Being pleased to bear others burdens.

Scripture Read: Romans 15:1-7 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. 2 Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” 4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God 

Application: Notice the context here – the pleasing of himself has very little to do with pleasures and materialism. Even in the Body of Christ, the majority of praise for answered prayer has to do with “things”. Is it wrong to ask God for the desires we have, even … if they are material wants, not just needs? The plain answer from scripture is “no”, You tell us to ask You for our wants and needs. What we need to understand is there should be balance, that includes our definition of pleasing ourselves. The definition of what it meant that Christ did not please Himself, but instead pleased You and in essence us! The issue is that those things that we offended You with God – He took to please You and for our good. When we do the same thing what does that look like? This is denying ourselves the rights we have, because we have done nothing wrong, yet we take the hit for someone that is wrong to minister for their good even though it cost us. This is a very difficult concept – how does this apply? This does not exclude tough love and it does not mean that you live as a doormat for people – but it does mean you may be a doormat for people sometimes for the Lord’s sake. Sometimes the Lord is going to request that we allow someone to wrong us and get away with it, for His cause and sake. Father we don’t always know when You desire for us to stand or when You desire us to yield. We must believe the Holy Spirit will guide us. Help us to care more for the rights of others than our own rights. Jesus this is most like You, which we desire to be.

* Meditation Questions: When I have been misused what’s the first thing I feel? What do I do with that feeling? Have I ever paid for someone else’s mistake? And felt good about it? If I know God is asking me to take a hit for someone else, how do I feel? What does that say about my heart?