A Return To Baal

Baal was the chief god of the Canaanites and the chief substitute god for the God of Israel. When the ancient Israelites turned away from God, they turned, most of all, to Baal. Baal was lord of the Canaanite pantheon, god of thunder, fertility, and gain. His worship involved sexual immorality and the confusion of gender. His worship also involved the offering up of children. Parents would place their babies on the bronze arms of the idol and witness their children given over to the fire. It was for this sin that ancient Israel would be destroyed.

For those of you who have read The Harbinger or The Paradigm you know the link between America and ancient Israel. America was founded by the Puritans after the pattern of Israel in the Bible. The Puritan John Winthrop said that if we follow God, “we shall be as ‘a city on a hill’ and shall be the most blessed of peoples.” But most people don’t realize that Winthrop followed that vision with a warning. If America should turn away from the God of its foundation, and to other gods, gods of lust and profit, then the same judgments that came on ancient Israel will come upon us.

It would be hard to find anyone in modern-day America who would admit to worshiping a false god; but modern America is filled with idols and false gods. And if we turn away from God, and we have,  then we will find ourselves seduced by false gods, and we have, most notably the spirit of Baal. Baal is the principality that leads a nation that has once known God, away from God. Under the spirit of Baal, ancient Israel embraced sexual immorality, so have we. Under the Spirit of Baal, Israel embraced the confusion of gender, so have we. Under the Spirit of Baal, Israel killed its most innocent, its children, so have we, over 60 million of them.

When the battle over America’s future, a battle centered on the overturning of biblical morality, the killing of the unborn, and the acceptance of immorality, approached its climax in the presidential election of 2016, a sign appeared. It appeared in New York City, one month before the election. It was the sign of Baal. The arch of Baal, through which his worshipers passed to worship the deity, was erected in New York City.

Recently, the battle over the nation’s future again came to a furious climax, in the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh. As the battle approached its final phase, something happened. The day before the hearings over the accusations began, a sign appeared. It was the sign of Baal. – the same sign that appeared in New York City. The Arch of Baal was erected, now in Washington D.C. – on the Washington Mall – directly facing the Capitol building where the battle was being waged.

Even during the 2008 presidential election we can see the choice to use a symbol of Satan used for a symbol of America at the Democratic Convention. Obama took a trip to Berlin and saw the Altar of Zeus. The same alter that was moved from Pergamos to Berlin in the late 1800's right before World War I. And how do we know that this alter is the same one used to worship Satan in ancient times; because we are plainly told in God's Word. REV 2: 12-13 “And to the angel of the church in PERGAMOS write, ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: “I know your works, and where you dwell, where SATAN'S THRONE is."  America has been on a downward spiral for sometime and at breakneck speeds.

On January 22, New York Governor Cuomo passed the Reproductive Health Act that allows abortion up to the date of birth. And while this is atrocious, little has been heard about Vermont's proposed bill. Vermont’s goes all the way to creating an absolute right to an abortion, at any time in the pregnancy and for any reason, with no limitations as to method. Unlike New York’s new law and the Virginia legislation, there is nothing at all in the bill about distinguishing non-viability of the fetus from viability. There is no pretense of limiting late-term abortion to circumstances in which the life or health of the mother might be impacted. There is nothing mentioned about what to do with a born baby that survives abortion. It establishes a “fundamental right to abortion,” meaning an absolute right that cannot be infringed or restrained in any way. The bill has 91 co-sponsors. It could very well pass. If it does, I do believe it will become the most radical abortion legalization statute in the world.

We live in dramatic and momentous times – when a nation that once knew God is waging war against its own foundations. We live in the days of Baal. How shall we live? In the days of Baal, the people of God must live and move in the spirit and power of Elijah, bold, un-compromised, on fire, all out, advancing, and proclaiming the Word and ways of God. Let us set this in motion to resolve to do just that. And may God greatly bless you as you do!

