如何在痛苦中看到美善：重新聚焦你的眼光
作者：卡蒂-佩爾頓 KATHI PELTON
來源：以利亞名單
時間：2023.2.10
翻譯：Kate
轉載、轉寄 請註明出處：國度禱告網
我有一種深深的感覺，神在要求祂的子民重新集中他們的思想，從"正確"的固著變成在地上成為"神的公義"。
"......義人因信得生"。（哈巴谷書2:4）
我想知道是否有太多上帝的子民感到被打敗了，因為他們的目光和思想都集中在我們周圍世界發生的所有錯誤上。對許多人來說，為"正確的事"而戰（或為反對錯誤的事而戰）會顯得迷失。這種狹隘的焦點正在剝奪他們的生命和快樂。
"......義人必因信得生"。（羅馬書1:17）
我們不能以肉體對抗肉體；相反，我們必須讓神的靈啟示祂的道路，並憑著信心，作為祂的子女，走在其中，並服從它們。
我們要憑著信心在神的公義中站穩腳。從這個信心的地方，我們就能稱義。我們的信心完全依附於盼望，而對上帝的盼望永遠不會失望。這是一個永恆的盼望，在這個只吃善惡樹果子的世界中，帶來平安、喜樂和愛。我們被生命樹的果子所支撐，它給人和國家帶來了生命和醫治。
有痛苦嗎？是的，毫無疑問；在整個世界，有巨大的痛苦。是否有許多人正在經歷的悲痛和哀悼，以及考驗和困難？是的。但是我們不會悲傷到絕望的地步，也不會絕望，因為我們知道 "一宿雖然有哭泣，早晨便必歡呼"（詩篇30:5）。
那麼，在悲傷、困難和痛苦的季節，我們該怎麼做？我們讓它做只有苦難才能產生的工作。殘缺是美麗的，從那些在上帝的恩典和榮耀中找到盼望和安慰的人的眼淚中，會散發出甜美的香氣。
"我們既因信稱義，就藉著我們的主耶穌基督得與神相和。我們又藉著他，因信得進入現在所站的這恩典中，並且歡歡喜喜盼望神的榮耀。不但如此，就是在患難中也是歡歡喜喜的；因為知道患難生忍耐，忍耐生老練，老練生盼望；盼望不至於羞恥，因為所賜給我們的聖靈將神的愛澆灌在我們心裡。"（羅馬書5:1-5）
這裡有一個"在苦難喜樂"的邀請，因為我們允許它在我們身上產生耐力、性格、盼望和神的愛。"喜樂"的香（這種"喜樂"不僅僅是一種感覺快樂的情緒，而是一種不可動搖的、永恆的喜樂），以及聖徒在悲痛中傾訴讚美時的淚水，將使神的公義彌漫在氛圍中。
不知何故，我感覺到，當祂的新婦降服於精煉和潔淨時，新婦的美對全地的影響遠遠超過我們所看到或所做的任何事。祂的教會正在轉化和復興，也在預備成為新婦。當上帝的兒女們在地上出現的損失和邪惡的洶湧風暴中憑著信心站立時，它正在為她辯護。它正在喚醒她。它正在為她披上美麗和力量的外衣。我相信它正在為第三次大覺醒開闢道路。
悲傷、哭泣和哀悼是可以的，但要甩掉任何無望和絕望的情緒。甩掉失敗、羞恥、遺憾和死亡。讓痛苦產生 "基督在你裡面"。
最後，轉移你的眼光！不要糾纏於你周圍發生的邪惡。這並不意味著停止禱告或停止做主要求你做的任何事情（只要確保是祂而不是你）。但讓腓立比書4:8-9的指示成為你的焦點："弟兄們，我還有未盡的話：凡是真實的、可敬的、公義的、清潔的、可愛的、有美名的，若有什麼德行，若有什麼稱讚，這些事你們都要思念。你們在我身上所學習的，所領受的，所聽見的，所看見的，這些事你們都要去行，賜平安的神就必與你們同在。"
你不必否認你的痛苦或假裝它不存在，但讓你的"阿門"永遠是讚美。在祂的豐盛中可以找到極大的安慰。一定要讓你的思想遠遠集中在耶穌的美上，而不是在地上推行的不公正和邪惡上。勝利已經由我們的救主建立並獲得。有一天，我們將四處尋找我們的敵人，他們將不再存在（以賽亞書41:12）！
"你不要害怕，因為我與你同在；不要驚惶，因為我是你的神。我必堅固你，我必幫助你；我必用我公義的右手扶持你。凡向你發怒的必都抱愧蒙羞；與你相爭的必如無有，並要滅亡。與你爭競的，你要找他們也找不著；與你爭戰的必如無有，成為虛無。因為我耶和華─你的神必攙扶你的右手，對你說：不要害怕！我必幫助你。你這蟲雅各和你們以色列人，不要害怕！耶和華說：我必幫助你。你的救贖主就是以色列的聖者。"（以賽亞書41:10-14）
祂是我們永遠的盼望，也是我們每天的安慰。天堂比地上發生的任何事情都更真實。上帝與我們同在，在祂裡面我們有極大的喜樂。
HOW TO SEE BEAUTY IN SUFFERING: REFOCUS YOUR GAZE
KATHI PELTON, PORTLAND, OREGON
I have had a deep sense that God is asking His people to refocus their thoughts from the fixation of being "right" to being "the righteousness of God" on the earth.
