How Is Your Soul? What happens when our expectations are not meet?How do you handle unmet expectations?Do you feel God has cheated you?How is your soul? Isaiah 7:14: … the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). Imagine Jesus' mothers disappointment with his crucifiction! Imagine the disciples disappointment when he didn't set up his throne on earth. Is there something in your life that has gone unanswered; some dream unfulfilled? a. The resurrection points to somethingb. Resurrection = Restoration “Why the delay? Why does God let evil and pain so flagrantly exist, even thrive, on this planet?...He holds back for our sakes. Re-creation involves us; we are, in fact, at the center of his plan...the motive behind all human history, is to develop us, not God. Our very existence announces to the powers in the universe that restoration is under way. Every act of faith by every one of the people of God is like the tolling of a bell, and a faith like Job's reverberates throughout the universe.” Philip YanceyYour soul is more valuable than the pain you are in. And in Psalm 32:8 it says "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you." Self inflicted unmet expectations. Isiah 59:1-2 Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call.2 It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.Is life beating you up?“We tend to think, 'Life should be fair because God is fair.' But God is not life. And if I confuse God with the physical reality of life- by expecting constant good health for example- then I set myself up for crashing disappointment.” Philip Yancey, The turmoil in your soul could be based on the “buts & what if’s”. Luke 10:41-42 it says "Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed-or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." We can choose to be with Jesus even if we don’t understand what’s going on around us. Even if we are in despair. Even if we are frustrated and worn. Hebrews 4:15-16So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. HOW IS YOUR SOUL? __________________________________________________
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