NorthStar Community Daily Devotional

Having Heart In A Sometimes Heartless World Day 47 - What Tony Didn't Choose Scripture focus: "Everything is permissible" - but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible" - but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. 1 Corinthians 10:23 NIV Tony's story could have headed in a different direction - and resulted in him ending up "caught in a sin." Fortunately for Tony and all who will be blessed by his wise choosing, we can remind ourselves of what he DIDN'T choose. He could have been stubbornly resistant. Instead of listening to a message series he didn't want to hear, going to a small group he wasn't in the mood to attend, and accepting the encouragement of friends and family, he could have remained stubbornly resistant. He could have gotten aggressive and argued with anyone whose perspective was different. He could have distracted himself by getting defensive and trying to make his misery someone else's fault. He could have assumed that he was doing the best he could (implying to all within his range of influence that they should just back off). He could have given himself a label or two, and said to anyone that would listen, "This is just the way I am." Any of these strategies would have decreased his opportunity to experience productive suffering. He could have rested on his laurels and hoped his good intentions would turn his suffering into blessing. He could have intended to use solid biblical principles to process through his life experience, intended to turn to his community for support, intended to maintain his daily routine. Lots and lots of intentions - with absolutely no follow through - definitely a cyclical suffering response. He could have talked and talked about what he should have been entitled to: more consideration, more notice, more respectful exit strategy, lowered expectations to honor his church commitments (since he was suffering) I'm sure the list of what he thought he was entitled to and didn't receive could have been long - and some of the points would have even been legitimate. But would that have been helpful? He could have disconnected and isolated. In his lonely isolation, his imagination could have run wild with even more good reasons to be stubbornly resistant, arrogantly entitled, and well intentioned. He could have even talked himself into believing that his group didn't miss him or want him. Maybe he could work himself up into a lather of lies by believing that in fact, his group rejected him first! Of course, he could have denied he had a problem or suffering. He could have rushed to church and talked about how all this was really a blessing, and reiterated to all who would listen that this was indeed God's will - a way for God to show himself faithful and pour out better blessings than he had received in his prior job. (I'm not saying any of that is not true; I am suggesting that it may be a little early in the process to talk like this. If he could honestly say these truths without being dishonest about his feelings, cool. If not, he's in denial. And, he might be minimizing the extent of his suffering.) I'm not trying to stick Tony up on some big tall pedestal. In the future, Tony may stumble over stubborn resistance, arrogant entitlement, justifiable resentment, disconnected isolation, good intentions, denial, minimization, and even a bit of dishonesty. Would that mean God loves him any less? No. Would we love him any less? No. That said, it sure is nice to hear a man talk so openly and honestly about his suffering - and do some productive suffering in the process. In fact, it's good to smile with joy when one man stands up and takes the next right step. In the midst of suffering - a time to rejoice and a time to weep! Recommended reading: Leviticus 1 and 2 in the morning; Mark 2 in the evening Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 TNIV Click "Comments" Below to Join the Discussion Scroll down to the Archive Section to View Previous Devotionals.