Difficult Renewal ...

Friday, Feb 14, 2014. God wants us to be renewed by his spirit. It is not a renewal which is once for ever - it is a renewal which takes place step by step. Our own decisions, our own will and our own actions are part of this change!

Not that easy …

Let us recall the parts from Ephesians 4 which we have read yesterday. We are told:

31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4)

But it is not that easy, to do all this. When we are in the middle of managing many things, with dependencies to all sides, there are things which do not work properly. Perhaps you experience this in your own life. It can be in your family, when you try to care for parts of the household, but someone in your family who does something you need does not do it properly. Or it can be in your company, when you need some input from here or there, and it is not given properly. Or it can be in your church, when you try to make things happen, and others do not care and you do not get the support you need.

In all these situations we can become quite angry. We can be quite frustrated. We can be quite bitter about the situation. What to do? Just leave everything behind and do something else? Just ignore things and search for a niche to live in, which the big lines of development are devastated?

In the middle of turmoil …

We are called to be renewed in the middle of turmoil. In the middle of chaos. In the middle of difficulties and frustrations. God does not keep us away from all this. He does not keep us away from illness or death. In the middle of just ordinary problems we are called to learn from his spirit.

We need to see that faith is not a way out of this life. It takes place in the middle of this life. It takes place when you have real problems! It takes place when things are not as they should be. It takes place when there seems to be no hope! Then, in particular then, God will be close to you.

And when God is close to you, there is hope. It is not the hope the world can give. It is not the easy solution. But it is an easy solution, since you have a great father, who will help you and will hold you. It is easy, since he will perform his wonders in your life. He will change your heart, and put your hope on a solid ground, on his character, on his promises, on his faithfulness! (Roland Potthast) ... more texts