A very hard lesson that I have experienced, especially in contending with God, is Love presumed upon. I was raised loved in my home, but it was not a perfect home, as I believe most aren't. There were things to brag about and things I would feel ashamed about as "the ideal" is lifted up and seen (perceived) and fallen short.
School is about getting good grades - and some parents are into that more than others. Even sports can be lessons in competition and there is good and bad competition and fair and unfair playing grounds. There are different faiths that blend together, especially in the public school setting, and respect for all is necessary or there are many offenses and clashes. Some carry on ugly, even in the adult world.
I felt my lacks and they bothered me, but then I would see those who had less than me, and some of the severe cases would trouble me. I saw those who had it better, whose families had more money, more abilities, more favor and learned like many, that many ideals were personally and spiritually interpreted, although I may not have used those exact terms then. But it was my view, not my comparison that made the difference.
"Liberty and justice for all, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," words such as these make you look around and wonder as your thinking brain is developed. If children at a young age are intimidated more that invited into participation in life, they will follow others and let others make important trusted decisions for them.
But that does not change the perception that love and blessing and favor are things we want to strive for. Some watch out for us and become our heros; others don't so much and sometimes become "the enemy." And many things are in a state of flux.
Obviously there are injustices and as people of prayer, we will take those to God and hear His words to find our solutions. Some say forgive, some say fight, some say contend, some say be proactive with love, be tolerant, be self focused on your decisions for good or not, confess words, and all those can be our works, right or wrong for the moment!
But when we are seeking the Love and blessing of God, we see favor for certain families, even in the churches. And the reason for that there even is because of the need for trust. And while a lot of that is really good, there are times we want a pure Spiritual response from God. This is where we engage our own souls in a spirit of change and it's not something that others necessarily understand, discern or see clearly on.
There is that "inner man" in all of us that seeks justice. It's easier for Christians when Jesus is that inner man developing, because we really will see real change, and that is a work in progress. But the world is not what all it should be yet and there are many wars and rumors of wars, local, social and abroad. We pursue the Love of God one on one because we want real and lasting changes.
This can be rough territy and tough grounds to cross at times. We were raised certain ways and with certain teachings and mindsets, and even different communities have different flavors and reasons for why they see and interpret things the way they do. Not everyone agrees, so we need His Spirit!
A prophetic spirit is challeged and trained to engage and understand these things. They are not just the prognosticators of up and coming events and they are not the magic solution for all the problems of the Church and world, even though impartations have been give to all in the Body of Christ for these things.
Prophets can be over-rated and misunderstood and sometimes they are just wrong. Every person in the Body of Christ has a gift that makes a difference, just not all are using it or walking in it! When we make idols and focus on the wrong things, we can't help but go off track. When we get it right, awesome things happen!
But when we get it wrong, and just miss it, we can go to God in an expectation of presumption and get offended when things don't work out like we think they should. We might even be right and things don't go right and we become grieved.
We can take it to God and seem to get a blank reply, but the truth is, we don't know it all yet (and probably never will). God is good and believing that, especially with hard circumstances, can be a difficult burden, but it's our only solution. Many people turn to the Word of God in the midst of grievous trials and even then, it takes the Holy Spirit and anointed teachers to make things understood in ways for pure solace.
But we can also get very offended when things don't go right or well and the results of that can affect us and those around us. Much of the world is offended, if you read the evening news. And God is not usually offered as a comfort when you hear the tragic news stories, but you will hear of good people here and there, thank God!, making a difference. But we can't presume upon good people, because they are just people!
Pray-ers and prophets will go to God for answers. It's not an easy job but many are driven to do it. And when we have been raised and sheltered in wonderful love and care, and something disturbs or breaks that, we can get hurt internally and become very wounded or offended. Some learn to cope and even fake through it, some lose their minds - or souls and hearts. Some are skilled at helping. (Hospitals can be proof of some of that.)
But this is where we need to stand in the gap! And it's not easy work, but it's the work that Jesus did. We can presume on the goodness and love of God, but a Price was paid for it. Many end up negotiating for their own terms on things, and to a big degree many are successful, but it's not final until it is in God and His words. He will stand.
That doesn't just mean knowing the Bible, and that is a powerful tool. That was Jesus' biggest battle, those who wanted to take Him down over the words of God (including the Pharisees and the devil himself). Jesus said "God is Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth."
That means there is a Spiritual dimension to all of this and we must keep seeking our never ending God! And if we are getting overwhelmed, ideally that must be in His goodness. But it takes the overcomer spirit.
We must learn Him - because we can never overcome Him, though many have tried. And He is up for every battle, but how much better if we find His Love instead. It cannot be about "our knowledge" because then that puts us in charge. Then we are tempted to presume upon something that may not being given. But, if we know His will, we can find the path to what we need.
There is a knowledge of the heart that does not presume, or if it accidentally does, it can find a grace for that error. Some find grace in spite of themselves! Some have false walls of pretense, but if our foundation is on the Solid Rock of God's Word, we discover that His mercy and lovingkindness does endure forever!
We don't want to presume upon His Grace and find ourselves (in spirit) crucifying the Son of God afresh. That is the ultimate presumption when we say we no longer need the Holy Spirit of God and the finished work of Jesus on the Cross. Denying the need for His Spirit is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, the unforgiveable and unpardonable sin.
God's Love is so amazing, so big, so wondrous, that we want and do well to keep Him the main thing. Others may not understand us, but eventually they will if we do not presume. We can't put God and Church in a box and (we) say that this is all there is. He jumps out of that box every time! We can't set ourselves up as Lord over anything, but be His willing servants, even when we are exploring ourselves.
It is Christ IN us that is the Hope of Glory. When He is there, others things will start falling into place, even when we are breaking into new territory. WE just have to trust and obey.
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