Writeous Living http://writeousliving.posterous.com Most recent posts at Writeous Living posterous.com Thu, 03 Mar 2011 19:14:48 -0800 Get Your Hands Off My Stuff http://writeousliving.posterous.com/get-your-hands-off-my-stuff http://writeousliving.posterous.com/get-your-hands-off-my-stuff Wow. That's all I can really say... Have you ever believed something to be true, but then when you actually experience it - it completely knocks the wind out of you...you're stunned. This just happened to me...I just received a divine message from the Lord - "get your hands off My stuff." Lately, I've been experiencing a series of P&G (Patience & Grace) tests...I've failed most of them. :-) I'm not discouraged though because I know that God will work my impatient nature out of me eventually...There isn't enough room for it if He's going to stay in my life. Anyway...the more I learn about relationships, the more tests (I feel) have been set in front of me. Have you ever had a friendship in which you feel a little neglected at times? Your friend seems to be extremely busy at some points (or all of the time in some cases) and you feel as if you don't measure up on the importance scale. I've been the busy friend and I've been the neglected friend. In either situation, it is really easy to want to call up the other friend and tell them your feelings and how their actions are affecting you. Don't do it. Seriously - don't. You'll only exacerbate the hurt feelings. Last night, God stunned me. I was praying about a friendship in which I felt as if I'd been temporarily placed on the back burner. It was frustrating for me and I really wanted to take matters into my own hands. But I felt God saying, "get your hands off My stuff"...so I surrendered in the moment...giving the situation to Him. He got an earful from me about my feelings - not complaining...just informing. After sharing, I asked Him to take care of the situation for me because anything I would say (in my emotional state) to the friend would probably frustrate and perpetuate the problem. I asked Him if I could express my feelings at whatever point He saw as appropriate. Not even 30 seconds later, my friend called and said that s/he had been sleeping but woke up and thought of me...knowing that s/he should call me. I was able to share my feelings and we worked through finding a balance together. Stunned. Tell me there is no God and I'll know you're a fool (Psalm 14:1). Tell me God doesn't want to hear about your feelings and troubles and I'll reassure you that He cares. "Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you." 1 Peter 5:7  

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Wed, 02 Mar 2011 19:09:35 -0800 Surrender in Order to Overcome http://writeousliving.posterous.com/surrender-in-order-to-overcome http://writeousliving.posterous.com/surrender-in-order-to-overcome Here's a learning experience for everyone...Make sure you have the correct receipt when you go to the store to exchange an item. This weekend, I picked out a ring that I really liked and my mom offered to buy it for me. Something was all jacked up with how the coupons worked during her transaction so they had to redo the whole order. Well, I guess in the process - it invalidated the items on the receipt. So, when I went to return the ring and exchange it for one that fit my finger, the receipt said that the item had already been returned. How wonderful since I found a ring I liked better (but also cost a little more) and wanted to just pay the difference. Here we go...the fiasco begins. Not only was the sales associate not understanding what the transaction was all about (because of the receipt), she was also extremely rude. To spare myself from repenting for bitterness again I won't go into detail. :-) But I will say that my sparks tend to be ignited when people are rude and inconsiderate. There's no need for it...I get heated quick-fast-& in a hurry! While I was standing there, I was praying for patience and that God would give me grace to deal with the woman...I was trying to help her (and the company out) by doing the right thing when they rang it up incorrectly the first time...and she's belittling ME! "Oh, Lord...come quick!" Shoot! I had calculated the difference to be about $7 or $8. After she tried to convince me that, in the second attempted transaction, she had credited the original ring and that I now owed x (which was actually the price of the new ring) I was REALLY frustrated. Where did the credit go from the original ring? Then she re-did all of it AGAIN and the difference came out to $2 and something...I didn't argue anymore...I accepted this as the reward for not flipping out when I felt like I could. What is my point in all of this? Not to rant and rave about my experience...but to tell you about what God is trying to work out of me...impatience. This is the latest P&G (Patience & Grace) test...there have been many others (that I've failed miserably). These P&G tests are not only tests about self-control...but also about my ability to love others - regardless of what they are doing. I can't keep my composure on my own...God has to keep me in line. In moments that are overwhelming like that - it helps to think of it as a test (because it very well may be)...it is then and only then that I am able to respond to the Holy Spirit and His peace. Which test seems to recur over and over in this season of your life? Perhaps God is trying to work something out of you to replace it with something more like Him. Surrender in the moment and you will be surprised with the strength He provides to overcome.

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