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8BODYOFCHRISTNEWSSEPTEMBER2013ButrejoiceinsofarasyouaresharingChristssufferings...1Peter413aESVIrememberwhenIwasachildthatIwouldsometimesattendasurprisebirthdayparty.Wewouldattempttohidefromtheguestofhonor.SoontheguestofhonorwouldshowupandwewouldjumpoutfrombehindthingsandyellSurpriseTheguestofhonorwouldlooksurprisedwhethersur-prisedornot.Inthiscasesurprisewasaverygoodthing.Thesur-prisedonegetssomethingvaluableanddesired.Howeversometimeswearesur-prisedbysomethingwedonotwant.Youmayhaveexperiencedthatphonecallfromarelativerelayinginformationaboutabadaccident.Maybeyouhaveheardthedoctortellyouthatyouoralovedonewoulddie.Hereisasurprisebutpaincomesasaresult.Inbothcasesthesurprisedonedoesnotknoworexpecttheawaitingevent.Surprisecantakesomeonetotallyoffguardandcausethemtohyper-ventilate.Surprisecancauseustomakeverypoordecisions.Surprisecanweakenourtenacitytodowhatisright.Itcanbegoodanditcanbebad.ThewriterofFirstPeterseekstomakesurethatwearenotcaughtbysurprise.HeunderstandsthattheChristianwillgothroughsomehardtimesinthisworld.AndyettherearemanywhothinkthataChristianhasnoneedtoworryaboutpainandhurt.Therearecer-tainfalsegospelsthatteachthatassoonasyoubecomeaChristianyoudonothavetoworryaboutprob-lemsanylonger.ForexampleIturnedonthetele-visionandsawatelevisionpreacherwithsomeholywater.SupposedlythesourceofthewaterwasfromtheriverJordan.Thepreacheralsoaddedtotheholinessofthewaterbyprayingoverit.Thewatercouldbeusedinternallyorexternally.Onepersonputtheholywateronherheadandherhairstoppedfall-ingout.Onepersonrubbedtheholywaterontheirtumorandthenextdayitjustfelloff.Amazinglyanothermanputtheholywateronhiswallet.Imaginehissurprisewhenhefoundacheckinthemailforalargesumofmoney.ThisisanillustrationofwhatmanythinkChristianityis.OnceyoubecomeaChristianGodisabouttohookyouup.Youhavelostallofyourproblems.Sojustbelieveanditwillallbegiventoyou.IsitanywonderthatmanyofusaresetupforasurpriseWhetheryoubelieveitornotyouwillhavetroublesandheartachesinthisworld.Biblicalwritersareremindingustonotbesurprisedatthefieryordeal.WhatisthefieryordealItisnotthenicelivingsomeofuswouldliketothinkitwouldbe.Noitisaroughtime.Itispainitisstruggleanditiswhateverwehavetogothroughinthislife.Itisthelossofajobthatwedidnotforesee.Itisthecancerthatbankruptsusandkillsourhopes.Itisthedivorcethatourspousewants.WhatisthefieryordealItisthetribulationthatsomebelievethatGodwouldsaveusfrom.WhydowehavetroublewhenGodisallpowerfulSinceGodownsthecattleonathousandhillswhydomycreditorswanttoevictmeGodhashealinginhiswingsandyetIcantbehealedofmyafflictions.WhyWefindexamplesinthescriptureofpeopleaskingthisquestionofWhy.Buttheanswertowhydoesnotcomereadily.Somearguethatthedevilandhisangelsarerunningaroundontheearthcausingprob-lemsforGodspeopleasRevelation12teaches.Iagreewiththisposi-tionbutitstilldoesntanswerthequestionofwhythedevilisallowedtohurtGodspeopleandGodnotstopit.Someoneelsemayarguethatthefreewillofhumanityexplainsthisproblem.Onemightsaythatwehaveproblemsandpainintheworldbecausehumanityhastomakeitsowndecisiononwhotofollowandwhonotto.ThusthepainintheworldisasaresultofthatfactbuttheanswerkeepscomingbacktoaGodwhohasthepoweranddoesnotseemtobeusingit.WhileIthinkthereistruthintheaboveargumentsIreallycan-notanswerwhyGodallowssomesufferingandstopsothers.IwishIdid.IwishGodwouldletmeknowbutthereisakeyinunderstandingGodevenifwecantalwaysunder-standhisactions.WhileIdonotknowwhyIhavetosufferIcanbecomfortedinknowingthatChristwalkedthiswaybeforemeandvol-untarilysufferedButrejoiceinso-farasyouaresharingChristssuf-ferings.Asanadditiontoaware-nessfeelfreetopurchaseacopyofmylatestbookYouCantHaveMySongfromyournearestmajorbookstoreoronlineatAmazon.comtoenhanceyourlearning.HenryL.ArmingtonSERMONAreYouSurprisedByRev.Dr.HenryL.ArmingtonSr.Rev.Dr.HenryL.ArmingtonSr.visitCentralBaptistChurchthisSundaymorningforadynamiteworshipexperienceat1045a.m.located2400CaliforniaStreetDenverCO.orcbcdenver.orgTheCDCFamilyCaregivingfactsheetreportsthattherearemorethan34millionunpaidcaregiversprovidingcaretosomeoneage18andolderwhoisillorhasadis-abilityandthatanestimated21ofhouseholdsintheUnitedStatesareimpactedbycaregivingrespon-sibilitieswww.cdc.gov.InonestudydonebytheNationalAllianceonMentalIllnessNAMIcaregiv-ersreportedthattheirchallengesincludedfindingtimeforthemselvesandtakingcareoftheirownhealth.Furthermorethemajorityofcare-giversinthisstudytendedtofeelunappreciatedandunacknowledgedforthehelptheygive.IrecentlyspokewithPastorJoyDavidsonownerofJoyfulTransitionsLLCaboutherworkcoachingcaregivers.PastorJoystatedthatshepersonallysawcare-givingasaholyprivilege.ButwhatdoyoudoandhowcanyoucopewhencaregivingfeelsmorelikehellonearthWhatiftheper-sonyouarecaringforismeanorungratefulThebibledescribescaregiversasblessedandhavinganinheritanceTheKingwillsaytothoseonhisrightComeyouwhoareblessedbymyFathertakeyourinheri-tancethekingdompreparedforyousincethecreationoftheworld.ForIwashungryandyougavemesomethingtoeatIwasthirstyandyougavemesomethingtodrinkIwasastrangerandyouinvitedmeinIneededclothesandyouclothedmeIwassickandyoulookedaftermeIwasinprisonandyoucametovisitme.ThentherighteouswillanswerhimLordwhendidweseeyouhungryandfeedyouorthirstyandgiveyousomethingtodrinkWhendidweseeyouastrangerandinviteyouinorneedingclothesandclotheyouWhendidweseeyousickorinprisonandgotovisityouTheKingwillreplyTrulyItellyouwhateveryoudidforoneoftheleastofthesebrothersandsistersofmineyoudidforme.Matthew2534-40.IfwekeepourfocusonourloveforGodcaregivingbecomesanexpres-sionofthatlove-regardlessoftheotherpersonsbehavior.IftheyaredifficultmeanunappreciativeorchallengingwecanstillcareforthemastheLordcaresforusandcomfortthemwiththesamecom-fortHehasshownus.PastorJoysexperienceofcaregivingasaholyprivilegemakessensewhenseeninthislightitisalwaysaprivilegetoexpressourloveforGodandwecanexpressourloveforHimthroughcaringforothers.Thetruthofthematteristhatcaregivingistoughevenunderthebestofcircumstances.Ifyouareacaregiveryoumustbeinten-tionalaboutself-caresothatyoudontburnoutorbecomebitterandresentful.AflightattendantwilltellyoutoFIRSTplacetheoxygenoveryourownnoseandmouthandTHENassistthoseyouaretravelingwith.Similarlyinordertoeffec-tivelycareforothersyoumustfirsttakecareofyourself.Loveyourneighborasyourself.HereareseveraltipsyoucanfollowtotakebettercareofyourselfEngageinmildtomoderateexer-ciseorotherphysicalactivityonaregularbasis.Eatwell-balancedmealsandavoidenergy-drainingjunkfoods.GetplentyofrestIfneededana-lyzehowyouactuallyspendyourtimeandfindcreativewaystocarveoutmoresleepornaptime.Getsocialsupportbyspend-ingtimewithfriendsorjoiningasupportgroupliketheAfricanAmericanCaregiversSupportGroupthatissponsoredbyLutheranFamilyServices.Learntoseeyourselfasamulti-facetedpersonwithvariedinterestsandabalancedlife.Youridentityisnotsolelycaregiver.Engageinregularprayerbiblestudyandworshipservic-es.Numerousstudiesshowthatregularspiritualpracticecontrib-utestogoodmentalhealthandwellbeing.Dr.PeggyMitchellNorwoodisanordainedministerandformerpsy-chologyprofessorwhospecializesinpersonaltransformation.FormoreinfovisitDrPegOnline.comorcall303-745-4944.ByPeggyMitchellNorwoodPh.D.PeggyNorwoodCaregivingAHolyPrivilegeMINISTRYIftheyaredifficultmeanunappreciativeorchallengingwecanstillcareforthemastheLordcaresforusandcomfortthemwiththesamecomfortHehasshownus.