Holding our Breath

The other day I was having coffee with a good friend and mentor, and she told me that lately she feels like she is constantly absorbing more: people’s struggles, their asks, and the steady stream of things to do. She’s realised that what she seeks is to begin to release more —her creative expression, her spiritual gifts, her joy and Godly passion—all things of which I know she has an abundance. Yet I also know what it’s like to be so burdened with a continuous inflow of responsibilities that you have no time to tap into your true, inner calling.

This is especially true of Christian women. We all want to be the Proverbs 31 woman, “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come…she watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness” (Proverbs 31: 25,27). However, too often we make the mistake of living out this verse by being constantly busy. Yet there is a difference between being busy, and being productive, especially when it comes to God’s kingdom.

Out of Breath

As we spoke, I immediately recalled something I learnt from a woman who coached me in my running four years ago. When I used to run uphill stretches, I would generally find myself gasping for air and panting, thinking I just needed more oxygen. This is a common body response because when carbon dioxide levels rise, it triggers the urge to breathe faster so we can clear it out and bring in more oxygen. However, what I learnt was that I needed to go against the instinct to breathe faster and instead force the carbon dioxide out through long and steady exhales. As soon as you do this, you will find that your heartbeat will slow down and your breathing will regulate, allowing you to inhale more oxygen in a steady rhythm.

Sometimes in life, I find myself out of breath. When this happens, I know the answer is more of God, but because I’m trudging through a swamp of busyness, I end up trying to squeeze Him in — I read a bite size devotion sitting in my inbox, I try to attend another church meeting, or I listen to worship music while cooking or driving— but it’s hardly replenishing me in the fullness of His presence.

Breathing out: making room for the new

“And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.” Luke 5:37 – 38 NIV

While Jesus was referring to His new covenant replacing the strict religious ways of the Pharisees, we can also interpret this passage for our current, daily lives. We need to renew our spirits by pushing out the old. Like using new wine skins to pour in new wine, the key is pushing the old air out, so that the fullness of God’s “oxygen” can be absorbed. Yet, what is the carbon dioxide in our lives — the things we need to release to make space for new breath?

We discussed this in a women’s group I attend, and I’d like to list just a few examples of what was shared:

• Old thoughts: One of the ladies expressed how she has always believed she’s not creative, but as my friend pointed out, we are all made in His image as creative beings, which can include the little things in life — not just artwork in galleries or written books. Her “carbon dioxide” is the incorrect belief that she is not creative, but with God’s new “oxygen”, she is discovering how she is already creative and can be even more so.
• Wasted time: For many of us in the room, we confessed to being perpetual scrollers on social media. At the end of the day, exhausted and seeking mild entertainment safe in our shells, we lie down and disappear into the social media time warp, where “just five” minutes morphs into two hours, which often means going to bed too late. As one wise woman among us shared, the real discipline isn’t in waking up early to meet with God — it’s in going to bed on time.
• Prideful Habits: I realised that one reason why my to-do pile keeps growing and blocking the things I should do, is not asking for help, even from my own husband. I’ll instead battle forward alone trying to juggle everything and then end up feeling resentful. Because let’s be honest — I’m not the long-suffering servant quietly carrying the world on her shoulders; I’m more like a trumpet of showy huffs and puffs. This is because my reason for “doing everything”, has more to do with pride than it does joyful selflessness.
• Hurt: One of the younger ladies who attended spoke of purging negative thoughts. As Christians we are rightly taught to take captive negative thoughts, and “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say.” All very true. But sometimes we take this to extremes when we are not even honest with ourselves let alone God, and so past hurts and bitterness fester within us. Sometimes it’s necessary to ‘purge’ of negative feelings by expressing it through journaling or through counsel with a trusted friend.

Breathing in: the replenishing infilling

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Mark 1:35 NIV

Jesus models what we need to be doing to experience true relationship with him and the Father. In merely reading this scripture, the longing of my soul is roused by its promise of peace and replenishment. Time with our father needs to be an extended pause. We need a deep inhale of His truth, filling us with the peace of His presence, quietening the hustle of our minds so that we can feel and hear the heart He has for us. Ignited by His spirit, we are more connected to His purpose and we can take on tasks guided by His wisdom and calling on our lives.

“I have filled him with the Spirit of God… to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts.” Exodus 31:3–5 NIV

When we breathe in the oxygen of God, not only are we more attuned to His deep love and purpose for us, but He awakens cells within our spiritual body, stirring them into motion, to collide and unite and become vessels for creative thoughts. As we established earlier, we are creative in everything, not only in music, artwork and books. In daily chores we are creative as we create order in our personal admin and household. We are creative in our conversations, as we create new ideas together. We are creative in our thoughts, as we envision a better way for things to be. In all these things the oxygen He provides is our inspiration for the daily creations as well as the larger creative projects, because His essence is creator and we were made in His image: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1 NIV).

