The Mindset Shift

The image is taken from https://isha.sadhguru.org/  

What are dreams? I thought about what this concept of a dream, really means. In one aspect we think of the grandeur of things, places, and a way of being in life that seems so unattainable. Society causes us to believe that all that we have imagined in our subconscious mind is outside of our reach.

    Biblically dreams had a different impact on the dreamer, and even those around them. Moreover, I do not wish to give insight into dreams in this discourse but to face a realization that is often time not taught in our daily life.

    In all of our lives, we are faced with numerous experiences where sometimes they were lessons learned, and sometimes we paid a high price to learn those lessons. Furthermore, when we reflect on our lives and the tapestry we have hewn, let there be no regrets! Why can I say this? Because you have life. Your decision has brought you to this juncture and all you can do is seek the knowledge of the one who created you. 

    You have come to a point in your life where you realize, "yes, I have made some mistakes." However, this is the hour of realization that brings us to the understanding that the way we have tried will only lead to unaccomplished dreams and an unrealistic sense of peace and joy.

    Where am going with all of this babble? Well, I am trying to bring you into the knowledge of a real place called the Kingdom of Heaven. Moreso, how our sub-par existence, depending only on human understanding has been so distorted and misconceptualized from the time we were able to understand the sound of our own voice. We regurgitate what has been infiltrated into our minds by the ones that came before us.

    We developed through the years learning what our parents taught us from a diction of what their parents and fore-parents taught them. Now, I speak for myself that I am one confused human being. However, I realized at a point in my life when Jesus found me, that life did not have to be so complicated. Yes, it will have its problems and troubles but I don't have to struggle through it all.

    If I can be completely honest with you; friend, I have had my ups and downs, valley times, and mountain-top moments. But the hardest part is not being able to preconceptualize the vision the creator had for my life, for your life. We remain stuck until that moment of revelation comes and now we must walk in truth, the truth of God's word. Someone dear once told me, "the only truth is the one that you believe." I have come to dismantle that system of belief today. It does not mean; only, because you believe something that makes it true. To know the truth according to Dr. Myles Munroe is to know the creator and to know his mind concerning his creation. He further states, "All I know is what I have learned."

    In seeking truth we find our purpose. When we find purpose we are compelled to not remain seated in a place of stuckness. I no longer chose to operate at a lower level than which I was created to operate. We are spiritual beings existing in a physical dispensation. If we are to take on the mindset that we are from a kingdom that is not of the world. One to which God has given us dominion when he expanded his Kingdom on the earth, then will we be able to operate at an elevated level. Don't quit dreaming, but as you dream live the life that God intended for you.

Thanks For reading as you continue to be enlightened. 

How do we Rejoice in Suffering?

 I am glad you have chosen to share this study with me on 'How to Rejoice in Suffering?'  

"Not only so, but rejoice in  our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance ; perseverance, character; and character, hope."Romans 5:3

We all go through some form of suffering in life. Sometimes we have individualized our 'suffering' to the point of reference of how each of us views this thing called suffering.

We must first define what suffering is, to bring a wider perspective out of something we have so commonly individualized. According to wiktionary.org, suffering is the condition of someone who suffers; a state of pain or distress. Wikipedia expands these conditions to be 

"Qualifiers, such as physical, mental, emotional, and psychological, are often used to refer to certain types of pain or suffering. In particular, mental pain (or suffering) may be used in relationship with physical pain (or suffering) for distinguishing between two wide categories of pain or suffering.

The New King James Version (NKJV) uses the term tribulation, and the New International Version (NIV) uses suffering. Other versions use other terms such as troubles and afflictions.

My hope is that as you read on, you come to the understanding of how to rejoice in suffering. The Greek word thlipsis translates suffering to mean;

1. a pressing, pressing together, pressure
2.  metaph. oppression, affliction, tribulation, distress, straits

This suffering may be in the form of physical pressing or psychological pressing. Now let us define the meaning of the word rejoice which the writer uses. Rejoice (kauchaomai) means:-

1. to glory (whether with reason or without)
2. to glory on account of a thing
3. to glory in a thing

Now it is not deliberate that we caused to seek further understanding of what it means to "glory".

I share this with you for better understanding according to Strong's Concordance;

 

2744 kauxáomai – properly, living with "head up high," i.e. boasting from a particular vantage point by having the right base of operation to deal successfully with a matter (see WP at 2 Cor 5:12). 

[2744 (kauxáomai) likely comes from the root, auχēn ("neck"), i.e. what holds the head up high (upright); figuratively, it refers to living with God-given confidence.

 "To glory,"  speaks of your vantage point being held where you will not allow yourself to be buried low beneath your suffering to hold fast to the hope of the trust of God's word and his promises concerning you.

When we are going through sometimes it feels like we are not going to make it out of that place. It is an uncomfortable place. Our instinct of fight or flight kicks into gear you either fight with no desirable change in the outcome, or you try to run, only to feel like you are surrounded by the burden of these troubles.  

Luke 21: 19 states, "By standing firm you will gain life."  We all sometimes wish the road would be easy so that we could enjoy more joyful and peaceful days. However, understand today that your joy and your peace do not come from where you are positioned but from a posture of praise. 

"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

The valley does not determine our praise and the mountain does not determine our posture. a position of unwavering faith causes us to hope and rejoice, knowing "this too shall pass."

The verses in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 talk about troubles being temporary. 

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

To rejoice is to hold one head high in the understanding that our element of faith must be tested; therefore we go through with our heads held high confident that the testing of our faith works in us the ability to persevere. To hold one's head high takes on the meaning of a spiritual posture of believing, hoping, and trusting in the author and finisher of our faith. When you reflect on your life and consider all the pains and anguish you have had to face, aren't you glad that you were tested?

We boast in God's ability to deliver and the power of his glory to work in us all things to ward the perfecting of our faith. 

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised; Hebrews 10:23

How do we rejoice, we take on a posture where we stand in solidarity with the truth of God's word, we know that under pressure you have the ability to press into his presence for the peace that passes all understanding. You may not understand the circumstance as it were but you know that a loving God is using the pressure to create in your maturity, and finally hope in the reward that is to be given. We persevere to receive an eternal crown, an everlasting fellowship in the presence of God.

 "Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.1:19 Or vindication; or salvation 20I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death."

 We are told, in Hebrews 10, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for He is faithful that promised” (vs. 23). We, the faithful, are to “hold fast the profession of our faith.” This means that, since we claim to have hope in Jesus and since we say we are saved and headed to Heaven, we are to live out that hope by remaining faithful to Him.

To God be all glory, honor, and praise! Continue to press on to win the prize of eternal glory, Amen.