July 12, 2009

Two Thoughts From Today

First, briefly, I am considering seriously buffering the "clean" entertainment I watch. We don't have cable TV; we hardly ever turn the TV on actually. But I love movies! The reason I'm even mildly considering forsaking all movies is because after watching them, I tend to become very discontent about my appearance, my circumstances, my life-choices, etc., just very self-centered in general. Some movies don't have this effect on me (like Lord of the Rings, for example), but others, many others do. For example: The Princess Diaries is a very cute, clean movie that morals the acceptance of our destined duties. However, after watching it my attitude is completely discontent: I want to be prettier; I want to be thinner; I want to be a princess. My desires have changed from being focused on my God-given, divinely ordered role in worshiping God, submitting to my husband and raising my children, to that of the world, which is the heart of idolatry.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:2

The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever.

You shall fear the Lord your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name. You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you
Deuteronomy 6:13-14

Second, 1 Corithians 13 has convicted me for some time after reading the post on Pursuing Titus 2: Losing Patience, Losing Love. If I am deficient in any of these particulars that describe and define love, I am being unloving.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrigteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails . . .
1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Sometimes it helps to write things in the opposite, negative way to help define what it is and what it is not. Love is not easily angered, love is not mean, love does not hoard it's own resources but is generous, etc. Today I have mostly considered "it does not take into account a wrong suffered". When someone mistreats me, accuses me, disrespects me, ignores me, etc. don't I remember that? Even when I want to forget, I can't. Sometimes intentionally or unintentionally I use that as a platform to harbor an unforgiving heart of bitterness toward that person, but not always.

But this was my other thought, what if the "wrong suffered" really caused hurt, not necessarily that which leads to bitterness and resentment - but you desire to forgive, but you are not able to "forget" because it just hurts? I guess the only response I can think of is to act loving, though the 'feeling' isn't there, simply out of obedience to the Word and perhaps the healing will follow through the course of time. Trust must always be built back and earned, if it was lost but I suppose the spirit of forgiveness must prevail.

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