Conflict

Indeed, how can people avoid what they don’t know is going to happen? None of us can hold back our spirit from departing. None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death.
Ecclesiastes 8:7-8b NLT

In the last four weeks, there has been an inordinate number of people within my sphere who have passed away. Either close to me or close to those who are close to me. Thankfully, they have all known the Lord, for which I am so grateful. While I am comforted knowing that great and precious promise of eternity with Christ, I still grieve. I'm not conflicted, but there is an element of conflict in my emotions.

The truth is, we all live in conflict simply by being alive. When we choose to follow the Lord, then our Spirit is in conflict with our flesh and our selfish nature. And while we are not always victorious within ourselves, we are through Christ. The good news is, Christ died so that we could be forgiven for every mistake, every wrong-doing, every sin. We are not perfect, we are forgiven. We must come to understand that. Simply, we choose to believe the Truth of God’s Word over the facts that make up our life.

Today, I thought of the words from an old Tina Turner song. It says, “Time will ease the pain, for every life that fades, something beautiful remains.” It's true. Love remains and that is beautiful.

Prayer:

Father:
           Your days are without end, Your mercies beyond counting. Help us always to remember that life is short and the day of our death is known to You alone. May Your Holy Spirit lead us to live in holiness and justice all our days. Make us an instrument of Your peace, for it is in forgiving others that we are forgiven, and in giving to others, that we are able to receive, and only in dying that we are born to eternal life. Your Word promises: Blessed are we that mourn, for we shall be comforted. Comfort us, Father, heal our hearts. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen