Curse The Day I Was Born
This week’s Takeaway is from eGroup leader Lindsay Lachapelle.
Do you ever feel God is against you? You're not alone.
Early in Jeremiah's life (Jeremiah 1:4-19), God calls His prophet to speak His truth about what He will bring about to the people and to speak it boldly. Jeremiah feels he is too young to be a prophet to all the nations, but God assures him that He will be there with Jeremiah and give him the words to speak. He warns Jeremiah that it will not be easy for him, and he will face many trials, but God will not let the people overcome him, and He will rescue him.
Jeremiah starts telling people about God's word despite his worries about doing what God called him to do. When he does, he is shamed and mocked for it. In Jeremiah 20:1-6, the priest Pashhur has Jeremiah beaten and shamed for what Jeremiah speaks. When they finally let him go, Jeremiah tells Pashhur that his name will now be 'Terror on Every Side' and that he will become a terror to himself and his friends around him. Right after he finishes telling Pashhur all the Lord told him to, Jeremiah cries out to the Lord about how he is feeling after all that he just went through. Jeremiah 20:7-18 is Jeremiah's cry to the Lord about the mockery and shame he is going through because of what he is speaking.
Honesty is intimacy, not blasphemy: During his cry out to the Lord, Jeremiah never speaks blasphemy against the Lord; he is just honest with how he feels about what God has called him to do. Nothing Jeremiah said was untrue of the Lord; he was open and honest about what he was going through, and by sharing that with the Lord, their relationship became more intimate with Him.
Do you struggle with being open with the Lord even though He knows all you are going through?
Intimacy is the outlet: God is the outlet we can go to when things are hard and we are going through something incredibly painful and challenging. Though Jeremiah was all over the place with his cry to the Lord, being frustrated, thankful, and then desperately calling out to Him, his cry to the Lord drew him closer to God. That raw, honest moment allowed Jeremiah to cry out and be heard in one of his toughest moments.
We all process pain and emotions differently, but we can all bring that to the Lord. What way can you work on sharing your feelings more with the Lord?
How can you be an example for others in your walk, being vulnerable with the Lord in order to draw them closer to God?
Recall what God has said: When God calls Jeremiah to be a prophet, He never says it will be easy and tells Jeremiah that he will go through struggles, but He also promises always to rescue Jeremiah and not let him be overcome. It is only after Jeremiah remembers that He can worship and sing praises to the Lord.
When we go through something challenging, we find ourselves on our knees, asking God to speak to us, but we need to remember to look back at God's words and remember what He has already promised us. Just like He did for Jeremiah, God promises He will rescue us and never leave us. What promises do you need to be reminded of today that will give you the strength to keep walking through the path God has for you?
What promises can you share with others to give them the hope they need to walk through a tough time?
Sing to the Lord, for He rescues the poor: Even in the midst of the struggle that Jeremiah was going through and the heart-wrenching pain of even cursing the day he was born, Jeremiah takes a moment to sing praises to the Lord and to worship Him for being Jeremiah's rescuer.
God rescues the poor (in mind, spirit, wealth, etc.), and though he never promised us it would be easy, we are to sing praises to him even in the midst of the pain and trouble. Do you struggle singing praises to the Lord when walking through something challenging? Why?
In your intimacy, do not sin: Jeremiah said many heavy, heartbreaking things to the Lord but never once did he curse the Lord or his parents. He shared honestly and was completely raw with God, but he didn't turn on God or his family.
Honesty and openness are healing ways of working through challenging times but turning on the Lord and cursing him for what you are going through will only build resentment and anger. Do you see patterns in your pain that tend to lead you to curse God, or are you able to share your feelings with the Lord while remembering He is still God?
Does being open with God make you nervous because you feel like you are sinning? If so, know that God ALWAYS wants to hear your heart, and you can be honest with him without sinning.
MAKE A MOVE:
Life was never promised to be easy, and though God is a good God, there are challenging times we are brought through that may seem like God is against us. It's okay to be honest with God; He desires to hear you cry out to Him. So this week, be honest with yourself and God about how you feel about what you are going through. It doesn't have to be orderly and perfect (unless that's how your brain functions), but just lay what you feel at the Lord's feet. He is bigger than what you are facing, and bringing that to Him will give you the space you need to praise Him and grow even closer.
PRAYER PROMPT:
Lord, even though life is not always easy and you ask us to walk through challenging seasons for your glory, I pray that you would be with me as I go. Give me strength to be honest and open with you, laying my burdens at your feet so you can strengthen me and remind me of your promises that you will never leave me and you will help me overcome. Help me to find joy in your promises and let that joy overflow to praise that I can sing to you, no matter what I am working through. Thank you for loving us even in our pain. Amen.
Do you need prayer? Have feedback? Want to share something? Reach out to our staff.