Let's Stop Treating the Symptomps

In the last few weeks I have had quite a few medical appointments for a few health issues that I am struggling with. On one occasion, I went to have an endoscopy done to find out if I am gluten intolerant or not. I have been struggling with digestive issues for quite some time and I decided that it is time I have some investigations done to find out what exactly is causing all my bloating and constipation. Upon entering the doctor's office, he proceeded to ask me the usual questions: What brought me there? What are my symptoms?

But I did not get to say too much, because as soon as he heard that I am constipated, he asked me what I have done for to help my constipation and he prescribed me some laxatives (which, of course, I am NOT going to take). I tried to tell him about some other symptoms that I have, but he insisted on the same thing: that I take a strong laxative that he is going to prescribe me for four weeks. Needless to say, I was pretty frustrated at the end of the visit. I kept telling myself: "Really? Is this what you do? Are you treating only the symptoms? What about the cause?" Not to say that his solution is only damaging the digestive tract.

The more I thought about it, the more it dawned on me that we are doing the very same thing in the relationship with others. What we see in them, their weaknesses, are only the symptoms. And this is what we are often trying to treat. We think that we are knowledgeable and we know what they must do. And so often we are offering them our own solutions that not only do not heal, but are doing more damage.

Treating the symptom might bring temporal relieve. But on long term there is no gain.

As Christians we should know better than treating the symptoms of sin. Trying to get someone do something by showing them Bible verses or E.G. White quotations might help for a while. But the question remains: What makes this person do this and that when the Bible speaks against it? Once we have the answer to this question, we know what actually needs to be treated. I believe that there is only one answer to this question no matter what the symptom may be.

Sin, regardless of its kind, is just a symptom. The sickness is our lack of love for Jesus. If we want a long term-change, we need to pull out the root of all evil. We need to get to know Jesus, and we will surely fall in love with Him in the process. If we want others to get well, we need to point them to Jesus, we need to encourage them to get to know Him and spend time with Him. And even more than that, we need to showcase them Jesus.

So let's stop treating the symptoms. Let's stop using our knowledge and wisdom. Let's stop using our Bible knowledge to fix people and to prove them wrong. Let's go to the root! Let's spend time on our knees asking God how can we show them Jesus? How can we point them to Him? How can we awaken in them the desire to know Jesus more? How can we help them fall in love with Him? And let's allow the great Healer to do His work in His own time, in His own way. He might choose to use us, or He might use someone else. This is His work, not ours. We have not been called to change people. We have been called to reflect Him and do what He is asking us to do. That's why we need to ask ourselves: Is it God who sends me to do this work, or is it my own desire?

Let's not forget that there is only one Great Healer. We are only tools in His hands. When we attempt to do the work that belongs only to Him or that He did not send us to do, we will only do more damage. But when we remain a tool in His hands, there will be no limit to our usefulness. 

"There is no limit to the usefulness of the one who, putting self aside, makes room for the working of the Holy Spirit upon his heart, and lives a life wholly consecrated to God." —The Southern Watchman, August 1, 1905.

  

Ten Days of Prayer

Today is the first day of the 10 Days of Prayer, an initiative of the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It is such a blessing to start the year with these 10 days of prayer and to know that people all over the world are praying for the very same things. In the past Roman and I did not have a church to do the 10 days of prayer with, so we praise God that this year the Sendling Church from München is excited about praying together for these 10 days.

For Roman and I, these ten days of prayer are even more special. Why? Because we are the authors of the material for these 10 days of prayer.

It was last year around this time that we started praying that God will use us more than He had done until then. We had in mind certain things that we could do, certain places where we could talk about prayer. But God's plans were MUCH BIGGER than ours. We were pretty shocked when we received an email from the Ministerial Association of the General Conference asking if we were willing to write the material. It seemed such a big task for two people whose first language is not English. And simply to think that this will influence millions of lives all over the world made the task seem very daunting. But we were also excited, nevertheless. You know those mixed feelings: feeling joy that God wants to use you and answered your prayer and being overwhelmed of the enormity and importance of the task! That is exactly how we felt. But we decided to take on the task and trust in His power to accomplish this sacred job because we knew that His strength can be made perfect in our weakness. 

If you have not heard about the 10 Days of Prayer and are interested in the material and in doing it with a group of people, the material can be found here: http://www.tendaysofprayer.org/. The material has been translated into several languages that can be found on the same webpage.

Here is also an article that the Adventist Review wrote about the 10 Days of Prayer: Adventist Church to Begin 10 Days of Prayer.

We pray that God will use the material for His glory and that many lives will be touched and changed in these 10 days of prayer. Looking forward to eternity when we will be able to fully see how God used our weakness to impress precious truths upon hearts and change many lives.

  

Thoughts on Fasting

We are four days into our fasting and we love it. Fasting and praying together is such a blessing. I am so thankful for a husband who loves God and who is willing to pay any price just to come close to Him. 

I have read a few quotes on fasting that have really spoken to my heart, so I decided to share them with you.

The true fasting which should be recommended to all, is abstinence from every stimulating kind of food, and the proper use of wholesome, simple food, which God has provided in abundance. Men need to think less about what they shall eat and drink, of temporal food, and much more in regard to the food from heaven, that will give tone and vitality to the whole religious experience. — CD 90

Now and onward till the close of time the people of God should be more earnest, more wide-awake, not trusting in their own wisdom, but in the wisdom of their Leader. They should set aside days for fasting and prayer. Entire abstinence from food may not be required, but they should eat sparingly of the most simple food.—CD 188

Many who profess godliness do not inquire into the reason of Christ’s long period of fasting and suffering in the wilderness. His anguish was not so much from enduring the pangs of hunger as from His sense of the fearful result of the indulgence of appetite and passion upon the race. He knew that appetite would be man’s idol, and would lead him to forget God, and would stand directly in the way of his salvation. 1SM 284

The spirit of true fasting and prayer is the spirit which yields mind, heart, and will to God. 4BC 1148

For certain things fasting and prayer are recommended and appropriate. In the hand of God they are a means of cleansing the heart and promoting a receptive frame of mind. We obtain answers to our prayers because we humble our souls before God. MM 283

Humility... how much we need it. And this is the whole purpose of fasting. We do not soften God's heart to answer our prayers through fasting. Humbling our hearts should be the reason for fasting. When we humble our hearts before God, He knows that He can trust us to give us more because we would not take the glory to ourselves, but will give all the glory to Him.

Read this sobering quote about pride:

There is nothing so offensive to God or so dangerous to the human soul as pride and self-sufficiency. Of all sins it is the most hopeless, the most incurable. COL 154

As we fast at the beginning of this year, one of my heart's prayers is: Lord, teach me how to humble myself before You!