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By Paula Marolewski, September 22, 2010 10:30 am

“His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime.” Psalm 30:5

Time and again throughout both the Old and New Testaments, God is revealed as experiencing anger. Therefore, we can state with sureness that anger is an appropriate part of God’s character.

But now we need to move one step further: because we are made in God’s image, anger is an appropriate part of our character.

God’s anger is against sin and unrighteousness. Our anger, unfortunately, tends to be a lot more wide-ranging, and often includes things we have no right to be angry about. Another problem is that, while God always demonstrates his anger in appropriate ways, we often do not.

Because we are often angry at inappropriate things or act our anger out in inappropriate ways, people sometimes tell us (or we tell ourselves) that “we should never be angry.” “Never”? No, that is a lie of the devil. We have every right to be angry at the things that make God angry. We have every right to demonstrate and act on our anger as long as we do not sin in doing so.

Rather than being ashamed of your anger, it is time to hold it up to the light, examine it, reject what is sinful, and embrace what is good.

• What does it mean to you to realize that anger, in and of itself, is part of the image of God within you?
• What parts of your anger at your anxiety are justifiable? What parts are not?
• What is an appropriate way of addressing or demonstrating your anger? What is not?

© 2010 Paula Marolewski, www.SinkYourRoots.com

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By Paula Marolewski, September 22, 2010 10:30 am

“And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Take the rod; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it may yield its water. You shall thus bring forth water for them out of the rock and let the congregation and their beasts drink.’ So Moses took the rod from before the LORD, just as He had commanded him; and Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock. And he said to them, ‘Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?’ Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank. But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.’” Numbers 20:7-12

Moses was rightfully angry at the Hebrew people. They griped and complained at every turn, and continually turned away from the Lord. Yet again they needed water, and yet again they didn’t trust God for it. Nevertheless, God was willing to meet their needs one more time, and he gave specific instructions to Moses.

Moses, however, let his anger control him, instead of the other way around. And as a result, he himself would never see the Promised Land. From Moses’ example, we see that when we are angry, we should:

Honor the LORD. Anger tends to make us very self-focused. Even if you have “righteous indignation,” keep your eyes off yourself and on God.

Watch your tongue. You can positively hear Moses’ scathing voice, “Listen now, you rebels!” Regardless of how angry you are, don’t throw around insults and epithets.

Control your actions. When you are fit to bursting, you want to lash out. Sometimes a physical expression of anger may be appropriate, but most of the time it isn’t. While you should not internalize your anger, you should control your outward expressions of it.

• How do you express anger? Are you in line with Scripture with what you do and say?
• Looking back at times when you were angry, what words or actions fed your anger so that it increased, and what words or actions addressed your anger so that it decreased?

© 2010 Paula Marolewski, www.SinkYourRoots.com

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By Paula Marolewski, September 22, 2010 10:29 am

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came …” Matthew 4:1-3

The reason Jesus can be our merciful and faithful high priest (Hebrews 4:14-15) is  because he suffered as we suffer, and he was tempted as we are tempted.

Consider: Jesus wasn’t tempted by Satan right after coming up out of the water of baptism, right after being announced as the Lamb of God, right after hearing the voice from heaven and seeing the Spirit descend as a dove. Temptation then would have been easy to overcome: Jesus would have been feeling great.

No. Instead, Satan waited. Waited until the Son of Man had become exhausted in the wilderness. Waited until forty days and nights of fasting had taken their toll. Waited until the pain, the sunburn, the blisters, the dirt, and the fatigue had accomplished their dreadful work on the body of the incarnate Word. 

Then, Satan struck.

“Why don’t you take the easy way out?”

“Why don’t you give in to pride?”

“Why don’t you forget about God?”

Satan whispers such dreadful temptations to us when we are exhausted, too. But we have an example we can follow: our Savior, Jesus Christ. The same Word that he turned to is available for us, every day.

• What temptations do you most commonly face when you are exhausted?
• What Scriptures can you turn to to resist these temptations?
• Who can you turn to to help you resist these temptations?

© 2010 Paula Marolewski, www.SinkYourRoots.com

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By Paula Marolewski, September 22, 2010 10:28 am

“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 affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” II Corinthians 1:3-4

“So that.” Those two little words in the above verses pack a powerful punch. When we have been the recipients of God’s comfort, we have a responsibility: a responsibility to pass on what we have received.

