Langdon's Devotional

"... but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope ..."  Romans 5:3-4 (ESV)   Preface This is part of a series of posts on the nature of emotional pain, what it can reveal about our hearts and minds, and the purpose it has in our walk with Christ. If you haven't read the first part , I'd suggest checking that one out first for the full context. Or don't. I won't stop you. Pain is an Indicator Think of emotional pain as the numbers on a meter that gauges the status or condition of our spirit. Emotional pain is not the problem itself. It's a symptom of the problem. When we get a physical wound, usually the first thing that comes to mind is the pain. That's how we know there's a problem and how bad it is. But oftentimes we misjudge what the actual issue is. Dr. Priolo gave two great examples . Let's say you wake up in the middle of the night, from the best...

 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV) Our God can provide us comfort, because we can trust that He's experienced the same Sin that we do. Comfort is very valuable. It's a great example of something that our flesh and spirit both constantly seek out, but something that can hurt us in a sneaky way if it's not kept in moderation. It's something that can motivate people to be selfish, but also something that be shared with good intention. I don't think it's inherently godly, but God can still work wonders with comfort. You could argue that comfort is not necessarily the opposite of suffering, but the absence of it. Pleasure is closer to the opposite of suffering, but logically, pleasure on earth always comes with the possibility ...

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory." Colossians 3:1-4 (ESV) Our personal pursuits are only as valid as who they're really in pursuit of. Revisiting this one in the spirit of a new understanding. It gets really easy to fall into the habit of living our lives for ourselves, even if under the pretense that we're "living for ourselves, for Christ." There's no such thing. I become angry with God when He takes away something from me that brings me happiness, which is evidence that I lost sight of what I'm after. What's our end goal here? Let's use prosperity gospel as an example to highlight how we answer that question often times. Practicing th...

 "It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes." Psalm 119:71 (ESV) Affliction puts us in a posture to see more of God's character and instruction. I can only remember a few times in my life when I felt completely drawn to the Gospel, as if it were something I needed not just spiritually, but mentally and emotionally. It's only really been when I was genuinely struggling, wrestling with God's will for my life when it's felt like something I physically needed to survive. The best way I can describe it is that it feels like a craving, or thirst – going back to it feels like total relief. Obviously I wish it didn't work that way – I wish it felt that way all the time. We should go back to it like we need it, even when we don't feel like we need it, because we do. Just because we don't have an appetite doesn't mean we don't need to eat, and just because we don't have a headache yet doesn't mean we shouldn...

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7 (ESV) Anxiety is an incredibly heavy burden to bear, and giving up control is the first step to make it just a bit lighter. I deal with some amount of social anxiety, and I have for a long time. It’s not crippling, and I’d even say it’s nowhere close to what some people have to deal with. But it is there, and it surfaces so often that I’ve sort of accepted it as part of who I am. That might sound dramatic or defeatist, but I really don’t think it’s a “bad” thing. It’s a downside of the way that my mind functions on its own, but I think it’s forced me to become a lot more intentional with peop...

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9 (ESV) Reflecting on this passage, I want to share some more recent personal experiences, and how I've felt growth lately. I've been traveling a lot lately, to visit friends in Atlanta, friends in Athens, family in North Carolina, and for work in Florida. And normally when I'm busier, it's easier for me to stay in touch with and faithful to the Lord. But I'm realizing that when I get out of a routine, it makes it a lot more difficult to stay disciplined in general. That doesn't just apply to my walk with Christ, but in a more real sense, everything has to do with my walk with Christ. I like having plans (which is probably why I'm so impatient with God's timing), so I struggle to stay as firm with my values when I need to make up my plans as I go – i.e. traveling. When I was visiting family though, I had an exper...