Sometimes we cry without really knowing the reason why. At least I do. I’m quite certain I’m not alone in this, but whether I am or not matters not. My day had many tears in it today. And then, I went to bed thinking that a good night’s sleep would help make tomorrow better. Perhaps it would have, only it wasn’t something I was meant to have it seems. Three hours after crawling into bed I have crawled back out for a bit. I didn’t so much as drift towards sleep. I did, however, manage to shed more tears. Fatigue does make me more vulnerable, I recognize that and I try to avoid anything that might make me cry when I’m tired. Oh, if only life were truly that simple!
I’m not sure just WHAT God is trying to teach me tonight, but I know it has something to do with keeping a heart that is tender and loving while learning to somehow not allow the wounds inflicted by others, intentionally and otherwise, matter so much. I’ve been learning lately about loving others as HE loves US. Truly loving. Not the kind of loving that we seem to think is acceptable – you know, the sort of love that holds on to grudges for a few days or week and doesn’t speak to so and so because of something they did or said a few years ago.. no, I mean JESUS love. The kind I am discovering and really trying to learn to live. It’s not easy. In fact, it’s downright HARD. The old me, boy some days she wants to be released to say what she THINKS! She wants to scream IT’S NOT FAIR! This person or that person is just NOT acting right and I need to set them straight! Then this gentle voice I am hearing more and more often speaks and I am reminded. That’s between them… and Him. My only responsibility is myself. I will answer to God only for myself. My actions can get me into trouble but WAY more likely to get me into trouble are my REactions.
I always feel so thankful when I manage to not react in my flesh but to respond in Gods spirit. What amazes me is how fast that feeling goes down the tubes and how quickly my human flesh rises when another barb comes flying my way and yet again I want to point out that person’s sin. Again God says... hello... what about that whole TREE growing in YOUR eye? Let’s deal with that and let me worry about the sliver... (and about here I’m objecting but trying to stifle my thoughts) in someone else’s eye.
It’s hard, this living life Jesus style. It’s hard, thinking about every word that passes through my fingers on the keyboard and every word that comes out of my mouth. Does this show love? Does this glorify God? I fail sometimes! In fact, these days, I fail a lot. I’ve been a believer for a lot of years but I haven’t been taught well. I’ve not been discipled like I am now. It’s exciting to see God at work in my heart now, even if some days I DO cry in frustration when I’d just rather lash out instead. Truth is? I’d cry even if I did lash out, and probably more so. It wouldn’t make me feel better, only worse. Escalating the problem never solves anything at all!
I’m a work in progress. I’m so grateful that God loves me and forgives me so readily. I often think of that when I am having to make that oh so conscious decision to forgive someone else! John 15:12-14 says “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. I wish to be Gods friend.. I wish to do as He commands… therefore I must love as HE loves. I must forgive in an instant. I must speak truth in love. I must receive truth spoken in love. There is SO much to living this spirit filled life of LOVE! The only way I can live this life is to live LOVED. To allow Him to so fill me with HIS love that it fills me and I can offer Gods love to others from within. I can not do this on my own. I can not do it without constant, non stop contact with the God who loves me SO MUCH more than I can imagine! My roots MUST be in the soil of His love all the time.
Read. Meditate. Have his Word on my mind and in my heart all the time.
Isaiah 30:20,21…” Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” How much more exciting can it get??? We should be PRAISING Him for that bread of adversity and the water of affliction for it is through those things that we are trained and taught, it is through that training that we begin to see our teachers EVERYWHERE!
PRAISE GOD!!!
This is an exciting life folks. Difficult? YOU BET. Name me on thing in life that is easy AND worthwhile. This… it’s way more than worthwhile. It is ETERNAL! We need to keep our eyes on things that are eternal and not worry about things that are just for now. 2 Cor 4:17 and 18!!! 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Eternal Glory!!!! That’s gonna outweigh any number of these tears I’ve cried today. Sleepless nights too! I’m fixing my eyes on the Unseen things…. That’s what gets my attention!