"Emptiness"

This is a sculpture created by Romanian artist Albert Gyorgy and is located in Geneva, Switzerland. It is called Mélancolie. Mélancolie means, longing for something past, sadness resulting from being forsaken or abandoned, sadness caused by grief or affliction, a feeling of thoughtful sadness, and an atmosphere of depression. So much pain and grief bound up in one word. I can’t imagine any other image that could make someone understand what it feels like. The quite emptiness, the void, the weight of this eternal sadness.

We've all felt the utter feeling of emptiness in our lives. Whether it comes from the loss of a loved one, a job, a home, or just the feeling of depression. We all have had the feeling of an empty hole in our soul. Something is missing. And people will fill that hole with anything that might give them a momentary feeling of relief.

We try to fill it with alcohol, drugs, pornography, adultery, food, and a host of other life debilitating things. But those things only work for a short period of time, then we're empty again. That emptiness is a longing for something in our past. It's something that was removed long ago; and it can only be filled by one thing. You may feel that you have been forsaken or abandoned. It may feel like your affliction or grief will never be healed. But in our brokenness there is something waiting there to put the pieces back together.

Broken things and broken people are the result of sin. But Yahweh sent His son to be broken so that we may be healed. That emptiness, that hole in your life that you feel; is from our separation from God. And the only way to fill that void is to allow Him to heal you. The emptiness you feel is a lie from Satan. Right now, whatever it is you're feeling, whatever it is you're going through, the Holy Spirit will fill you. Have hope and keep your head up. You are not powerless. God is working through you and in you.

Arthur Erickson is a world renowned architect. He has designed some of the most well known buildings in the world. He once said that, “Illusion is needed to disguise the emptiness within.” How very true this is in our lives. We construct all kinds alternate realities in our lives through many debilitating habits. Many destructive habits or illusions to try and fill the hole in our soul. But no matter what this emptiness stems from, there is only one solution that can truly heal us. Arthur made another quote that gives even more meaning to this. He said, “The delusion of entertainment (destructive habits) is devoid of meaning. It may amuse us for a bit, but after the initial hit we are left with the dark feeling of desolation.” Folks, only our Heavenly Father holds the power to heal the desolation and emptiness in our souls.

In your despair just know that you can trust God. You can trust God with the unknowns about your future. You can trust God to heal the hurt. You can trust God to fill the emptiness. You can trust God to illumine this darkness. You can trust God to restore joy to your life. You can trust God to supply sufficient grace and divine power for facing whatever comes. Isaiah 49:13 Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. 

He Moves In Mysterious Ways

New Year’s Day, 1773, marked a decade since depression nearly snatched away William Cowper’s life. The mental agony tortured him so severely ten winters prior that he was locked up in St. Alban’s insane asylum after a botched suicide attempt. While there, he stumbled upon a Bible that the asylum’s Christian director had strategically left open. His eyes fell upon Romans 3:23–26, and the glory of Jesus Christ chased the shadows from his soul.

But by the beginning of 1773, successive blows had left Cowper staggering. His brother died in 1770, followed by two of his cousins the following year. In 1772, neighbors’ whispers suggested that Cowper’s relationship with his landlady was something short of innocent. The grief and the slander soon gathered into clouds too dark for his sanity. And so, as Cowper walked through the fields after church 246 years ago today, Cowper “was struck by a terrible premonition that the curse of madness was about to fall on him again” But before night fell on Cowper’s soul, he sat in the light of his remaining sanity, took up his pen, and wrote a hymn that has strengthened generations of staggering saints through their various shadows.

Cowper’s hymn “God Moves in a Mysterious Way” is a song for every saint who sits on the edge. It is a guide for all who do not see fresh hopes rising over the horizon of the new year. It is a confession of faith in the face of darkness; one that flickers with enough light to carry us through whatever midnights this year brings. At the heart of the hymn is a simple exhortation: “Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take.” Take courage. Take courage when the clouds come thundering toward you. Take courage when the coming days seem covered in shadow. Take courage when you cannot understand God’s ways. But why, we ask in the valley, should we take courage? Throughout the rest of the hymn, Cowper gives his reasons.

