The crushing, grief, and regret.

For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:8-10

This was the apostle Paul addressing the ekklesia in Corinth about how they reacted to his first letter to them. There is so much here to learn and ponder with the Holy Spirit. Questions about regret and grief and how those can affect us. And the question of grief and regret being from two different sides whether it is from the Holy Spirit or whether it is from the ‘worldly’ perspective. Why do we blindly go through life without asking questions of the Holy Spirit of what we are encountering in our lives? So many pray in ‘complaint’ to God without ever waiting for Him to explain or reveal His process within them. Do we have a ‘compliant’ and soft heart when we hear the ‘hard’ Truth of things in our lives? Do we go to repentance or do we stamp our feet and shake our fists at God? Do we allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us about our iniquities (character flaws)? Do we really value Him over everything else in our lives?

There is a time of ‘crushing’ that comes which is very difficult to endure. Are we wise enough to know that God is at work in our lives to purge everything that is not of Him? Those experiences are very painful. Can you be thankful and grateful to God when everything you have is being crushed and taken away? Depression is a real enemy during times of crushing. Negative thinking MUST be met with self determination and self control with outward disciplines of proclamations of gratefulness and thankfulness to God. Can we tell Him we love Him when we are going through another round of crushing? Has the Holy Spirit had you in the crucible of crushing so that He can plant His fruit deeper within you? Are His goals for your life …your goals?

This is when perspective is so important. Have you had any ‘pearls’ of revelation given to you by God that you cherish in your inner soul / heart? I hold on to them — reminding myself that this last mile of the marathon will be over as I push myself to finish what He has given me to do. Glory and the kingdom await in blazing light and reunion and love — forever more. Actually this life on earth is a blip on the eternal line of our lives. We must remember what He has promised and prepared for us. Reread Hebrews chapter 11.

This type of crushing is the process which spawned the words of Paul when he wrote … I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 Can we really learn to be ‘content’ with God in whatever state we are in — even if we lost it all physically, and materially? 

These are the ‘adult’ spiritual lessons / tests.

Not many are ready for this type of crushing and stretching beyond what we think we can endure. But God has a different target for our lives than we can see. Do you praise Him in those very hard times? Even Jesus faced this trial in the garden before the ‘day’. Jesus was so stressed He sweat blood. These types of trials are not easy and should not be taken lightly when you see a brother or sister going through one. We don’t need to give them help that comes from our understanding — but we need to have the Holy Spirit give us direction and love on how to support and comfort them. 

As a ‘watchman’ I see this time of crushing has already come upon His remnant.  God is purifying His own. Can you praise Him in this time?

*selah*