We must count our losses as gains because they teach us things. Never ignore the losses and the lessons they are as valuable as the other blessings.
Yes, losses and failures are blessings that bring us along in maturity. Those who avoid tough things, and avoid discussing tough things are those who do not learn.
Those who cannot face the truth of difficult times are walking in fear. Fear of how they look in the eyes of others and fear of facing the truth.
1 Corinthians 13:6-7 "… 6 Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
Galatians 6:2
"Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
As my husband says often; "a burden shared is half a burden and a joy shared is twice a joy."
When we love someone we share it all, the burdens as well as the joys.
Selfish people speak only of their happy times and run away as soon as we share our trials.
An unselfish person full of God's love does not run from trials nor do they pretend they have none. It is through sharing that we open up a relationship path for others to share with us.
Honesty can be trusted but counterfeit joy with the pretense of continual happiness is dishonesty and cannot be trusted.
Romans 15:1
"We who are strong ought to bear with the shortcomings of the weak and not to please ourselves."
1 Thessalonians 5:14
"And we urge you, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone."
It is clear from these scriptures that we are to engage with believers in honesty that we might be an encouragement to one another. Not to build pride but to be a "wing man" of sorts, that is sit with our friend as if we were going through with them in all things.
What is a wing man? "A wingman is a pilot who flies in formation behind and outside the lead aircraft, providing support and backup."
Just showing up to be support to those who are ailing or even those who are enjoying a blessing is what true friendship is all about. Believers are a family of siblings, we are deeply connected to one another by Christ.
1 John 3:16
"By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers."
It isn't easy to find someone like this in these end times. However, we can be one of these people as the Lord leads, for others.
John 15:12-13
"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. / Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
Laying down our lives for others does not necessarily mean to die for them, it is rare that this is needed, but we can lay aside our own things to be there for someone else when Christ directs.
Philippians 2:2-4
"then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose. / Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. / Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."
The greatest love we can be for one another is to seek Christ for truth and be unified in following Him. For this to happen we must know His word, not our desired belief about His word, but His meaning to be able to edify one another.
The purpose of the gathering of believers is not to make others become just like us, it is to encourage one another to be like Christ.
The purpose of gathering together is to edify one another. Our worship is in Spirit and in Truth all week long, our gathering is to encourage one another and build one another up to live more fully for Christ. We do not do this with flattrey and praise to one another, but speaking to one another the things of God that we might grow in holiness.
Ephesians 5:19-21
"19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord;
20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to our God and Father;
21 and subject yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ."
When I began to pray for wisdom God opened the floodgates of understanding about many things and this is one of them. He made it clear that our purpose on earth is to spread the gospel as led by the Holy Spirit and to edify, encouraging the saints so we are all equipped to be used by God.
No one is above another, no one is special, we are all indwelt by the Holy Spirit and He is the One Who speaks to us and leads us, each one according to the gifts He has given us.
1 Corinthians 12:14-27
"14 For the body is not one part, but many.
15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body.
16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body.
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, just as He desired.
19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 But now there are many parts, but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again, the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary;
23 and those parts of the body which we consider less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor, and our less presentable parts become much more presentable,
24 whereas our more presentable parts have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked,
25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same care for one another.
26 And if one part of the body suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if a part is honored, all the parts rejoice with it."
Notice God does not mention the brain here? Is is possible the brain could represent the Holy Spirit Who controls all the other parts of the body?
A paid pastor could not effectively speak on this passage because he would have to admit he is no higher or worth more than any other person sitting in the pew, and yet the attendees treat him as though he is the authority over the rest.
The Holy Spirit is the only Authority over every believers. We all have our rules different from one another but no one is special or better, only Christ is special and best.
Romans 12:4-5
"Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function, / so in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another."
Those who want a hierarchy or want to be a hierarchy do not understand God's purpose for the body. Christ must be pre-eminent and all the believers with all the different functions and callings must point to Christ in their calling.
Ephesians 4:12-16
"to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ, / until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ. / Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming."
So we are all in the body with a purpose and we are each led by the Holy Spirit. We listen to one another to evaluate the accuracy according to the Bible, but no one has authority over another, that would be to usurp the Authority of the Holy Spirit.
Colossians 1:18
"And He (Christ) is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence."
So, do not allow the traditions of men to place pressure on you to be like them, be led instead by the Holy Spirit.
Hallelujah!!!!!
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