What do you do in moments of loss and disappointment?
- Do not Ignore it
- It becomes easy to bury it, and when it comes back, you go crazy
- Position Yourself for Healing
- Learn to mourn effectively
- Mark 16: The disciples do not believe Mary. Mourning can lead to unbelief. Yet, Jesus says, "mourn with those who mourn."
- Pour your heart out--you need to make time and just talk out loud to God.
- I read the Psalms until I can hear my heart's cry, until what I am reading is me with an answer. You write it, memorize it, pray over it.
- Begin to give Him praise for the very area you feel dejected about. Begin to recall the times that you HAVE seen a miracle and breakthrough in the area of your loss. It is called a sacrifice of praise for a reason--it is a step beyond convenience. "The darker the cloud over me, the more exuberant I'll become in my praise." Chris Gore--thank God for the other person's breakthrough and that will invite in your own.
- Do not reject hope
- Try to spend time with a friend that is funny (sitcoms made to laugh about a sin so we eventually would be made to accept it.) "Laughter is good medicine, and I need a prescription."
- He's not on trial--I will ask Him questions (Mary's Q: "How can this be? I'm a virgin.) "How can I have received so many words and not have it come about?"
- No self-condemnation. Do not say, "I should have," "If I had only." If it does not lead to faith, do not touch it.
- He will give us peace that surpasses understanding
- Have the Right Mindset
- Anointing
- Start looking for people with the same problem that caused your loss, because:
- Proverbs 6: "When a thief is caught, he has to pay back 7x greater that what he stole"
- "You might as well cash it in."
- Control
- God is not willing that everyone is perishing--not everything is controlled by Him...unless we invite Him into prayer.
- The Bible: "He created the heavens for Himself and He created the Earth for man."
- Psalms 8: "You have made man to have dominion over the works of your hands."
- God can use junk to restore family, but He is not the author of it (ex. Mandy's fracture, and her parents' connection.)
- "So many people that believe it's God's will to get sick still go to the doctor to get it fixed."
- Romans 8:28:
"A verse of comfort when things do not work out as they should"
- Promise v. Potential
- How to avoid unbelief
- "The way you stay encouraged is to feed yourself on what He's doing and what He's done"
- "Oftentimes when you're willing to do what you're not qualified to do, that's what qualifies you." (ex. John the Baptist baptizing Jesus)
- Matthew 11: In prison, John sends two disciples to Jesus to find out if He is really the One.
- Jesus' job description: He would release people from prison. John is not getting released. John had prepared for Jesus' coming!
- Jesus says: "Go tell John the things that you hear and see." Jesus is trying to get John back to what He IS doing. "Blessed [happy] is He who is not offended because of me."...All that you prophesied is being fulfilled. Offense comes from unbelief, from putting your attention on what God hasn't done.
- "If certain concepts are established in your heart in difficulty, they will be there for the rest of your life."
- "I never have to beg God to do something"
- "To beg God for healing is assuming I have more mercy than he does." Randy Clark.