Weeping Yet Pressing Forward

³⁰ But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went...

-2 Samuel 15:30

Behind the Celebratory Curtain

A promotion at work, a college graduation, celebrating 50 years of matrimony are all celebratory occasions.  However, hidden behind the curtains of the aforementioned celebrations are the tremendous amounts of sacrifice that made them possible.  Achievements don’t just appear, they are earned.

Weeping as He Went

Today as I was reading 2 Samuel 15, the 30^th verse caught my attention.  It reads, “But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went… (2 Samuel 15:30)”  It occurred to me that greatness in any area of our lives often requires tearful, uncomfortable sacrifice.

Interpreting Tears Correctly

Painful instances do not always represent setbacks.  Assuming you are pursuing positive endeavors, those tough, tear drenched moments often signal that significant progress is being made.

Winners that Wept

In addition to David’s example of weeping yet pressing forward, consider a few more biblical examples:

Hezekiah

Hezekiah wept yet pressed forward in prayer.  The result God responded by healing him of a serious illness and protecting his city from an imminent attack. (2 Kings 20:1-5)

A Sinful Woman 

A woman in Luke 7, simply referred to as “a sinner,” wept yet pressed through her tears to serve the Messiah.  The result… Jesus ushered the peace of forgiveness into her life and elevated her as an example of authentic gratitude before a group of arrogant, judgmental men.  (John 11:1-43)

Jesus 

Jesus, our very savior, wept yet he pressed through the crowds, pressed past death, pressed passed those that doubted Him and spoke life into Lazarus.  The result…  A man that had been dead for four days walked out the tomb alive!

Weep Today, Rejoice Tomorrow  

Recovery, renewal and reaping rewards all require sacrifice.  Today’s message is simple… Weep if you must but keep pressing forward. 

See your tears as a road sign that says, "Speed up!  A Major Accomplishment is Ahead!"  The Psalmist said it like this, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.  He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”  (Psalm 126:5-6)

As you press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling you… Weep if you must but keep pressing on!  (Philippians 3:14)

Affirmation

Weeping or Not... I Am Pressing Forward!

Stop Complaining... It's Draining

 1 Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the LORD, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then fire from the LORD burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. 2 When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the LORD and the fire died down. 3 So that place was called Taberah, [a] because fire from the LORD had burned among them.

-Numbers 11:1-3 (NIV)


Praise is the Pre-Curser to an Uplifted Spirit
A popular Christian quote says, “When the praises go up… The blessings come down!”  It is true that the Lord inhabits the praises of his people (Psalm 22:3).  It’s true that praise moves our focus from our weakness to God’s indisputable, all-powerful strength.  It’s true that praise makes us feel better (Psalm 42:5)!

The Choice is Yours...

If all of the above is true, why do we complain?  Any reason that we can articulate boils down to one word: CHOICE.  Sure we all have seemingly more than our fair share of problems but we also have much more than our fair share of blessings.  Complaining is choosing to focus on the areas of our lives we perceive as "limiting" instead of the empowering ways God has positioned us to succeed and live an abundant life.

The Downside of Complaining

Complaining attracts the wrong types of friends.  It steals time that could be spent finding solutions.  It prolongs and causes you to re-live the painful situation each time you recount the story.   The main reason to avoid complaining is found in Numbers 11:1-3… God does not like it.  It  makes Him angry.

Praising God Shrinks Problems 

Whatever your troubles, know this… If you are reading this devotional,  your problems have not overtaken you.  You are still here!  You still have a reason to hope in God.  Praise God that every breath you take represents a new opportunity for Him to do something amazing in your life!  

Choose to magnify God instead of your problems and something AMAZING will happen!  Your soul will be encouraged as you think about God reigning over every person, problem, situation and blessing in your life.  Yes!  God reigns over everything!  Your issues may be too big for you but they are not too  big for God!  Praise allows you to raise your hands and literally give your situations to God and receive his strength (1 Peter 5:6-7 and Isaiah 61:1-3)!  

Equipping Yourself to Praise God

Carry a piece of paper with you and, throughout the day, write down everything that’s going right that could be going wrong. 

 For example...

The hot water in the shower could be cold... 

The refrigerator in your home could be empty... 

The car in the drive way could have been stolen... 

Your eyes could be without sight...

Your arms, legs, fingers and toes could be in pain... 

Your errand could have been interrupted by a horrible accident…

The point of this exercise is to write down all the daily blessings that we so easily take for granted.  Anytime you are tempted to complain, look at the list and start to thank God and praise Him for Today’s blessings!

Affirmation

I will Bless the Lord at all Times!