Titus 2 Men And Women
"Those That Oppose Themselves"
Does God care that my heart hurts?
Does God want someone to help me?
by Sharon Merhalski
The Bible says, "You are loved with an everlasting love." That means right now, wherever you are at: in your fear, in your lack of trust, or in your depression.
I remember so well lamenting to myself because the Bible did not address the pain and fear of my heart. I had heard many pastors preach that Jesus bore all our grief---and I remember telling myself, "not mine."
On a Christian radio program one spring day I heard the words, "God the Father had to totally reject His own Son on the cross...He had to turn His face away from even looking at His Son and He hung on the cross of Calvary. Oh dear one, Jesus felt your deep pain of abuse and "by His stripes" you can be healed." This truth gave me the HOPE I needed that day to press on and search for victory.
I needed a verse or verses because I sensed in my heart a calling to help others. I knew the truth about Tamar who was abused by her brother---but the Bible says, "she remained desolate." I asked God so many times, "shouldn’t someone have gone to her and helped her heart to heal?" Searching for Bible verses became an all encompassing adventure for me..
Should we specifically address the issues of emotionally hurting people?"
This question had been on my heart for many years. In my heart there rang a resounding YES!!! I had been faithful to address their concerns whenever possible for those concerns were once my heartaches. However, inside of me I wanted the Bible to tell me that God wants us to specifically meet their heartaches. About two years ago I began seeking God for a specific answer. Once in awhile I would ask, and always I was listening for His answers in sermons, and all manner of teaching and reading my Bible. I wanted verses.
MY DAILY JOURNAL................11/15/2000
"Oh LORD, my LORD---"wait patiently"---I don’t know how patiently I waited but I praise You and I thank You for the perfect all inclusive answer to my seeking,
at times begging, question: Should we specifically address the issues of emotionally hurting people? I have asked You for Bible verses because I have been confused over why there seems to be such a hush put on addressing the issues of once abused people. I have questioned why it is such a closet issue? Oh God, thank You for hearing and answering my seeking heart.
LORD, this morning at 5:30 a.m. You lifted the following verses off of the page as I read Your Word. I do praise You!
(What you are about to read is my favorite kind of Bible Study. I left it as it is written in my journal.)
II Timothy 2:2, 24-26
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Vs.2 |
"And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." |
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24-26 |
"And the *servant of the LORD must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that* OPPOSE THEMSELVES; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." |
|
*SERVANT---Strong’s Concordance #1401 |
"A slave; bondservant in a qualified sense of subjection or subservancy." |
|
*OPPOSE- Strong’s Concordance #475 |
"To set oneself opposite; BE *DISPUTATIOUS |
|
Webster’s Dictionary |
"To set against; to place as an obstacle with a view to counterbalance or counteravail and thus to hinder, defeat, destroy, or to prevent effect. ---to act against; to resist by physical force, by arguments or by other means; to act as an opponent. ---synonym---combat, withstand, resist, contradict, deny, obstruct. |
|
*DISPUTATIOUS---Webster’s Dictionary--- |
"Inclined to dispute; apt to *CAVAIL or *CONTROVERT |
| Webster’s Dictionary--- *CAVAIL= |
to find fault without good reason jeer, mock, a jeering mocking |
|
*CONTROVERT= |
to turn in an opposite direction. To dispute---to oppose by reasoning. To contend against in words or writings; To deny and attempt to dispute. To agitate or argue against. |
I cannot think of anything that an emotionally damaged/dysfunctional person can do that is not named in the definitions of OPPOSE....themselves. Pulling words from the verses and all of the definitions above:
|
OPPOSE |
OPPOSE THEMSELVES |
|
Hinder |
Act against |
| Defeat |
Resist by hurting one’s self |
| Destroy |
Opponent to themselves |
| Prevent effects |
Combat |
| Dispute |
Contradict |
| Find fault falsely |
Resist |
| Jeer |
Deny |
| Mock |
Obstruct |
| Turn in opposite direction |
Believing lies (vs.23) |
| Contend against oneself |
Agitate |
|
Argue against oneself |
"I wept this morning and shook inside as I made these notes in my journal. How comprehensive the Words of God are...how very blessed for they are truth!
Thank you Holy Spirit for teaching me, and for giving me the specific answer I was seeking---to settle my heart about doing what I know God wants me to do.
Lord, please go before me as I prepare to teach others living in a nightmare that daybreak in Jesus is waiting for them.
God, You are going to have to send ladies to me. Help me to know how to make the contacts. Lead me, guide me, and please, please, use me. I thank You that my husband is encouraging me to take this road...this path."
This was written many months ago and as I look back I see how God helped me to take one step at a time. This study I believe is without argument. How many times I have read those verses and the word OPPOSE never meant anything to me. But I lived for 34 years OPPOSING myself...until God gave to me "Beauty For Ashes". I stood just beyond the shadow of God’s wings...until I let Jehovah-Rapha heal my heart and set me free. I hope this study blesses you---and for some who will read this I hope it will give you the courage to open your healed heart and help others find "the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness".
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