Jesus spoke these words to John the babtist in Matthew 11:4-6, around the time he was brought to prison. It seems that these words were meant to say, ‘Do not grow angry towards God because of your circumstances’. As most of you probably know, John was beheaded at the request of Herodias’s daughter (Herodias was Herod’s brother Philip’s wife). Incidentally, John was imprisoned for being politically correct-in telling Philip that it was unlawful for him to have Herodias as his wife, for she belonged to his brother (Leviticus 18:16). This is something we should keep in mind- doing the right thing will become evermore contrary to our society’s laws-and we may be persecuted in our faith for doing so.
Sticking to the point of this verse (break out the God leash! ;) ), we are far too easily offended in this society. Churches don’t talk about hell because it could ‘scare people’, we get mad at God if things don’t go our way, on our time schedule; and far too often live in a ‘if I do this, then God should do that’ type of mentality. I am not trying to say we should not live healthy, joyous lives; on the contrary, we should desire this with all of our strength! When tribulations do come however, we should endure them with thanksgiving!
“A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, and contentions are like the bars of a castle” Proverbs 18:19
Holland became so liberal because they were upset their prayers for not being invaded by Hitler weren’t answered. Ted Turner turned from God in his anger when his sister died (the founder of CNN). And yet biblically we are told an entirely different story. Paul and Silas rejoiced so much when they were thrown in prison that the walls could not hold them. Joseph, when he was thrown in prison for avoiding the pharaohs wife (Genesis 39; remember our bible study on it?), then he would never have met the butler, and then put into a position of power. If this hadn’t happened, Israel may never have existed at all! Our savior Jesus was able to endure the cross because of the Joy of the Lord (Heb. 12:2).
This is something we cannot do on our own. All of us can be thankful when we are happy, but when we are angry, hurt, exhausted, etc? We need to pray for strength from God and ask for his Holy Spirit to give us a contrite and humble heart, that we may be joyous in all things. There was a pastor Greenway from Alabama (I just finished a book called “Living in the Final Chapter” by Perry Stone if you were wondering where some of this stuff came from), and when his son died after countless prayers, said “God I don’t understand but I’ll not go to hell over a mystery.” If he could endure this, then what is our excuse? If you are like me and need to be more thankful in all things, don’t get discouraged, that does nothing. Look and ask God for guidance, He is here to bless our hearts!
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