Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Giving it to God!

Lately I have felt the pain of others selfishness, hatefulness, pride - just evilness! These are people thought I could trust and depend on, people that I love and respect, people that are family or friend. I have had so much going on in my on little world, that I tried to really ignore it and put it out of my mind. But sometimes - probably more than sometimes, satan pulls it off of the back burner and puts it right up to your nose. He does that with me a lot.

I know I am a Christian and that I shouldn't let satan have any control, but when you are weak in body, weak in spirit he gets a toe-hold and makes me think that I have to take care of these things, I have to make things worse most of the time by getting my own vengeance. Then, when I am on my knees (which isn't the easiest thing these days thanks to my back!) I hear that soft, warm voice drowning out the scruff, loud voice of satan. I know that I have to let my Father take care of me and anyone that sets out to hurt me, and am quickly reminded that vengeance is HIS. I am His child, and what parent would ever want to see their child hurting...none that I know of.

I was reading a blog of a friend and she has posted the rest of this post on her blog, she is such a gifted writer. I had read a lot of her blog already and then...this morning I went straight to this and it was like my shoulders got lighter and some of that peace I had been missing is right back where I need it. Thank you Lord for moving my eyes and fingers to this post, just when I needed it. A very dear friend told me, "Hope, I would think with all that the Lord is letting you go through, that any friend or family member that loves you would support you...not try to bring you down even further!" Then she so wisely said..."The devil knows you are weak and he is using them to try to hurt you and your testimony." After just writing that, I really realize now that she is right, and I should be praying that they open their eyes and see what satan is doing and how he is using them. I really love my friends and family so much...to a fault maybe. I give my opinions way to quickly and probably put my nose where it shouldn't be sometimes. Out of love, out of concern...but you know what they say about good intentions.

So I am giving it over to God and praying without ceasing for my friends and family that satan has a hold of! Here is the blog I read...very comforting!

It can be easy to get discouraged when those around you treat you unfairly. I say that from experience. There have been times in my life when people whom I thought were closest to me... people I shared a great deal of happiness with... actually changed their tune, mid-song. I used to get all upset about it, feeling as though I was the only one it had ever happened to. There were times when I wanted to take matters into my own hands, getting even with those who would do me wrong. But it's strange, how time works for our benefit sometimes. You learn things as you get older, as you mature.

Some of the wisdom I've gained, regarding this subject, comes from Psalm 37. The whole chapter assures us that God will take care of those who would mean to cause us harm. We don't have to fight back, because He promises to come to our defense. He won't let them continue to mistreat us, to take their stabs at us. He will cut them down, the Bible says.

Verse 7 tells us "...fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass."

And I especially take comfort in verse 13, where it says "The Lord shall laugh at him: for He seeth that his day is coming."

Verse 15 reminds us that "Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken."

We don't have to be in a physical, hands-on battle for this to apply. Sometimes our enemies cut us the deepest with their words, their actions, their attitudes. They often do outright hateful, spiteful things against us, to try and hurt us or cause us to stumble in our own walk. Therefore, according to Psalm 37:15, their very own words, actions, attitudes (these weapons they use for ill-will against us) will come back on them, bringing the destruction upon themselves, instead. I kinda like the thought of that.

I take comfort in knowing that the Lord has promised He will take care of them. He will deal with their spitefulness and disrespect. He will bring about the means by which they will cease their firing at us. And it's been my experience that when He does, they'll look back and wish they'd gotten their hearts right a lot sooner. It could be through a deathly illness, or through losing a loved one, that He passes His judgement.

I know what the Bible tells us about messing with God's anointed. He says, "Touch not mine anointed and do my prophets no harm." And anytime throughout Scripture the enemies have done so, God has unleashed His judgement upon them. Just like He promised, He cut them down.You may be asking why I'm sharing this here tonight. Well, perhaps God is giving someone, perhaps yourself, a reminder. Like I said, I've learned a great deal from personal experience (from both sides of the fence), and also in growing to a certain level of maturity from studying Scripture. I've learned that if you're pumped up full of pride and rebellion, you are not in the center of God's Will. He will burst that "big-head bubble" some how, some way. This could be your chance to turn things around by ceasing from your arrogant, self-willed actions... on your own... before He has to intervene.

Again, I've been on both sides of this, so I know first-hand you don't want to be "cut down" by God. Think about the thing that means absolutely the most to you. How would you feel if the Lord took that away? How awful would that be? All because you refused to obey Him. You can't believe part of His Word without believing it all. It has to be all or nothing. God sees your actions, and what's more, He sees what's inside your heart. He sees it, even if no one else does. And again, He will be the One to deal with you.

If this is you tonight, I pray you'll repent (turn your heart and attitude around), and make things right before another day passes, rather than have God intervene. Remember the Bible says... Surely your sins will find you out.

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