The Calm Exhale

Once we have cleared our lungs of the excess ‘carbon dioxide’ and drawn a deeper breath of God’s ‘oxygen’, we can exhale with greater calm and ease the things He is wanting us to release into the world. We release creativity to build. We release encouragement to our neighbours. We release joy and testimony to the quiet onlookers on the side. We release ourselves in the way that God is wanting us to be released. We release His light.

Where do we start?

I ask this question without holding an answer. We all walk very different lives and therefore we all have different ways of finding our breathing rhythm. For me, my starting point was to envision what breathing rhythm looks like in my life, and from there, I started listing the things — the excess ‘carbon dioxide’ —that needs to be exhaled from my life in order for me to inhale more of God’s ‘oxygen’.

What is your starting point?

Angela Chiaberta

I am a volunteer blogger with a passion for God and writing. My hope is to help others choose faith – or to walk deeper in their faith – through my own introspections and observations.

The post The Oxygen of God appeared first on Cup of Faith.

I have a friend who enjoys putting puzzles together. She’s incredible. She has the patience to finish any puzzle she starts. She often talks about her puzzles, describing how much time she dedicates to completing them. Every piece is examined and set aside on the table to be used when it fits in its proper place. Sometimes those pieces don’t fit for days or even weeks, as other pieces need to be placed first. Over time, the puzzle comes together, and every piece finds its place.

I’ve experienced things in life that I couldn’t explain, and there are still some that I can’t understand; they haven’t found a place in my life yet. So, those pieces remain on the periphery of the puzzle, waiting to be placed at the right moment. They are prepared for when they’ll be needed. But until that moment comes, those pieces won’t make sense. Like my friend, they have to sit on the side of the puzzle table until they fit.

No Small Task

Jesus went to a city called Jericho (see Luke 19:1-10), and in that city, there was a man named Zacchaeus. I remember being a young child in Sunday School singing, “Zacchaeus was a wee little man, a wee little man was he! He climbed up in a sycamore tree, the Lord he wanted to see!” The problem Zacchaeus had was greater than his lack of height; he was a tax collector, and leaping over his despised status among his countrymen was no small task (pun not intended).

How was this short man, whom no one wanted to help (really, even today, who wants to help a tax collector?), supposed to catch a glimpse of the Lord Jesus as He passed by? He didn’t even consider that Jesus might stop to change his life forever; that seemed impossible because everyone around him despised him. Why would Jesus consider stopping for him? Still, Zacchaeus hoped to at least catch a glimpse of the Lord as He went through the city.

Zacchaeus climbed a tree to see Jesus because he was quite short and needed a boost. Sitting in the tree, Jesus approached him, talked with him, and from that moment on, Zacchaeus’ life was forever changed. He returned the stolen money, and his character transformed from the inside out.

Jesus was going through the city of Jericho. A man was there named Zacchaeus, who was a very important tax collector, and he was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because he was too short to see above the crowd. He ran ahead to a place where Jesus would come, and he climbed a sycamore tree so he could see him. When Jesus came to that place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down! I must stay at your house today.” Luke 19:1-5 NCV

Before it was Needed

But have you ever considered that long before Zacchaeus climbed the tree, God planted it to meet his need? He placed a piece of the puzzle in the right place so at the right time, Zacchaeus would encounter Jesus. Until that time, it was a random tree that at best offered shade for weary travelers on warm summer days. It wasn’t until Jesus walked through Jericho and met Zacchaeus that the real purpose of the tree was revealed: it was meant to bring Zacchaeus closer to Jesus.

I imagine Zacchaeus had no intention of even speaking with Jesus and might have even scurried off in fear had Jesus begun walking towards him. In the tree, Zacchaeus was cornered on his branch. He had nowhere to hide.

The Zacchaeus Moment

There are pieces of the puzzle that will fit into our lives just at the moment they are designed to fit; we need to leave the pieces alone until the Zacchaeus moment arrives.

It will fit perfectly.

God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection.
Psalm 18:30 NLT

Just like every puzzle piece has its proper place, so do we in God’s plan. Zacchaeus might have felt like an out-of-place piece, looked down on, dismissed, or even despised. Still, Jesus sought him out, called him by name, and gave him his place in God’s picture of redemption. If you’ve ever felt overlooked or as if your life doesn’t quite fit, take heart: Jesus sees you, too. He calls you to come down from whatever tree you’ve climbed and welcomes Him in. Will you, like Zacchaeus, open your heart and let Him place you where you truly belong?

Relevant reading: https://www.faithward.org/how-to-create-a-sense-of-belonging-and-invite-everyone-to-contribute-their-spiritual-gifts/

A Prayer to Belong

Lord Jesus, thank You that You see me just as You saw Zacchaeus. When I feel overlooked, remind me that I have a place in Your plan. Help me trust that every part of my life fits into the picture You are creating. I open my heart to You today. Come in, make Your home with me, and let me find my true belonging in You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Lea Peters

Lea Peters has been a pastor’s wife and missionary since 1987. She has served alongside her husband, Jamie, planting churches and establishing faith-based community outreaches in Africa. She has four children and two grandchildren.

aculturalshift.com

The post The Puzzle of Belonging, Lessons from Zacchaeus appeared first on Cup of Faith.

