"With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love..." ... Ephesians 4:2
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Still here! Anyone else notice this is becoming a 'Tuesdays with Debra' sort of thing? シ
Anyway, I reread an old post, The Saving Money Game, written after Tom was laid off, listing 30+ fun (to me, anyway) money-saving ideas. Some I'd returned to because of our then-reduced income, others I'd always done since my penny pinching newlywed days.
An informative post, I thought. Practical. All hope-filled and we-can-do-this! ish.
Then I clicked on the comments and spied this one--
"For some of us, this is not a game. This is our life. The bottom line however is this. God provides. He owns it all and gives graciously to His children. It is easier to think this way when there is plenty of money and a job, nonetheless, the true test of our faith is in the lean times."
Man, let me confess here that it bugs me when I spend hours on a post, then someone misses my whole point (and in the comment section, rewrites my post their way). And when they add generalized 'religious' answers in the same words we've heard since we were babies and due to overuse, they zoom right past our heads.
Personally? This, below, is the goal of my blog and even what I share at Facebook:
To--with fun and pragmatic ideas-- share with folks different ways to approach their life and God, encouraging them to grow in love and joy.(Hopefully with my using unique stories and words.)
Yep. In two sentences, that about sums up my entire 'ministry'.
And of course, sometimes after people leave those 'churchy comments' or understand differently what I've shared, God reminds me, "Hey! That's where she is right now. And that's all right. Let it alone."
And so I do, although with itching fingers, ok? Oh, how tempting to type an involved answer justifying myself, bringing my words back 'up' after being dragged 'down'. (Anyone else?)
But I'm learning to be slow to speak.
Want to simplify your life? Become slow to answer what irks you. When we wait for God's permission to go ahead, usually (I've noticed) He'll say, "Just skip it," and oh, the long, conflicting conversations (and offenses) we avoid when we obey.
Yet the times He does say speak? Wow, the great, often-eternal results afterward because of His anointing, His ideas. Even though, yes, they can take their sweet time arriving.
Oh to be patient with people! To allot them the growing years God has given us, to recall, always, His thousands of work hours in changing us.
But oh, the joy which comes from consistency in doing Life God's way.
" ... his burden shall be taken away from off your shoulder, and his yoke from off your neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing." ... Isaiah 10:27
“Words can never adequately convey the incredible impact of our attitudes toward life. The longer I live the more convinced I become that life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we respond to it.” ~ Chuck Swindoll
"Love is patient..." ... from 1 Corinthians 13
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"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15
4 comments:
Nice post, it can be good to revisit older posts. The last Scripture is an important one for me, and reminds me that forgiveness is not optional. It is written as a command.
I wonder if some people are born patient. I've truly struggled with impatience all of my life. God gave me a husband who is very patient...in fact, he's so patient that it sometimes makes me crazy, but most of the time I'm grateful. He's helped me to see life differently. When I think back over our many years together, there's one question he has asked me over and over. "What's your hurry?" And he waits for me to answer. It's almost laughable, but this little exchange between us has helped me to slow down and think about life. Patience IS a virtue that is worth pursuing. Thanks for this post, Debra!!
Here I am, a day late. Silly internet at the lake would let me read posts yesterday but not comment. I'm glad it didn't let me because Pam said it perfectly. I'm a naturally impatient person and I try to work on it. I have been blessed with Dennis who is the epitome of patience. He thinks through every answer he gives anyone. God sure knew what He was doing when I met Dennis so many years ago.
Thank you for sharing all of this with us. Forgiveness=Love.
Blessings,
Betsy
Terra--thank-you! And I'm glad you commented on my signature post. I'm leaving it there awhile for all posts because it's so vital that we forgive others. Only then can we truly enjoy God and move forward. Thanks again!
Pam-- Oh, I love that-- "What's your hurry?" And that's great that he actually expects you to answer. :) One thing I'm finding is that the more I just want God (and to know Him) above everything, then all else becomes less important. Doesn't matter as much, so I can remain calm as long as I have God. So the hurry goes away because hey, I still have God and He means the most. Does that make sense? Now when I feel impatient, I think, "Uh-oh. This thing may have just moved up on the Importance List far too close to God--yikes! heh. Or something like that. God really has helped me relax lots more--- oh my.
Betsy--sounds like your and Pam's husbands are quite similar! I love how you said Dennis thinks through every answer he gives. Wow--if only all of us did that consistently!
Thank-you, Everyone! Blessings, Debra
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