"God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform; He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm." As Cowper wrote his hymn, God’s ways confounded him. The God who had rescued Cowper from the storm of mental instability was now sending him back in, where Cowper would feel like he was scrambling always in the Dark, among rocks and precipices without a guide, but with an enemy ever at my heels, prepared to push me headlong. We can understand why he would begin his hymn with the famous line “God moves in a mysterious way.” But for Cowper, “God moves in a mysterious way” was a statement of faith, not despair. Cowper knew from Scripture that God rarely performs his wonders in lands of comfort and ease. More often, God delivers his people from one trouble only to usher them into another: he delivers us from Egypt, and then leads us to the shores of the Red Sea (Psalm 77:19). “He plants his footsteps in the sea and rides upon the storm.”

Do not be dismayed when God’s ways bewilder you. Instead, take courage. Remember with Cowper that you are in the company of many trusting saints. You are walking with Abraham and Sarah, waiting decades for a son (Genesis 17:15–21). You are traveling with David through the valley of the shadow (Psalm 23:4). You are watching with Jeremiah as Jerusalem goes up in flames (Jeremiah 21:10). You are lying with John the Baptist beneath the executioner’s sword (Matthew 14:1–12). You are weeping with Mary Magdalene outside the tomb of Jesus (John 20:11–15). We do not need to grasp all that God is doing when we find ourselves in the middle of his mysterious ways. In the end, God will show that his ways, so high above our own (Isaiah 55:8), were nevertheless perfect (Psalm 18:30). “God is his own interpreter,” Cowper reminds us later in the hymn. And when the time is right, “He will make it plain.”

"Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; The clouds you so much dread, Are big with mercy and shall break, In blessings on your head." Cowper did not downplay the anguish of depression or any of our other afflictions. He did not claim that, because of Christ, the children of God stride unfeeling through the thorns of this cursed world. He was willing to write in a letter to a friend that depression had thrust him into “the belly of this Hell, compared with which Jonah’s was a palace, a temple of the living God”  Nevertheless, Cowper’s hymn does more than give a voice to our distress. It also lends us the eyes of faith to look ahead at the storm clouds of our sorrows, no matter how dreaded, and to recognize them as the messengers of God’s mercy. “Dreaded clouds” are never the final horizon for the people of God. In the end, the barren couple holds a baby in their arms (Genesis 21:1–3). The sun rises over the valley of the shadow (Psalm 23:6). Jerusalem hears again the sound of a song (Isaiah 62:1–5). The martyr awakes with a resurrected body (1 Corinthians 15:53–55). The stone rolls away from the tomb (John 20:16–18).

Take courage. The clouds that cover you this year may be darker than any you have yet known. They may linger long. They may seem to blot out the sun. But God knows how to take even these clouds, and through them work wonders so marvelous, so unlooked for, that they leave us on our knees in worship.

"His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour; The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flow’r." Toward the end of the hymn, Cowper leaves us with an assurance: God’s purposes “will ripen fast.” Very soon now, the sun will scatter these dreaded clouds, and we will stand upon the dry land of God’s goodness with everlasting joy on our heads. In the moment, of course, God’s fast may feel like a thousand years (2 Peter 3:8). The depression that fell on Cowper in 1773 covered him until his death in 1800; a 27-year darkness. John Newton, in his funeral sermon for Cowper, preached from the passage about the burning bush (Exodus 3:2–3), because, as he put it, Cowper “was indeed a bush in flames for 27 years.” Can we say that 27 years in the flames was a fast affliction? Only if we, with Cowper, set 27 years next to 27 million years, and allow eternity to adjust our scales. From the standpoint of forever, no calamity can befall us this year that will not be a “light momentary affliction preparing for us an eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17). For the moment, we taste only the bitter bud. Soon, we will see that heaven’s soil knows how to turn every bud into a flower whose beauty we cannot imagine.

Later in his funeral sermon, Newton agreed with Cowper’s sense of fast. “He was one of those who came out of great tribulation,” Newton said. “He suffered much here for 27 years, but eternity is long enough to make amends for all.” Eternity is long enough to make amends for all — all the evil that has fallen on us so far in this life, and any evil that will fall on us this year. So take courage. Today, we are one year closer to the land where the skies are always clear, where flowers cover the hillsides, and where every tear stained face feels the tender touch of Jesus Christ.