We’ve all been there. The job you thought was yours slips away. The marriage you prayed for falls apart. The dream you nurtured quietly in your heart never seems to take shape. Disappointment is such a universal experience that you almost wonder why it still catches us off guard.

And yet, when it hits, it cuts deep. It leaves us wondering, Where is God in this? Why didn’t He come through the way I hoped?

If you’ve ever whispered those words through tears, take heart: you’re not alone. Scripture is filled with people who knew disappointment intimately. But it’s also filled with the faithfulness of God meeting His children in their lowest moments. Today, let’s walk through how we can bring our disappointments to Him, and how we can find the strength to rise again.

1. Disappointment Is Part of the Faith Journey

Sometimes, when life doesn’t go as planned, we’re quick to blame ourselves. We wonder, Did I miss God’s will? Did I pray wrong? Am I not good enough? I found myself asking these very questions after my divorce.
But disappointment is not foreign to God’s people.

David longed to build a temple for God, but God said no. Moses led faithfully for decades, only to be barred from entering the Promised Land. Paul begged for his thorn in the flesh to be removed, and God responded not with deliverance, but with grace. Even Jesus faced disappointment – His closest friends fell asleep while He prayed in Gethsemane, and the crowds who once adored Him later cried out for His crucifixion.

Their stories remind us: disappointment doesn’t mean we are out of God’s favour. It simply means we are human, living in a broken world, walking a road where even the most faithful saints have stumbled.

2. Be Honest With God

One of the most healing steps we can take is to name our disappointment before God. Too often we plaster on a smile, convincing ourselves that “good Christians” shouldn’t feel let down. But denial isn’t faith; it’s avoidance.

The psalmists show us a better way. “How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” Psalm 13:1 ESV. Or this cry: “My tears have been my food day and night” (Psalm 42:3 ESV).
God isn’t threatened by our honesty. In fact, He invites it. When we pour out our disappointment to Him – our confusion, our grief, even our anger – we open the door for His comfort to enter.

Maybe today you need to write your own psalm. Tell God exactly what you hoped for, how it hurts to let it go, and where you feel lost. That kind of raw honesty is not weakness; it’s worship.

3. Remember Who He Is

Here’s the tricky thing about disappointment: it doesn’t just bruise our hearts; it clouds our view of God. The enemy whispers, He’s not really good. He doesn’t care. You can’t trust Him with your future.

But disappointment must drive us deeper into God’s character, not away from it. When feelings scream otherwise, we anchor ourselves in truth:

•  God is faithful. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end.” Lamentations 3:22 ESV
• God is wise. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways.” Isaiah 55:9 ESV
• God is good. “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble” Nahum 1:7 ESV

We may not see the full picture, but we can trust the One who does.

4. Let God Reframe the Story

Sometimes what feels like the end is really God’s redirection. Joseph knew what it was to be disappointed: betrayed, imprisoned, forgotten. And yet, years later, he could look his brothers in the eye and say, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20 ESV).

Could it be that your disappointment is not wasted either? That delay may be preparation. That closed door may be protection. That broken dream may be the soil for something even better to grow.

It doesn’t make the pain disappear, but it shifts our perspective from despair to expectation.

5. Lift Your Eyes to Eternal Hope

At its core, disappointment reminds us that this world will never fully satisfy. If every prayer was answered exactly as we wanted, if every dream came true, we might forget that we are pilgrims passing through.

Hebrews 11 speaks of those who “did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance” (v. 13 NIV). Their unmet expectations kept their eyes fixed on a better country – a heavenly one.

Your hope is not tied to this moment, this job, this relationship, or this dream. Your hope is tied to Jesus – the One who bore ultimate disappointment on the cross so you could inherit eternal joy.

6. Picking Yourself Up: Practical Steps

So, what do you do when disappointment lingers like a heavy shadow? Here are some simple, biblical practices:

1.  Pray honestly. Pour out your heart to God (see Psalm 62:8).
2. Cling to Scripture. Let His Word anchor you when emotions shift (see Psalm 119:105).
3. Lean on community. Don’t walk alone; allow others to carry your burdens (see Galatians 6:2).
4. Choose worship. Praise doesn’t erase the pain, but it lifts your eyes to God’s power (see Acts 16:25).
5. Look for redemption. Ask God how He might use even this disappointment for His glory (see Romans 8:28).

Rising after disappointment doesn’t mean pretending you’re fine. It means holding God’s hand as He leads you step by step toward healing and hope.

An Invitation to Hope

Friend, if you’re reading this through the lens of fresh disappointment, I want you to know this: you are not forgotten. God has not overlooked you. He has not abandoned your story.