That means we cannot sweep our struggles under the rug and hope no one goes poking around and discovers them. Be honest: it’s often what we want to do. We want to pretend like nothing is wrong; pretend like nothing has ever been wrong. But that is actually one of the many faces of pride. We are, in essence, being too proud to admit that we have had a problem; that we have been in need of God’s grace.

On the other hand, when we obey God’s command to pass on his comfort, it takes humility. We have to admit our humanity. Our weakness. Our struggle. Our doubts. Our fears.

But by the amazing grace of God, our very humility and humanity become the source of comfort, wisdom, strength, faith, and courage for others.

So reach out. You have been given great gifts by God during the course of your struggles. Don’t hold those gifts to yourself. Pass them on.

• How has God comforted you in your struggles?
• How has God provided for you in the midst of your struggles?
• What wisdom have you gained from your struggles?
• How can you pass on what you have received to help others?

© 2010 Paula Marolewski, www.SinkYourRoots.com

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By Paula Marolewski, September 22, 2010 10:28 am

“Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and murmur, and He will hear my voice.” Psalm 55:17

David was angry. A close friend had betrayed him, with bitter results. So what did he do? I could say that he called upon God and prayed. David himself was more blunt: “Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and murmur.”

Complaining. Murmuring. David was being devastatingly honest with God: about his situation, about the pain it was causing, about his despair, and about his anger. Without apology, he brought it all before God night and day, complaining and griping about what was happening.

We see two important truths from this psalm:

It is all right to be honest with God. God can handle your anger. Pour it out to him. Let him be the first one you turn to, and hold nothing back.

Honesty with God brings resolution. If you read through Psalm 55, you will see a progression. David pours out his pain and expresses his anger, but then the tumult of his emotions begins to calm down. He reaffirms his trust in God, culminating with the verse, “Cast your burden upon the LORD, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken” (Psalm 55:22). 

If you are honest with God about your anger, you will find that he will help you to think through the situation and to place your trust in him. But he can only work with what you bring him, so bring him everything.

• What were you brought up to think about anger and being angry? Were these ideas true and scriptural or not?
• Do you feel comfortable being completely honest with God about your anger? Why or why not?
• What are you most angry about? Spend time in prayer telling God about the situation, and about your anger. 

© 2010 Paula Marolewski, www.SinkYourRoots.com

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By Paula Marolewski, September 22, 2010 10:27 am

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

With hope, we can get up one more time, no matter how exhausted we are. Hope brings determination, courage, and confidence. And the good news is: God is a God of hope.

Where do we find hope to carry on when we are exhausted? Here are four sources of hope that God provides:

Hope from the Word. As we study the Bible, we learn to trust in the character and promises of God, giving us a solid foundation of hope (Romans 15:4).

Hope from the resurrection. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we can be confident that God is at work in our lives now (Romans 8:11). 

Hope from the Spirit. God has set his Spirit in us! One of the activities of the Spirit is to fill us with hope (Romans 15:13). 

Hope from the future. Can the future be a source of hope? Absolutely! Romans 8:23-25 reminds us that we will one day be completely redeemed: body, soul, and spirit. In that day, anxiety will be no more!

• We often think of hope as a feeling, but the actual definition of hope is “a desire accompanied by some confident expectation” (American Heritage Dictionary). Therefore, we may feel terrible or exhausted or anxious, but still live in hope. Compare your understanding of hope with this definition: do you need to adjust your thinking about hope?
• What aspects of your life are most troubling to you right now? What hope does the Bible provide you with regard to those specific matters?
• Spend time in prayer, asking God to fill you with hope through his Spirit.

© 2010 Paula Marolewski, www.SinkYourRoots.com

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By Paula Marolewski, September 22, 2010 10:26 am

We delight in deceiving ourselves when it comes to personal sin:

“I’m not doing anything really wrong.”

“It feels so good – how could there be anything bad about it?”

“This isn’t a sin.”

But if we looked at ourselves in the cold light of day, we would realize we were lying. We know when we’re doing wrong. We just want to keep on doing it, so we excuse it, justify it, or ignore it.

Then, we blame God when we start to reap the consequences of that sin. We blame God when our life takes a nosedive. We blame God when our prayers go unanswered. We blame God when we fall into doubt, depression, and despair.

Forget it. The truth is, if we harbor sin in our life – that is, if we knowingly and willfully continue acting in a manner displeasing to the Lord – then we are responsible for what follows. Not God. We are responsible. Me. You.  