Life is Easy?

Life is easy. That's kind of an oxymoron. Life is far from easy. Yet we take great steps in trying to make our paths in life as easy and trouble free as possible. I'm sure your saying, "What's wrong with that?" In a sense nothing; but it's how we go about it, and what we try and prevent is the problem.

Everyday we see things that are marketed to make our life simpler, easier and hassle free. We are lulled into a state of complacency. We get to a point where we are comfortable, then put forth little effort to make our situations any better. Yet once troubles appear in our path, instead of pushing through, we just switch to an easier path.

I recently saw a commercial for Metro by T-Mobile, that had two bears trying to catch salmon in a river. The commercial itself was about switching your cellular service. But what stood out to me was while the other bears were trying to catch the salmon, the one bear says he's going to hit the sushi restaurant. So in essence instead of working toward catching the fish which takes time and could be difficult, he decided to just take the easier path and go to the sushi restaurant. So the commercial got me thinking about the treacherous journey a salmon must make.

You see, salmon were designed by God to return to the place of their birth. They will travel many miles upstream against the natural flow of things to get there. But instead of reaching their true destination many of them end up in a can on a supermarket shelf. So your calling as a believer is very much like that of a salmon. You are meant to go against the natural flow of the flesh, the world, of hate, of sin, discouragement, and darkness. You have the power to swim upstream. Your life has the potential to be a miracle.

It won't be an easy path; but that's why Christ said in Matthew 7:13-14-“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. It's a path that few will take. It's a path that is filled with hardships and sufferings. But it's a path that leads to the ultimate reward. The reward of returning to the place we were created, in the arms of our Father.

But the enemy will do everything he can to have you end up in a can. He wants your potential; the miracle in your life, the blessings, the ministry, the joy, and the victory that God has for you. If the potential in life is on a shelf somewhere in a can, God’s Word is still good, and His power is awesome. Spiritually you’ve got the power of God’s Spirit to go against the flow and reach your full
potential!

God's message for the path in your life can even be seen in secular music. There is a highway to hell, but only a stairway to heaven. So get set on the unworn path. It may look hard. It may be filled with temporary sufferings; but it's filled with eternal joy. So get going uphill, upstream, against the flow and out of that can.

May You Be Full Of Eucharisteo

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) Grumbling can be described as the accent of hell and gratitude as the accent of heaven. But as many of us prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, let’s take a longer look at gratitude. More specifically, how is it possible to obey 1 Thessalonians 5:18 and “give thanks in all circumstances,” especially if our circumstances are horrible? What fuels thanksgiving when life seems to be one discouragement, disappointment, disease, disaster, and death after another? There is only one way. And Jesus both is the way and shows the way.

The best place to see Jesus showing us the way is in the upper room where he “took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me’” (Luke 22:19). The Greek word for “thanks” in this verse is eucharisteo. The root word of eucharisteo is charis, meaning “grace.” Jesus took the bread and saw it as grace and gave thanks. He took the bread and knew it to be gift and gave thanks. Eucharisteo, thanksgiving, envelopes the Greek word for grace, charis. But it also holds its derivative, the Greek word chara, meaning “joy.” Charis. Grace. Eucharisteo. Thanksgiving. Chara. Joy. Now, let’s think for a moment about what Jesus’s eucharisteo meant.

Thank you, Father, that my body, symbolized by this bread, is about to be brutally broken and I am about to be momentarily damned by your wrath (Isaiah 53:10) so that you will receive supreme glory in being able to forgive undeserving sinners (Philippians 2:11) and I will share eternally full joy (John 15:11; Psalm 16:11) with hundreds of millions of forgiven sinners made righteous through my sacrifice (Isaiah 53:11). Jesus’s thanks was not based on his present circumstances. He was about to endure the worst possible horror. He felt thankful to the Father for the grace and glory that was coming because of the cross and this gave him joy. Eucharisteo. Jesus’s eucharisteo was fueled by his belief in future grace. That’s what the author of Hebrews meant when he wrote that, Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith . . . for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2) Jesus’s eyes were on his future joy. He got through the cross by not focusing on the cross but on the promised joy that would result from it.

