The Wind of the Spirit

In the New Testament, pneuma, can be translated as both Spirit and wind (among other english words.)  It is the Spirit or wind that drove me from the Doldrums back into the current of Sanctification that steers me (at the end) into Glorification.  Praise the LORD!  He kind of slapped me around a little bit during a church service the night after the night I wandered into the doldrums.  He reminded me  of some things and corrected me on other things.  So, at the end of the service, I had been blown out of the doldrums.  So, again, praise the LORD and His might ways!

Imprecatory Prayers

Did you ever wonder what to do with Ps. 137:8-9?  If we want to “pray the Psalms”, how do we take those verses?  How can we pray them?  There is an excellent article on www.breakpoint.org on this.  Check it out!

The Doldrums

Last night and this morning I have been experiencing the Doldrums.  When such a thing happens, I cannot help but turn to God in prayer.  It is comforting to know that my Father in heaven will listen to me, and that His Son will intercede or me.  It always helps, but it may not completely remove me from the doldrums.  Time is what is needed as well.  When I “become busy” during the day, doing the things I must do — which usually involves ministry — that also helps, because it can take my mind off the root cause that places me in the doldrums.  Certainly, ministry that is in the service of others can help because it reminds me of the needs of others and not just my own.

A good friend of mine and a fellow blogger mentioned recently some thoughts about triggers.  And there were certainly triggers involved to place me into the doldrums.  Whether they are valid or not, I cannot say.  I also just got done listening to the last part of an excellent teaching on spirtual warfare by Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle.  So, certainly the enemy, being crafty and devious, can take advantage of events and cause such doldrums (making the events into triggers.)

The particular set of triggers (or types) will frequently arise in this time in my life.  They seem to be unavoidable.  It is certainly tempting to turn inward at these times and remove myself from fellowship of others.  I try to fight it, sometimes I win, sometimes I lose (if it is indeed not good to turn inward for a short period of time.)  It is also in these times that my faith is tested.  The core of my faith is not shaken, but the outer edges can threaten to crumble.  If I allow those edges to fall apart, I may fall into sin.  So, I pray for God’s strength in this time.  I pray for His comfort and His peace upon me.