There’s only one remedy. We must get on our knees and get our heart clean, then stand on our feet and get our life clean.

It’s time we quit fooling ourselves.

© 2010 Paula Marolewski, www.SinkYourRoots.com

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By Paula Marolewski, September 22, 2010 10:26 am

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. – Matthew 4:18-20

Did you ever pause to consider that Peter and Andrew really didn’t know what they were getting themselves into? They knew what they were leaving – a known, solid profession – but they had no idea what Jesus was calling them to exchange it for. “I will make you fishers of men”? What did that mean?

But they left their nets and followed him. No questions. No hesitation. No caveats.

Over the next three years, what was involved in Jesus’ call became clearer and clearer. They began to understand the gospel, got used to preaching, and saw lives changed.

Then came Calvary, the empty tomb, the ascension, and Pentecost. That’s when the call finally came into true focus.

I believe God often calls us into ministry (whether professional or lay ministry) the same way today. His voice is unmistakable, his command to follow doesn’t allow for misunderstanding, but he usually leaves the details vague at first. Why? Because he wants us to follow him … not chase after some personal ambition or dream or desire. And because he wants us to follow him … not run ahead of his plan and his timing.

But we frequently resist:

“What, exactly, are you calling me to, God?”

“Can you give me some details here?”

“I need to weigh the pros and cons.”

“I can go, but I have some qualifiers to attach to the contract.”

We want to know how things will work out. What we will be required to do. What the cost will involve. How the future will unfold. Will we be successful? Will we be happy? Will we be fulfilled?

Did you ever stop to think that by asking questions like that, you are placing yourself above God? You’re treating him like a vacuum-cleaner salesman on your front doorstep: “Show me what you’re selling and I’ll tell you if I’m buying.”

We forget that he delivers a call – not a request. He didn’t ask Peter and Andrew if they would consider coming with him. He called them: “Come, follow me.”

Put aside your questions. Your hesitations. Your caveats.

Forget asking God for guarantees or security.

Follow the call. He’ll make everything clear to you in his time.

© 2010 Paula Marolewski, www.SinkYourRoots.com

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By Paula Marolewski, September 22, 2010 10:25 am

“Why has my pain been perpetual and my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will You indeed be to me like a deceptive stream with water that is unreliable?” Jeremiah 15:18

You need not be ashamed of your doubts. Doubting is very human. Even great prophets like Jeremiah, whose lips had been touched by God himself, doubted.

Here, Jeremiah was doubting God’s goodness and reliability. He knew God existed and had called him, but God seemed to have let him down. God didn’t appear to be providing either the resources or the results his prophet expected.

In your struggles in life, you are very likely to have the same doubts at some point – perhaps at many points: “Where are you, God? Do you care? Where are your resources? What happened to your promises? Where is your presence? I feel so alone – so abandoned.”

When you have these doubts, take this for comfort: even the great prophets of old had those questions. You don’t need to be ashamed because of your doubts. Acknowledge them. Admit them.

And remember this: ultimately, God never let them down. The same will be true for you.

• What kind of doubts do you struggle with most frequently?
• What does it mean to you to realize that men and women of great faith through all the millennia have doubted as you are doubting now?

© 2010 Paula Marolewski, www.SinkYourRoots.com

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By Paula Marolewski, September 22, 2010 10:24 am

This morning I considered two quotes. One is from a movie version of the Agatha Christie novel Death on the Nile, where a self-centered and arrogant young woman comments, “Isn’t it awful when one’s friends fall on hard times? One simply has to drop them!”

The other is a quote from J.R.R. Tolkien. It says, “Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.”

What kind of a friend are you? When your friends are crushed under life’s circumstances … when doubt and depression and grief overtake them … when the pain seems to go on without end … what will you do?

Will you immediately wash your hands of them? After all, they don’t have anything they can give to you. They can’t meet your needs in the middle of their own crisis.

Will you keep the relationship going for a little while, but with less and less energy and initiative on your part until it finally fritters away? Get on with your own life and leave them behind to succeed or fail on their own?

Or will you be faithful when the road darkens? Will you walk the entire length with them, the whole Via Dolorosa? Knowing it’s going to cost you. Knowing it’s going to hurt. Knowing it’s going to be a long, long tunnel before they come out the other side. 

What kind of a friend are you?

© 2010 Paula Marolewski, www.SinkYourRoots.com

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