Encouragement
Does this sound familiar to you?
My head is bowed in prayer to God. I am praying for those I love, and yes, for myself, earnestly pleading with my Father for this thing and that, worshipping the most holy one of all, thanking Him for all the blessings He has already given me, mostly for the gift He gave me in His Son, vowing to serve and honor Him in any and every way I can.
Hours later, I am tired. Frustrated. I have nearly been run over by two cars, and nearly sideswiped by another. I have dealt with rude customers and whining children. I have received a termination notice on my electric bill in the mail. Everyone is asking me for everything. I have engaged in gossip with my co-workers, had angry, mean, and definitely unChristian thoughts and attitudes towards others.
Yes, I have allowed the natural to rule my world instead of the spiritual. Though I try and try to get it right, I still tend to wind up flat on my face, defeated and dismayed. Disgruntled. Discouraged.
Naturally, I am such a pitiful specimen. Spiritually, however, I can, and will, soar on wings of eagles. I will fly on the wings of a snow white dove. I will overcome. Okay, probably not overcome. Not entirely. I can't. But I will still rise again and give it another 'WWE Smackdown' go.
But I will, because I am His, land back in the arms of my Savior. I will confess my utter lack of discipline, my gossip, my shortcomings to Him. I will do this because I CAN and because if I can't, I don't want to take another step. Not one.
Tomorrow, as beautiful, spoiled Scarlett O'Hara would proclaim, is another day. Another chance to start over and get it right. Hallejulah!!
But I ain't waiting til tomorrow for this meeting. No, no way. As soon as I am aware that my tongue is running amok, I am turning to Him and asking Him to forgive my evilness and take control of that untamed beast. As soon as I have an uncontrolled moment of anger, as soon as that curse word leaves my mouth, I will be ashamed for it. This is another gift, guys, this immediate pointing out of a sin to you. This is a most blessed thing. Convicted? Yes, praise God! Condemned? Not a chance.
It doesn't matter how hard you try. Most of your days will still be filled with incidents like these, and so many others, too many to even name. But we can, and must, try to maintain control over ourselves and our natural reactions to things. We don't live 'natural' lives any longer. Our lives belong to God. We live in the Spirit. We must allow Him to lead us, and when we do, when we make that conscious effort--"Not my will, Father, but Yours"--then and only then will things get better.
You'll still have days like this. More than you want.
But you have a Person who knows you and loves you anyway. Don't leave Him out. Don't run and hide. Turn right back to Him, ask for forgiveness, and move on.
You don't have to be perfect. You can't. You DO have to continue moving forward, running the race that has been set before YOU, the one only YOU can run.
God Bless You! Keep plugging along anyway--you're getting there!
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Way to go, my sister in Christ. Thanks for sharing.
Thomas
Julia