Take a moment today to write down your disappointment. Name it clearly. Then, beside it, write one unshakable truth about God’s character. Let that truth become the banner over your pain. Because while disappointment may have the loudest voice right now, God has the final word.

A Prayer for the Disappointed Heart

Lord, I bring my disappointment before You today. You know the places where my heart feels heavy, where dreams have slipped away, where prayers seem unanswered. I confess that sometimes I struggle to trust You in the waiting. But today, I choose to believe You are still good, still faithful, still writing my story. Wrap me in Your comfort. Teach me to rest in Your presence. Heal what is broken, and use even this disappointment to draw me closer to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Final Encouragement

Disappointment doesn’t get the last say. Jesus does. And in Him, your story is still unfolding with purpose, hope, and glory. One day, every tear will be wiped away (Revelation 21:4). Until then, let disappointment lead you closer to the only One who never fails.

Marthe Badibanga

A volunteer blogger whose passion is to see the people of God become all that the LORD intended them to be in their personal relationships with Him that overflow into their daily lives.

The post When Disappointment Strikes: Finding Hope in God’s Word appeared first on Cup of Faith.

Kate Walsh

Kate is the current owner and editor of Cup of Faith. She is a blogger who loves Jesus, loves to read, and currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband.

The post Interview with Author Sister K: “Blessed with Laughter: Journey to Seeing Her Eyes” appeared first on Cup of Faith.

I remember one of my favorite things to say to my three older children when they were growing up was: “Be nice.”

Sometimes it felt nearly impossible to get through a day without a major crisis unfolding between two or all three of them. The oldest would often tease the youngest, the second-born (a daughter) would take great delight in getting her two brothers into trouble, and the third-born relished the fact that he had it a bit easier than his two older siblings. Now, with a fourth one that came a full 15 years after our third, you know there is a lot of “you didn’t do that for us” going around.

Well, I confess, there’s truth to that statement, but we learn as we go, don’t we? While we were waiting for our first child to be born, I recall thinking that I would do everything better than everyone else (although I’m not sure why I thought this). I knew how I wanted to raise my child in a certain way that was better than everyone else’s. I was sure that my household would be quiet and peaceful, with the laundry always folded, dinner on the table, and everyone being nice.

Still Working On It

Fast forward 10 years, and I found myself up to my neck in raising children, living abroad, and working as a full-time church planter and community outreach coordinator in Africa. I honestly do not know how I managed to get through those days with my mind still somewhat intact.

The amount of work that goes into running a household in that region of Africa is stupefying. There is no fast food (thankfully), no quick place to shop (you go to the market, which is an all-day ordeal), and keeping the house clean is a whole other post for another day. All of this doesn’t take into account the work of the mission and the church. At the end of every day (much like you, wherever you are), both then and now, I wonder how I made it, continue to make it, and follow my counsel to “be nice.” Honestly, I wasn’t always as nice as I had hoped to be, but I always worked on it and am still working on it!

“Stop being mean, bad-tempered, and angry. Quarreling, harsh words, and dislike of others should have no place in your lives. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you because you belong to Christ.”
Ephesians 4:31,32 TLB

Speaking Our Minds and Being Nice

In the current supercharged world of “speaking our minds,” many have forgotten the need for those of us identifying as Christians to just be nice, be kind to each other. Everywhere we look these days, whether online, on TV, in print, or in person, there’s a strong negative current to “speak up for what is right.” We are ambassadors of the Kingdom and our righteous King, but we won’t convince anyone of their need for Christ if our righteousness is covered in ugliness. No matter the situation, Scripture is clear on the matter: we must be nice.

Society has always been ugly, humanity has always been divided, and the church can’t fulfill her mission when she looks, acts, and speaks like the world. Whatever happened to following Jesus’ advice to “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29 NLT

Have you ever noticed how exhausting it is to force change with anger or frustration? I wonder how many ulcers and troubles with high blood pressure could be averted by simply being nice.

Learning the Hard Way

I learned this truth the hard way years ago, serving here on the continent when I saw much hunger, injustice, and unnecessary death. I worked myself to the bone trying to bring about change; no matter how hard I worked, no matter how many hungry and vulnerable children I fed, there were still more than needed to be fed, and despite my valiant efforts, people still went hungry.

I became tired and bitter about my situation and the unfairness of it all, until one day, after sickness forced me to rest, I understood that anything pulling me from Jesus’ yoke that gives me rest is not His will for me. Over time, I began to realize that this fallen world is full of sin, and sin can’t be dealt with on our terms. Anger, frustration, overworking, and self-righteousness pull us away from His way of addressing humanity’s fallen nature by simply being nice. The response of humanity to the message of the cross is not my responsibility; I am only responsible for bringing the Good News. As long as there is sin in the world, there will be division, injustice, and pain.

This doesn’t mean we don’t speak the truth, for Scripture clearly instructs us to “Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.” (Ephesians 4:15 NLT) What is our motive for speaking out, and what is our method? If our motive for reaching out to those we see lost in sin is love for them, then our methods will align with Scripture. Otherwise, we are only adding fuel to the fire of division instead of bringing Christ into the situation to redeem it.

