You must be completely sincere. You will not find forgiveness until you are convinced that you need it.

Yes, acceptance of your tendency to sin, confession of specific sins, and seeking forgiveness are contrary to our normal way of doing things. But the next step–surrender to the power of God–is the hardest of all to accept.

Surrender To the Power of God

At first glance, it would seem that to submit to the strength and power of God is something that everyone would gladly do. However, many people find this the hardest step of all to take. As Paul expresses it, “Our sufficiency is from God” (2 Corinthians 3:5).

Our human nature tends to rebel against accepting any kind of weakness or insufficiency. Even if you acknowledge the failures of your past, you may be unwilling to acknowledge your inability to please God in the future. We all tend to feel that since we understand the reason for our past failures, we can now do better. We tend to seek the answer to our sinfulness in two ways: to repent for past sins and to retain confidence in ourselves not to repeat past sins. We tend to retain our faith in our own self-discipline, willpower, training, and self-sacrifice.

To surrender to God means we must commit ourselves to a lifetime study of His will for every detail of our lives. It means recognizing our inability to do His will apart from His power and our need to submit to Him daily for His power.

Colossians 1:10-11 teaches us, “…that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy.”

To surrender to God involves a clear, definite yielding of one’s self completely to God, followed by day-by-day experience of that surrender. Note Paul’s words: “And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God” (Romans 6:13).

This is a matter of the will. Ephesians 5:18 instructs us to “Be filled with the Spirit.” Here is the secret of God’s power–the Holy Spirit expressing Himself through us! He works in us only as we let Him.

A young woman was married to a man who refused to give her spending money. This disturbed her to the extent that she was always feeling sorry for herself and was angry with her husband. She went to an older woman in the church who was known to be a calm, peaceful soul. The older woman said to the younger one: “Let me tell you my story. My husband keeps all the money. He seldom pays any attention to my opinion. Now that the children are married, he gives most of his time to them and has no room for me in his life. This has gone on for thirty years. It will probably go on as long as I live. All these years I have prayed daily for patience and every day God answers my prayer.”

This man’s behavior is totally selfish and another whole topic of discussion. But the point here is that his wife surrendered her unhappiness and frustration to God and found daily grace and strength to continue to love him. To surrender to God is to bring each circumstance of life to Him and receive from Him the strength to face it by His Spirit. It is one thing to make a broad, thoughtless statement that you will submit to God and another thing to surrender each detail of life to Him.

When you are impatient, you lack patience; when you are unhappy, you lack joy; when you are tense and anxious, you lack peace. You must continuously go to the source of supply. Comfort, mercy, grace, peace, joy, patience, and longsuffering with joyfulness will be yours only when you recognize that you lack them and when you let God give them to you.

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