That’s where God wants your eyes: on the future joy he has promised you. And what is your future joy? The very best possible future you could ever imagine; if you will believe it.
You will have the free gift of complete forgiveness for all your sins extending into forever (Romans 6:23). You will never have to merit your justification by keeping the law (Galatians 2:16). You will have all your real needs provided while on earth (Philippians 4:19). You will receive all the grace you need at all times so that you will abound in every good work God has for you (2 Corinthians 9:8).
God will complete the good work he began in you (Philippians 1:6). You will be raised from the dead and never, ever die again (1 Corinthians 15:52–53). That means someday soon you will see Jesus, be with him (2 Corinthians 5:8), and be like him (1 John 3:2). In that day you will know for the first time full, unpolluted joy (Psalm 16:11). You will be completely free from all corruption (Romans 8:21).
You will have God forever (1 Peter 3:18) as your exceeding joy (Psalm 43:4).

And that’s just a small sampling! The joy set before you is the same joy Jesus had set before him, because you are an heir of the kingdom with him (Romans 8:17). So right now you have trouble. That’s okay. Jesus said that you would (John 16:33). And Jesus really understands (Hebrews 4:15). In fact, the trouble that you endure has a purpose: in it you are displaying the reality of Jesus to the world in a unique way. The kingdom of God is most clearly shown on earth when Christians gratefully suffer present trouble because they see a future weight of glory coming that makes everything this world throws at them as “light momentary afflictions” in comparison (2 Corinthians 4:17).

So, how can you give thanks in all circumstances? There’s only one way: Jesus’s way. Look to the joy set before you. Look to the joy! If the future joy Jesus promises is real and you believe him, there is no circumstance that can steal your thanksgiving. May all your Thanksgiving celebrations be soaked in eucharisteo.

Say "Thank You" Today

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving with our families, I'm reminded of something that happened on one of our trips to New York. We were on our sixteen hour trip when we pulled into a rest stop. The day before Thanksgiving was a busy time at the rest area. As I walked in, I noticed that, despite how busy it was, the restroom was sparkling clean. I saw a woman hard at work, scrubbing the floors and sinks amidst others walking in and out. It struck me that, while most other people were home preparing turkeys or traveling to visit family, she was doing a thankless job. The bathroom was remarkably tidy and, as anyone would be, I was grateful.

I should say something to her, I thought to myself. When I came out of the restroom, she had disappeared. For a minute, I felt a sense of relief that I could avoid a possibly awkward interaction. But while walking toward the door, I felt a nudging within me to go find her and express my thanks. I walked around the corner to the other side of the restroom and found her reloading her supply cart in a closet. I slowly walked up to her and said, “I just wanted to thank you for doing such a great job cleaning this restroom. I really appreciate it.” A warm and curious smile spread across her face as she looked at me. I wondered if anyone ever thanked her for her diligent work.

Why is it that we often think thankful thoughts, but don’t express them with words? Are we afraid of looking foolish or weak? Are we too preoccupied with our own agenda to take the time to offer a word of encouragement? Are we concerned that giving too much praise to someone might inflate their pride? Most people seem much more freely speaking critical words. Encouraging, thankful words can bring life and refreshment to a weary soul. The Bible also exhorts us to give verbal thanksgiving to God. Hebrews 13:15 tells us, “Let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.” Continually offering up praise to God means we must be continually looking for evidences of his grace in our lives. We can thank him that we didn’t cry over the spilled milk at breakfast, or for the sunshine after a bleak winter day, or for the negative answer to our medical tests. Our private prayers and our public acts of praise will turn our hearts heavenward as we count our blessings and give thanks to the one true God.