How Has It Worked So Far?

How has frustration over the sinfulness of this world worked for us thus far? How has being angry helped any situation? Jesus walked this fallen earth and seldom was seen showing outright anger and frustration to the world; He had come to save them, give Himself for them, He died for them. His frustration was evident in the temple, among the “righteous,” who were too busy enriching themselves to reach out to those who truly needed help outside the temple (for us, this can be taken to mean the church).

My youngest daughter loves the movie, Frozen, and the theme song, “Let it go.” I rarely spiritualize animated movies, but today I will make an exception. Those things that frustrate you, those unfair, unrighteous, unholy, complicated things that anger you, let them go. Take Jesus’ yoke on you; He is the only One qualified to measure out judgment. Now is the time to be the church in the world, speak in love, and simply put:

Be nice.

Prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus,
Help me to recognize the moments and places where I’ve missed Your heart in the way I respond to the world around me. Teach me to be patient, to see people through Your eyes, and to respond with the same love and grace You show to me. May my life reflect Your motives and character, so that I may be a faithful example to those around me. Thank You for the privilege of being Your representative in this world.
Amen.

Lea Peters

Lea Peters has been a pastor’s wife and missionary since 1987. She has served alongside her husband, Jamie, planting churches and establishing faith-based community outreaches in Africa. She has four children and two grandchildren.

aculturalshift.com

The post Be Nice appeared first on Cup of Faith.

A poem about the grace of communion:

Come, sit at the table, my friend

Kate Walsh

Kate is the current owner and editor of Cup of Faith. She is a blogger who loves Jesus, loves to read, and currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband.

The post The Table: A Poem appeared first on Cup of Faith.

Some scriptures require a bigger ‘meditation’ response than others. The beatitudes are so countercultural that I have to let them sit in my mind, steeping, in order to receive and believe them. ‘Blessed are the merciful.’ In our urban, digital, cancel-culture, social keyboard warrior society, mercy is a concept that is not often acknowledged. In fact, although I felt drawn to write about mercy for our Beatitutdes theme this month, I wasn’t entirely sure what it meant to me.

His mercy in scripture

As I was pondering mercy, two specific passages I read during my devotional times displayed spoke to me about God’s merciful nature:

“I will betroth you to Me forever;

Yes, I will betroth you to Me

In righteousness and justice,

In lovingkindness and mercy;

I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness,

And you shall know the Lord.

 

“It shall come to pass in that day

That I will answer,” says the Lord;

“I will answer the heavens,

And they shall answer the earth.

The earth shall answer

With grain,

With new wine,

And with oil;

They shall answer Jezreel.

Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth,

And I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy;

Then I will say to those who were not My people,

‘You are My people!’

And they shall say, ‘You are my God!’ ” Hosea 2:19-23

This is a prophecy about the Gentiles who would be grafted into the family of God through Jesus’ sacrifice. We were once outside of the jurisdiction of mercy but God chose to extend it to us. The context of Hosea is a story of profound mercy. Hosea is called to prophetically wed a prostitute who is addicted to her life of sexual promiscuity. He loses her over and over again but diligently seeks her out each time to bring her back home. She eventually winds up in a slave market. She is standing naked on the podium and Hosea pays her slave price to cover her body with his coat and lead her back home once more.

Hosea’s wife surely deserved to be left to the results of her wanton wanderings. Instead she is given a protective covering. She is shown mercy. How many times have I wandered away from God’s? Too many times and in states too shameful to describe in such a public forum!

The next story hinted towards God’s mercy was the woman with the issue of blood:

Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.

And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?”

When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”

But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.

And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” Luke 8:43-48

I think absolutely any story of Jesus’ healing miracles would fit into a discussion of God’s mercy. Jesus has such mercy on people in their suffering. Sometimes our earthly view of suffering can be harsh and judgemental. Surely this was the woman’s lot in life? She was born with an issue of blood and that was her cross to bear. Her physical suffering was a trial that would teach her to have a humble character. At least that’s how I would reason it in my human mind. But she saw something about Jesus. She saw the compassion and mercy he extended to people. She had faith that he was a man who would be willing to take away what others had told her to accept. I want to be like her.

Situational relief

She believed that he would do more than express pity and sympathy. In discussing the ‘blessed are the merciful’, Dr Martyn Lloyd Jones explains:

“It does not mean pity; it means a great desire and indeed an endeavour to do something to relieve a situation.”*

He differentiates grace from mercy:

“Grace is especially associated with men in their sins; mercy is especially associated with men in their misery… grace looks down upon sin as a whole, mercy looks especially upon the miserable consequences of sin.”*

I get the feeling that God’s mercy means I won’t always ‘get what I deserve’. While grace leads me to favour and eternal blessing, freedom from the slavery of sin, mercy is a covering over my mistakes and the consequences of living in a fallen world. 