"...the righteous shall live by his faith." (Habakkuk 2:4)
I wonder if far too many of God's people feel defeated as they have focused their gaze and their thoughts upon all of the wrongs happening in the world around us. For many, the fight for "what is right" (or the fight against what is wrong) can appear lost. This narrow focus is robbing them of life and joy.
"...The righteous shall live by faith." (Romans 1:17)
We cannot fight flesh with flesh; rather, we must allow the Spirit of God to reveal His ways and, by faith, walk in them and obey them as His righteous sons and daughters.
We will stand firm in the righteousness of God by faith. From that place of faith, we are justified. Our faith is fully attached to hope, and hope in God will never disappoint. It is an eternal hope that brings peace, joy and love in the midst of a world that only eats the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We are sustained by the fruit of the Tree of Life that gives life and healing to people and to nations.
Is there suffering? Yes, without a doubt; throughout the world there is great suffering. Is there grief and mourning that many are going through, and trials and hardships? Yes. But we do not grieve to the point of despair, nor are we hopeless, because we know "joy comes with the morning" (Psalm 30:5).
So what do we do in seasons of grief, hardships and suffering? We let it do the work that only suffering can produce. There is beauty in brokenness and a sweet aroma that comes forth from those whose tears have found their hope and comfort in the grace and glory of God.
"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." (Romans 5:1-5)
There is an invitation to "rejoice in suffering" as we allow it to produce endurance, character, hope and the love of God in us. The incense of this "joy" (not merely an emotion of feeling happy, but an unshakable, eternal joy), and the tears of the saints as they pour out their praise in the midst of grief, will permeate the atmosphere with the righteousness of God.
Somehow I get the sense that the beautification of His Bride as she surrenders to refinement and purification will affect the earth far more than anything else we have seen or done. His Church is being transformed and revived, and also prepared as a Bride. As God's sons and daughters stand in faith in the raging storm of loss and evil that has come upon the earth, it is justifying her. It is awakening her. It is clothing her with beauty and strength. I believe it is opening the way for the third great awakening.
It is okay to grieve, to weep and to mourn, but shake off any hopelessness and despair. Shake off defeat, shame, regret and death. Let the suffering produce "Christ in you."
Finally, shift your gaze! Do not dwell on the evil happening all around you. That does not mean to stop praying or stop doing whatever the Lord has asked you to do (just make sure that it is Him and not you). But let the instructions of Philippians 4:8-9 be your focus: "Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable — if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise — dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you."
You do not have to deny your pain or pretend it doesn't exist, but let your "amen" always be praise. There is great comfort found in the fullness of who He is. Be sure to let your thoughts be far more focused on the beauty of Jesus than on the injustice and evil that's being promoted on the earth. The victory has already been established and obtained by our Savior. One day, we will look around for our enemies and they will be no more (Isaiah 41:12)!
"Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand. Be sure that all who are enraged against you will be ashamed and disgraced; those who contend with you will become as nothing and will perish. You will look for those who contend with you, but you will not find them. Those who war against you will become absolutely nothing. For I am the Lord your God, who holds your right hand, who says to you, 'Do not fear, I will help you. Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel. I will help you' — this is the Lord's declaration. Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel." (Isaiah 41:10-14)
He is our eternal hope and our daily comfort. Heaven is more real than anything happening on Earth. God is with us and in Him we have great joy.