Psalm 105 exhorts us to not only give thanks to God, but proclaim to others the mighty works he has done. Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! (Psalm 105:1–2) A central aspect of bringing up children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4) is simply to share with them our gratitude for the goodness and faithfulness of God in our lives. As we verbally pour out our admiration and gratitude of our great God, our children will catch a vision of the magnificent Lord we are worshiping. Our enthusiasm and love for Jesus will be evident through our words. Likely we all could stand to grow in recognizing all the reasons we have to be thankful, they are all around us. But simply becoming more grateful in our hearts is just the beginning. If gratefulness rises up in our hearts, but never spills out of our mouths, we are only experiencing the beginnings of joy. Gratitude is only fully enjoyed when we share it with others. As C.S. Lewis said, “We delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation.”

So, the next time you find your mind dwelling on a thankful thought, here are three reasons to put those thoughts into words: 1. Expressing gratitude to God can strengthen your faith.
What new mercy has God given you? Did you sleep well at night? Were the bananas perfectly ripe for your breakfast? Is the baby you’re rocking a long-awaited answer to prayer? Did you avoid speaking a frustrated word to your spouse? Don’t let the hours of the day pass you by without stopping to consider what you can give thanks for. The more you see God’s faithfulness in your life, your family, your spiritual growth, the more confidently will you rest in that faithfulness in the future.

2. You will stir up God’s people to love and good deeds.Your friend who is willing to drop what she’s doing at a moment’s notice to help when you’re in need. Your mom who sacrificially gives her time and resources to your family. Your pastor who diligently prepares and preaches the word every week. Tell others in your life what you appreciate about them and why. It will bring fresh wind to their souls and spur them on to keep serving (Hebrews 10:24–25).

3. You will create a climate of gratitude. Psalm 145 tells us to commend our works to the next generation. Sharing how God answered a prayer, provided a necessary resource, or replaced your sorrow with joy will encourage others to find their hope and satisfaction in God. Gratitude can be as contagious as complaining. Work to cultivate the right climate in your home or workplace.

Our words of praise and thanksgiving have the power to lift wounded souls and point our hearts afresh to God. Speak your words of thanks and let God transform your life and soul.

Suffering Is For The Overcomer

Diana was only nineteen when her father was sent to prison for his faith. She and her sister Floarea were left in charge of the family, but soon they lost their factory jobs because of their father's imprisonment.

With a sick mother and four younger siblings at home, Diana and Floarea were desperate. So when a young man called them and said he could get Diana a work permit, they were ecstatic. She met him for dinner, where he gave her plenty of wine and then seduced her. Afterward, he gave her some money, and this became a pattern. Nothing more was said about a work permit, and Diana accepted the money because she was so desperate.

Diana continued to prostitute herself in order to support the family, although she was filled with guilt. Soon her sister became involved, and together they hid their shame. Now, as they looked into the face of their mother, they said, "How can you forgive us? We thought you would be disgusted."

She offered them words of love and comfort, "You feel shame over what you have done, and so you should. But this sense of shame and guilt will lead you to a shining righteousness. Remember, the soldiers not so much pierced Christ's side as "opened" it, that sinners might easily enter his heart and find forgiveness."

Being sorry for our sin and feeling sorry for ourselves are two different things. Many people who go through suffering feel sorry for themselves. They are all too eager to blame others for their misfortune. How tempting it would have been for the girls in this story to blame their mistakes on their father. "If he was not a Christian, then he would not have been arrested, and we would not be in this mess." Yet they came to their mother with true shame and repentance for their willful disobedience. And they found forgiveness.

Many times in life, our sufferings can take a toll on our lives. Suffering that is allowed to fester can send you into a dark place. Instead of releasing our pain to God, or even our family and friends, we begin to relish in it. It becomes part of us. A part that is a detriment to our lives, but we feel we can't live without it. Our sufferings and our pain become our existence. But Godly sorrow leads to repentance, which leads to forgiveness.

If we hand over our sufferings to God, take ownership of our mistakes and not push the blame on others, then true rehabilitation can begin. From true repentance comes the ultimate salvation from our sufferings.

2 Corinthians 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

Are you feeling sorry for yourself in your sufferings? Watch out! It can quickly lead you to disobedience.