Extending mercy to others

When was the last time I extended mercy to someone? When was the last time I protected someone from pain, or from hurt, from the harsh conditions of life in this world? I struggle to come up with anything! I feel like the Levite priest who crossed to the other side of the road, fearing contamination. I remember hearing an observation about people’s attitude towards the merciful actions of Mother Theresea: everyone respects her. But no one wants to be her.

Prayer

Lord, You desire that as recipients of your mercy we are in turn merciful to others. Help us not to hide from others’ needs but to seek to urgently relieve them of pain and suffering. Remove earthly judgemental attitudes, remove despair, remove actionless pity, and instead give us the heart Jesus had when he so mercifully healed so many people. Amen.

*References

Lloyd-Jones, D. M. (1971). Studies in the Sermon on the Mount. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

Kate Walsh

Kate is the current owner and editor of Cup of Faith. She is a blogger who loves Jesus, loves to read, and currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband.

The post Blessed are the Merciful for they shall Obtain Mercy appeared first on Cup of Faith.

There aren’t many dates that stick out in my memory. I remember the usual birthdates of my children, husband, and family. Christmas and New Year are also easy to remember. But other dates, not so much.

I won’t remember the start of the new school year or special days off from school for holidays and such. This is why I keep my daughter’s school calendar on a cabinet door in our office at home.

Forever etched

However, some dates are forever etched in my memory as if branded by iron. Those are the dates when I lost loved ones. As a child, I remember our family losing friends and relatives, but I was distanced from the grief. I didn’t know the people who had died very well. I still recall attending their funerals as a young child. Seeing adults crying frightened me; it made death a thing to be feared in my mind.

My first personal encounter with death occurred when my grandmother passed away in December 1995. My mother made a rare phone call. When the phone rang and I heard her voice, I knew the news wouldn’t be good. Mom never called to chat. International calls were expensive back then; we didn’t have cell phones or the internet.

“Your grandmother died today,” she said, her voice shaking. My mother wasn’t the emotional type, but when her mother died, that changed. I was in Burundi at the time. We had recently planted our first church, and the country was in a civil war. I couldn’t get out to attend the funeral, and even if I could, we didn’t have the financial resources to cover such a flight.

My grandfather, heartbroken after the loss of my grandmother, passed away in July 1997. I struggled to come to terms with losing both of them in such a short time. Although I was a pastor’s wife and had attended many funeral services with my husband, my perspective on death changed when my grandparents passed away. Gradually, the brevity of life became increasingly real.

The price was high

During the civil war in Burundi, death was commonplace. There wasn’t a person in our church who didn’t lose loved ones during the war. One man found his father murdered under a pile of furniture in his house. Other people had loved ones disappear, never knowing what happened to them. For those waging war, life was cheap. But for those left behind in the wake of the battles, the price of the war was high.

I’m sure that in places where war has ravaged a people, as it did in Burundi in the 1990s, the trauma has had a ripple effect. In Burundi, for example, a generation of children has grown up orphaned, left to be raised by grandparents or to roam the streets to scrape out a living. The scars of many have never fully healed; instead, they live with open wounds that fester. These wounds, unless touched by Jesus, will lead to more war and generational trauma, thus perpetuating the cycle of war and endless mourning.

No words

I felt helpless in those situations. There were many times I could only say, “Jesus.” There were no other words that could be spoken. His name alone had the power to touch broken hearts. Burundi lost many lives during those years, with some estimates placing the death toll at 400,000 or more. Official figures are around 200,000, and we will likely never know the number.

Many years have passed since the war of the 1990s. A relative peace has settled over the country, and life has progressed. Today, Burundi exists in a state of quasi-peace where the population continues to thrive while the grief of the past generation bubbles under the surface.

My grandparents passed away, having lived lives with their children. They loved Jesus and left this world quietly when He called their names. Thinking of them during those days made me grateful for their years together. When I looked at the eyes of all the children in the refugee camps where our church helped provide meals in Burundi, I grieved their losses, not my own. My family had been privileged to live full lives. These little ones before me lost out on life before it had begun.

An unwelcome but familiar visitor

Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Romans 12:15 NKJV

We moved from Burundi in the early 2000s to plant churches in other countries. While we were in Malawi in September 2008, death knocked on our family’s door once more when my mother passed away. Malawi is an impoverished nation. Death is an unwelcome yet familiar visitor to the people of Malawi.
When our church learned of my mother’s passing, everyone came to our house. They sat with me, singing songs, praying, and shedding tears. We mourned together. However, this mourning felt different. I had shifted from fearing death to understanding that it will meet each of us one day.

I returned to the USA for my mother’s memorial service, carrying money from our church members in Malawi, which they had given as a gift for family members. Although this money totaled less than $20, the significance of their gesture was profound. They were mourning alongside me.

The experience was painful, of course, but also beautiful. My loved ones came and mourned with me, just as our church members had in Malawi. How privileged I was to have had so much love around me in those days.

