Another Mourning With Tozer

No, I did not misspell that word in the title… 🙂

I’ve been having a tough time this last week trying to resolve some issues in myself that I keep stuffing down inside, and then busily go about my life trying hard to “let go” and push it all away from me. But when I close my eyes to pray, here it comes creeping up …a deep sadness…welling up within me that forces that tear to run down my cheek…
Some of you can probably relate…
So this morning I pick up Tozer and read yesterday’s devotion, because when I opened the book the words just glared out at me…

ROOT OF BITTERNESS…Ouch!

“Looking diligently…lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you.” Hebrews 12:15
Tozer says…”It is on record that Charles Spurgeon made this comment about a man who was well-known for his bitter and resentful spirit: ”May the grass grow green on his grave when he dies, for nothing ever grew around him while he lived!”
The sad and depressing bitter soul will compile a list of slights at which it takes offense and will watch over itself like a mother bear over her cubs, and the figure is apt, for the resentful heart is always surly and suspicious like a she-bear!
In our Christian fellowship, what can be more depressing than to find a professed Christian defending his or her supposed rights and bitterly resisting any attempt to violate them? Such a Christian has never accepted the way of the cross. The sweet graces of meekness and humility are unknown to that person. Everyday he or she grows harder and more acrimonious, trying to defend reputation, right, ministry, against imagined foes.”
Is there a cure for this? Yes!  

The cure is to die to self and rise with Christ into newness of life!
So, am I letting a little root of bitterness grow once again?

I know I’ve been feeling battle worn and weary…

Prayers that have been delayed for years and years…a little weary in faith and hope for things that seem impossible…
Then I was blessed by iMonk…
Interestingly enough the post started out with a tree with roots…
Here in the recent article called Spiritual Formation: The Plain, Hard Truth By Chaplain Mike my questions were answered…
“In the final analysis, there is only one thing that enables us to grow in Christ.

Suffering.

It’s the one thing that will enable you and me to grow.
Kudos if your church has a program for that! I’m serious. The Bible is replete with examples and teachings that verify this. Read the stories of the patriarchs in Genesis. What deepened their faith? What energized their obedience? What brought change and transformation to their lives so that they became for us the fathers and mothers of our faith? They grew through the sufferings and challenges that met them in the course of their lives. The patriarchal narratives are stories of conflict, struggle, pain, betrayal, disappointment, opposition, sins and their consequences, grief and loss, unfulfilled hopes, and seemingly impossible situations. And a God who guides them through all this mess. And people who learn to trust him in the midst of it all.It is suffering by which we grow.”
“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” Romans 8:16-17
Yes, this is so true! It is by suffering that we grow…so I am so thankful for suffering!
For all those circumstances that make me feel small and humble…used and abused…
and persecuted…Halleluljah!
 
“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” Matthew 5: 10-12
So don’t feel sorry for yourselves, or let a root of bitterness start to grow, get rid of all those little resentments  that pile up…

…and instead let suffering do it’s good work in you and  REJOICE!

You know there is always JOY that comes after the mourning! 🙂

We have a lot to rejoice about!

Just have to quote Spurgeon here…

Why go I mourning? Psalm 42:9

“Canst thou answer this, believer? Canst thou find any reason why thou art so often mourning instead of rejoicing? Why yield to gloomy anticipations? Who told thee that the winter of thy discontent would proceed from frost to frost, from snow to ice, and hail, to deeper snow, and yet more heavy tempest of despair? Knowest thou not that day follows night, that flood comes after ebb, that spring and summer succeed winter? Hope thou then! Hope thou ever! for God fails thee not.”
Thank you Tozer, Spurgeon, Chaplain Mike, Peter, Paul, John and all you worthies who have written encouragement.

Thank you most of all to Jesus, for You are worthy to be praised forever and ever. Amen.

635 -650 Gratitude Count

Photos by Tera

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Category : bitterness, gratitude, grief, prayer, Spurgeon, suffering, thankful, Tozer
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