It’s worthwhile. Even a hard day like today when I struggled to love with Jesus love… it’s worthwhile. God was right there beside me, feeding me that bread of adversity and water of affliction… and I am seeing my teachers more and more. I am learning and growing more and more. I will not complain… I will say THANK YOU FATHER!
THAT is what God wanted to remind me of tonight. I hope He blesses you through my late night ramblings, He wants to! Open your heart. Let Him feed YOU!
I’m not sure just WHAT God is trying to teach me tonight, but I know it has something to do with keeping a heart that is tender and loving while learning to somehow not allow the wounds inflicted by others, intentionally and otherwise, matter so much. I’ve been learning lately about loving others as HE loves US. Truly loving. Not the kind of loving that we seem to think is acceptable – you know, the sort of love that holds on to grudges for a few days or week and doesn’t speak to so and so because of something they did or said a few years ago.. no, I mean JESUS love. The kind I am discovering and really trying to learn to live. It’s not easy. In fact, it’s downright HARD. The old me, boy some days she wants to be released to say what she THINKS! She wants to scream IT’S NOT FAIR! This person or that person is just NOT acting right and I need to set them straight! Then this gentle voice I am hearing more and more often speaks and I am reminded. That’s between them… and Him. My only responsibility is myself. I will answer to God only for myself. My actions can get me into trouble but WAY more likely to get me into trouble are my REactions.
I always feel so thankful when I manage to not react in my flesh but to respond in Gods spirit. What amazes me is how fast that feeling goes down the tubes and how quickly my human flesh rises when another barb comes flying my way and yet again I want to point out that person’s sin. Again God says... hello... what about that whole TREE growing in YOUR eye? Let’s deal with that and let me worry about the sliver... (and about here I’m objecting but trying to stifle my thoughts) in someone else’s eye.
It’s hard, this living life Jesus style. It’s hard, thinking about every word that passes through my fingers on the keyboard and every word that comes out of my mouth. Does this show love? Does this glorify God? I fail sometimes! In fact, these days, I fail a lot. I’ve been a believer for a lot of years but I haven’t been taught well. I’ve not been discipled like I am now. It’s exciting to see God at work in my heart now, even if some days I DO cry in frustration when I’d just rather lash out instead. Truth is? I’d cry even if I did lash out, and probably more so. It wouldn’t make me feel better, only worse. Escalating the problem never solves anything at all!
I’m a work in progress. I’m so grateful that God loves me and forgives me so readily. I often think of that when I am having to make that oh so conscious decision to forgive someone else! John 15:12-14 says “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. I wish to be Gods friend.. I wish to do as He commands… therefore I must love as HE loves. I must forgive in an instant. I must speak truth in love. I must receive truth spoken in love. There is SO much to living this spirit filled life of LOVE! The only way I can live this life is to live LOVED. To allow Him to so fill me with HIS love that it fills me and I can offer Gods love to others from within. I can not do this on my own. I can not do it without constant, non stop contact with the God who loves me SO MUCH more than I can imagine! My roots MUST be in the soil of His love all the time.
Read. Meditate. Have his Word on my mind and in my heart all the time.
Isaiah 30:20,21…” Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” How much more exciting can it get??? We should be PRAISING Him for that bread of adversity and the water of affliction for it is through those things that we are trained and taught, it is through that training that we begin to see our teachers EVERYWHERE!
PRAISE GOD!!!
This is an exciting life folks. Difficult? YOU BET. Name me on thing in life that is easy AND worthwhile. This… it’s way more than worthwhile. It is ETERNAL! We need to keep our eyes on things that are eternal and not worry about things that are just for now. 2 Cor 4:17 and 18!!! 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Eternal Glory!!!! That’s gonna outweigh any number of these tears I’ve cried today. Sleepless nights too! I’m fixing my eyes on the Unseen things…. That’s what gets my attention!
It’s worthwhile. Even a hard day like today when I struggled to love with Jesus love… it’s worthwhile. God was right there beside me, feeding me that bread of adversity and water of affliction… and I am seeing my teachers more and more. I am learning and growing more and more. I will not complain… I will say THANK YOU FATHER!
THAT is what God wanted to remind me of tonight. I hope He blesses you through my late night ramblings, He wants to! Open your heart. Let Him feed YOU!