Gal 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Gal 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. Gal 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. KJV
For a long time, many years, I’ve prayed about what I should be doing each day, and for the most part, believe that I hear from God, and then I attempt to do what He’s asked. Many days, I’ve worked so hard I haven’t even stopped to take a break. A few years ago, I started to feel the full effects of burn-out, thinking that I felt this way since I no longer live at the Beach, a quiet and beautiful place. I associated a “place” with the peace I should have had. But this is a lesson I learned many years ago, that a place cannot ever give you peace. I thought this when I hitch-hiked across
People say that Jesus gives a peace that can never come from anything but Himself, including a place, another person, or even from within. There is no stress-relief CDs, no aromatherapy candles, or oceans, or resorts that can give you the peace that Jesus gives. He simply wipes away what causes us torment and floods us with an unearthly and calming peace. I had been writing books, making scrapbooking cards, jewelry and a host of other things and found I was no longer enjoying any of it. I woke up tired and went to bed tired. I dragged myself through each day, dog tired and forced myself to complete the tasks I thought God had given me (doing each task without any joy at all). I had no energy and didn’t even enjoy a walk in the fresh mild winter air. Going out or going for coffee wasn’t enjoyable because I felt I had too much work to do, and it would only postpone the weight of the work load until I got home again. Each day started out bleak and I stopped dreaming and believing. For a writer and an artist, this is disastrous. For a Christian, this is poisonous and ultimately destructive, a shipwreck of faith. Not even once did I suspect that this was all a clever and insidious work of the devil himself. Not once did I suspect that it was anything more than God’s will and me the willing, but bogged-down servant, living one joyless day after another.
But one morning when I woke up, something was different. I had prayed the night before and gave my all over to the Lord, in a sort of “oh well, if I lose it all, I lose it all… I’m heading that way anyway.” I handed Him my burdens, not for a moment thinking He had actually taken them. One of those burdens was financial, since my husband had been working only half-time and had no sick time due to his company putting way too many demands on him and burning him out. I wasn’t able to get a job, no matter how hard I tried. So I had to hand it over to the Lord not knowing what else to do. I also handed my calling and career aspirations over to Him. So when I woke up I read the above verses in Galatians, and it struck me right away that I had been believing in “another gospel” and it wasn’t the original gospel that had saved my life and set me free so many years earlier. It was “another gospel,” cleverly imitated to make me think it was from God. What was that “other gospel?” For me it was the voice I heard every day that told me what I should do and to “finish it” no matter what the cost. It was the demanding voice that caused me to feel depressed and trapped and that I didn’t have a right to peace or enjoyment of ANYTHING in my life. It was the same voice convincing me that my works are God’s works, when clearly they were not, even though God used me to write the books and whatever else I did even under the strain and burden and pressure of this “other” voice. This voice, by the way, imitates God as closely as it can, so I thought it was God. In fact, this voice sometimes uses people when they’re angry with us and they start to try to manipulate us through guilt and fear.
But that morning after I read these verses, I realized that the Gospel had set me free, but this “other gospel” had me in a prison. Then I realized I had been under a spell. I couldn’t even read or understand God’s Word any more because it didn’t seem relevant to me or wasn’t written for me. I believed that GOD IS AGAINST ME because of all the suffering I had done. But now I started to see many other verses above the deceptive screen that had been placed before me. Jesus said His burden is light. This is the burden I receive, and no other. He said I would have peace and joy and love. This is what I feel and ACCEPT today. He said I had a future to look forward to, and not to an “expected end.” He said He is for me and not against me. He calls me His beloved and His friend, and not an enemy. A true friend doesn’t pile you with burdens; only an enemy would do that. Today I am filled with peace. I know that what I do or don’t do in terms of a strict schedule are no longer important. God is in control and not this sweet evil voice from the pit, Satan himself. God is in control and I can be still and know that He is God. I can be still and I know that it’s okay. Yesterday, I read Matthew 16:25 about losing your life to find it. I also read about waiting on God; not to rush ahead and try to make things happen on my own. God will provide ALL MY NEEDS.
Why did I ever listen to this voice and be caught so unaware? Rather than focusing my thoughts on Jesus and the most important tasks placed before me (all having to do with Him), I went off on a tangent, getting lost in the confusion of detail (too many things to do) and missed out completely on the main joy of life – fellowship with the Lord, loved ones and fellow believers! So remember, when you start to feel bogged down by life, that the source is never God, but the evil messenger of “another gospel” trying to trick you, steal your joy and your peace, and bring you down.
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