When the day of her memorial arrived, I stood and celebrated her wonderful life. She was a lover of God, and I knew a day would come when I would see her again. Death couldn’t hurt me. Mom had graduated, and I understood this, which brought me great comfort. Her death didn’t mean “Goodbye” it only meant, “See you later.”

So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”
1 Corinthians 15:54,55 NKJV

Blessed are those who mourn

This perspective doesn’t mean that death doesn’t affect me. It does. Since my mom passed, I’ve lost my brother, father-in-law, father, and most recently, a dear friend and colleague whose funeral we will attend later this week. What I now understand is what Jesus meant when He said:

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4 NKJV

Death is as much a part of life as anything else. What Jesus gives us in the shadows of death is a comfort that the world cannot provide. Because we will all encounter death and mourning, we all have the opportunity to be blessed in the depths of the shadows. Not only do we receive comfort, but we also have the blessing of comforting others. I think comforting the bereaved in their sorrow is a high calling. It feels uncomfortable to comfort others because words are missing. It is then that the “ministry of presence” takes over. All that is needed is our presence, show up. It brings blessing and blesses us in return.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1:3,4 NKJV

Shadows without fear

Death itself isn’t a blessing. God didn’t create us to experience death the way we do now. However, He offers us hope that differs from what the world provides—He gives us eternal hope. The blessing of mourning is found in His presence as we walk through the valleys of shadows.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4 NKJV

Someone, or many, may be among those of you reading that are mourning today. I pray that the God of all comfort, who comforts the brokenhearted (see 2 Corinthians 1:3), covers your hearts today. I encourage you not to isolate yourself. Instead, look for the promised comfort of Matthew 5:4 in others. Resources are also available to help you walk through the dark shadows that death casts through your local church and beyond.

You are loved and there is hope for joy in your future. Reach out and look for the blessing in the middle of your mourning.

Recommended resources:

1. Your local church – many churches host support groups for grieving church members.
2. Grief Share is a Christian group that exists worldwide and helps those who mourn walk through their loss. Click here to look at their website and find a group near you.

Lea Peters

Lea Peters has been a pastor’s wife and missionary since 1987. She has served alongside her husband, Jamie, planting churches and establishing faith-based community outreaches in Africa. She has four children and two grandchildren.

aculturalshift.com

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by Lisa-Mare Brown

When my son was about 2 and half years old, our family decided that it was time for me to quit my job, and for my son and I to stay at home. It was a big decision, due to our lifestyle choices: we were living in Malta and traveling to Europe frequently. We also made another major lifestyle adjustment in moving back home to South Africa.

I honestly had no idea how big the adjustment would be… I was giving up my independence, and so many people asked me, “But why?” It made me think how messed up capitalism really is. Both parents must work and pay a proportion of their income to someone else to look after their child who will in turn need to find someone else to look after his (or her) own child.

In the end, no one gets to raise their own children. Some moms would literally tell me that they have more patience when they work, or how they would rather work as they are not up for it.

I must admit, I used to feel the same. I would look forward to Mondays and going on holiday was hard work. But I was listening to a podcast by “M is for Mama” and I can’t even remember what exactly she said but man oh man did the Holy Spirit grab my heart! I felt convinced that it was time for my son to come home.

It was really strange as I was struggling with guilt but convinced myself it’s better for my family this way. “It’s only guilt!” I told myself. Meanwhile, God was preparing my heart for a new season. I couldn’t deny it anymore and I remember saying to God: “OK God, but this needs to happen in South Africa.” At the same time, my husband had in his heart to move to South Africa too.

Now it is special how God prepared the way but I had no idea how hard the adjustment would be, and also how much I would learn. I am beginning to think that this journey was just as much for me as it was for my son.

So let’s speak about the hard… It is hard to give every minute of every day to your offspring, although it might sound like a natural thing to do. It is in fact not natural to us anymore. Society has taught us to hustle, to always scrape for more, to live for entertainment and to always be searching for the next big thing.

Spending time with a toddler demands you to slow down, to live in the second, to literally smell the roses, to invent ways of entertaining yourself, to seek adventure and fun in everyday things. No amount of toys, crafts, educational materials, “tik-tok” videos can teach you how to be in the moment with your child. Only the Holy Spirit can.

It is in the moments when I want to hustle for the next thing even if it is just to start cleaning or cooking when God shows me: this is it. This is what it is all about. This moment. In the dirt, on the ground, making growling sounds and pretending you can speak dinosaur. It forces you to slow down and just be. We are not able to just be any more.

Think about it, is it possible for you to just sit for five minutes without reverting to browsing on your phone?

It is really hard for us to just be and I believe it’s a discipline we need to practice to experience more of Jesus. That is why He lets the children come to him. That is why he requires a child like faith and that the Kingdom belongs to them. It is because what a child is: the opposite of our society. A child can just be.

