Christian Living
I looked at my watch twice, it is five minutes past seven already, “he’s late,” I thought. Just as I was contemplating a phone call reminder the black corolla pulled up beside me. I climbed into the car trying hard to hide my agitation, “have they come?” “No not yet, they will be there before we reach home,” he said. Ten minutes later I walked into my house. I could not believe it, it was almost empty. My furniture I noticed was dumped in a smaller room, the flower vases and center pieces were just piled together in a corner, and there was dust and disorder in the living room area. My heart fluttered with sadness and pain, I became agitated and angry, my screwed up face and tight lips were sure indications of the condition of my heart. I tried very hard to stop my words but I blurted out without thinking words baptized with powerful emotions. As you might have guessed it worked like a strong aperitif. My husband’s response to my words were followed by doors slamming, fists making contact with walls and words that blazed like bright flamingoes. This is what I call ‘spirit filled self control’!
As I tried to fit my furniture with anger into the small awkward room I was dumbfounded to see all my pictures and portraits left lying one on top of the other on my dining table. As I gathered them up in my hands to put them in a safe place tears began to run down my face. I mopped them away with deft fingers and carried on with my task at hand. I woke up the next morning in conversation with myself. “Am I expected to accept this change without demur?” Maybe he could (my husband I mean) but how could they take my living room away from me? As I flopped down on my prayer mat, all I could think of was, why Lord? Why do you want my living room as well?
Two months back when my husband and I committed to serving the Lord we decided to use our prayer hall to accommodate the house fellowship. Yesterday our elder requested us to interchange our present prayer room for the use of our living room. His argument was based on optimistic forecast on the rate of growth of new converts. Although my mind was screaming “no, not my living room,” I starred at my husband for an answer. To my disbelief my husband joyfully agreed. I could not believe it, why would the Lord want my living room, it was the first living room that I have managed to set up and furnish after years of living in mediocrity. It has been only two months since I have put my finishing touches to the place and now it was dismantled and left awkwardly in a room with mismatched curtains.
Two months have passed since the change. My new living room still has no pictures on the wall, the curtains are still mismatched, the crockery cupboard still needs the doors fixing and we have had only three new souls added to the fellowship in two months.
You see when we committed to serving the Lord with our resources I never expected to give away what I like. Don’t misunderstand me, I enjoy giving but I found out from this incident that I was holding on to some things more strongly than others. Apostle Paul says in Philippians 3:8
Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ (NLT).
I have been internalizing this question for days now. I have been trying to discover the root of those disconcerted feelings. Although my husband and I have surrendered to reach the un-reached for Christ, I was not ready to do it at any cost. I wanted to dictate how much I was willing to give towards lost souls. In Psalms 17:3 we read “You have tested my thoughts and examined my heart in the night”(NLT).
I am conscious that He has started his process on me. God can surface attachments and then prompts us to lay down those attachments at the altar as a living sacrifice. When I come out of this process I know He will be pleased with me.
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
Reader Count & Comments
Date
The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com. This is especially true with articles that
deal with personal healthcare and prophecy. We encourage the reader to make their own decision in consultation with God, His Word, and others as needed.
This article has been read 755 times < Previous | Next >
Read more articles by Evelyn Anand or search for other articles by topic below.
This article has been read 755 times < Previous | Next >
Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)
Read more by clicking on a link:Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.