Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Encouragement Against Maliciousness

Malice: noun: the intention or desire to do evil; ill will

I would have to say that up until recently, I have never in my life had someone direct malicious behavior towards me or my family. I have been blessed with family, friends, and community who have been loving and supportive of me. I hope and pray that you have been blessed with love and benevolence as well. 

We were recently blindsided and left reeling at the lies and maliciousness that were directed at our family; by people who claim to be fellow believers. I plan to eventually blog about our experiences, but I have not yet been released spiritually to do so. When I am led to write about it, I will, and I trust it will help others who have gone through similar experiences. God has always used the difficult times in my life to connect me with others who need encouragement and support; I know He has the same plan in this difficult journey we have been on. 

We have been blessed with family and good friends who have spoken words of encouragement to us in this, and I want to share some scripture that was shared with me. May it encourage you if you are going through a similar time.

Have you had trust betrayed? Have you had people lie about you in order to cover their own lies and wrongdoing?  Has someone slandered you and attacked your efforts to do good and further the Kingdom?  

People let us down and disappoint.  And let's be honest, people can lash out at us with the intention to do evil. People we once held in high esteem, people who we thought were godly; people we trusted.  But let us not hope in people; let us hope in Elohim; YHVH!  

I took these notes at a recent conference we attended: "I have been saved to suffer. I have been called to be persecuted. The world will not receive the Kingdom with joy." But how sad it is when the suffering and persecution we experience is because fellow believers are wounding their own, perhaps because of jealousy or their own insecurities.

In the midst of these hard times (and any time!) we are called to remain faithful and do good, to delight in the LORD!
From Psalm 37 (it's rather lengthy, so I am pulling out a few nuggets):
  • Do not fret because of evildoers
  • Trust in the Lord and do good
  • Cultivate faithfulness
  • Delight yourself in the Lord
  • Commit your way to the LORD
  • He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday
  • Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him
  • Do not fret...because of the man who carries out wicked schemes
  • Cease from anger and forsake wrath
  • Do not fret
  • Wait for the LORD
  • The wicked plots against the righteous...the LORD laughs at him, for He sees his day is coming
  • The LORD sustains the righteous
  • The LORD is the One who holds his hand
  • The Lord loves justice and does not forsake His godly ones, they are preserved forever
  • His steps do not slip
  • The Lord will not...let him be condemned when he is judged 
  • Wait for the Lord and keep His way
  • The man of peace will have a posterity
  • The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
    He is their strength in time of trouble.
  • The Lord helps them and delivers them;
    He delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
    Because they take refuge in Him. 
    (NASB)