Today’s society wants us to chase educational milestones in our children since infancy. But it’s not just what our children can learn from us. We can learn from them. That is an unseen treasure not everyone can acknowledge and see. It’s a hidden treasure and God reveals it to those who seek it.

So sit down… Get on the ground with them. And let them teach you how to just be.

_________

Hi, I’m Lisa. I’m a stay-at-home mom to a lively toddler boy. Following God is an exciting adventure through the highs and the lows. As long as we seek him, there’s a treasure in every season, so let’s learn how to seek him together. See Lisa’s blog here.

Guest Author

From time to time, Cup of Faith receives guest posts from people who would prefer to contribute to the blog once-off. These authors may choose to stay anonymous or may have their name featured in the post itself.

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“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.” (Colossians 3: 23 -25)

In my life I have come across many extremes when it comes to believers and their work. On the one hand, there are those who idolise their work and casually slip from Sunday worship of God into Monday worship of work. On the other hand, there are those who are careless and put minimum effort into their work because they believe that the work they do is worldly and therefore of no importance to God. Then there are those who blatantly believe the age old saying, ‘it’s not personal, its business’, and they are willing to go to whatever lengths to achieve their goals, even if it means disregarding others’ well-being and therefore godly principles. All of these viewpoints go against God’s purpose, for Jesus did not come to redeem our fallen nature in our personal lives alone, but in our work too, for it was one of the first consequences of sin described in Genesis: “…through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.” (Genesis 3: 17 NIV)

Tom Nelson demonstrates the eternal value of our work in his book, ‘Work Matters’ and shows how our work is deeply intertwined with our faith as it offers us the opportunity to partner with God in his redemptive mission. When we work with our best effort, integrity, and in fairness to those we work with, we point to God’s kingdom and the power of the salvation He offers.

Our daily bread

“Give us today, our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11 NIV)

Personally, if I do not start my day with God, there is a very strong chance that I will not handle work challenges and the stress that come with them in a Godly way. I need to begin my day with Him to remember who I am ultimately serving through my work, so that I can do the best work within my God-given ability and treat the people I work with in a way that is pleasing to God. This is because He has given me my personal bread through the provision of the employment I have, and therefore I cannot take this lightly, especially considering those who are not employed. Yet, He Himself is also our personal bread and it is through His word that I am strengthened and fortified for my day of work.

Integrity

“For your ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all your paths.” (Proverbs 5:21 NIV)

When I first started my career, I lived in fear of making mistakes. To the extent that (to my shame) when I made a mistake, I would do everything I could to deflect the blame away from me. But there is no worse lie than the lie that we tell ourselves, and I’ve come to learn that for me to be sanctified and to grow fully into who God intends me to be, I need to be aware of my faults and take accountability when accountability needs to be taken. It is never pleasant to make mistakes in our work, which is also why it is very important to not make work our idol and attach our personal value to it. If we remember to hold work in its rightful place, then we can look at mistakes as opportunities to grow in character and skill, which at the end of the day, has the most eternal value and is where work helps to sanctify us into who God intends us to be.

Humility

This is closely linked to accountability, for it takes humility to admit when we are wrong. But it also takes humility to be like Jesus who is the greatest example of servant-leadership we have in history, and he is ultimately who we should be trying to reflect in our work if our work is to have eternal value.

“The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Matthew 23: 11-12)

It is important that in all we do at work, we do it humbly, knowing that our position is not of our own doing, but God who grants us favourable circumstances and who rewards our hard work, if it is done with a humble heart. Therefore, we never have cause to congratulate ourselves and promote ourselves above others. Even in positions of leadership, we should be living out God’s grace and guidance given freely to us by extending that grace and guidance to those who are under our leadership.

However, it is important to not mistake fear, self-doubt and weakness for humility. Self-promotion and arrogance should be avoided at all costs, but we also do not want to be like the servant who hid his talent in the parable of the talents in Matthew, which is why it is important to know God’s personal calling for your life through ensuring daily fellowship with Him.

Mercy

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:12 NIV)

This one may seem obvious when seeking to reflect the heart of Jesus, and some of us may live up to these standards in our personal lives, but nowhere am I more challenged when it comes to being patient and understanding than when my own stress levels are triggered due to delays or incomplete work from others which will affect my own performance. And yet, we wouldn’t need to rely on Jesus if his commands had exceptions, ‘You must be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle and patient…when it suits you.’ If we can reflect Jesus in the most difficult of circumstances and the most inconvenient of times, how much greater the testimony of his work in us, and how much greater the eternal value our work.

Let’s Pray

Father God, please help me to remember that you are my true master, and therefore may your Holy spirit produce fruits in me through my work. Please help me to glorify you in all that I do, through diligence, integrity, humility and love for those I work with. Show me your heart for others and let me reflect your heart to others in my work. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Angela Chiaberta

I am a volunteer blogger with a passion for God and writing. My hope is to help others choose faith – or to walk deeper in their faith – through my own introspections and observations.

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