“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.” Romans 12: 12
Sometimes the key to survival is simply “setting our jaw” and going on faithfully trusting that God is there helping us, despite the outward circumstances. Choosing joy through hope rather than despair, choosing patient endurance in times of affliction, and choosing faithfulness in prayer are all decisions of the will.
We trust that God, who raised Jesus from the dead, can also change our circumstances because he hears our voice.
Seven Falls, Eight Getting Up
Japanese culture and ways of thinking cannot be adequately addressed in a short space, but this Japanese proverb reflects an important and shared ideal: "Nana korobi ya oki" (literally: seven falls, eight getting up) means fall down seven times and get up eight.
This speaks to the Japanese concept of resilience. No matter how many times you get knocked down, you get up again. Even if you should fall one thousand times, you just keep getting up and trying again. You can see this ethic reinforced in all facets of Japanese culture including education, business, sports, the martial arts the Zen arts, etc. It is especially important to remember the sentiment
expressed in this proverb when times are dark.
There are no quick fixes in life and anything of real worth will necessarily take much struggle and perseverance. Success does not have to be fast—what’s more important is that one simply does their absolute best and remains persistent.
Acts 9:4-5
He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied.
Thoughts on Today's Verse....
When Paul teaches that the Church is the Body of Christ, he isn't being theoretical. The Church is Jesus' presence, his Body in this world. What is done to the Church as a collective group of people is done to Jesus.
What is done to individual Christians is done to their Savior. Jesus is present in the world through us! The saying is true: the only Jesus many will see today is the Jesus they see through you and me.
Sometimes the key to survival is simply “setting our jaw” and going on faithfully trusting that God is there helping us, despite the outward circumstances. Choosing joy through hope rather than despair, choosing patient endurance in times of affliction, and choosing faithfulness in prayer are all decisions of the will.
We trust that God, who raised Jesus from the dead, can also change our circumstances because he hears our voice.
Seven Falls, Eight Getting Up
Japanese culture and ways of thinking cannot be adequately addressed in a short space, but this Japanese proverb reflects an important and shared ideal: "Nana korobi ya oki" (literally: seven falls, eight getting up) means fall down seven times and get up eight.
This speaks to the Japanese concept of resilience. No matter how many times you get knocked down, you get up again. Even if you should fall one thousand times, you just keep getting up and trying again. You can see this ethic reinforced in all facets of Japanese culture including education, business, sports, the martial arts the Zen arts, etc. It is especially important to remember the sentiment
expressed in this proverb when times are dark.
There are no quick fixes in life and anything of real worth will necessarily take much struggle and perseverance. Success does not have to be fast—what’s more important is that one simply does their absolute best and remains persistent.
Acts 9:4-5
He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied.
Thoughts on Today's Verse....
When Paul teaches that the Church is the Body of Christ, he isn't being theoretical. The Church is Jesus' presence, his Body in this world. What is done to the Church as a collective group of people is done to Jesus.
What is done to individual Christians is done to their Savior. Jesus is present in the world through us! The saying is true: the only Jesus many will see today is the Jesus they see through you and me.
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