Stuck!
I keep finding myself stuck.
Stuck in frustration.
Stuck in situations that I don't want to be in.
Stuck in the same rut of emotions that are not uplifting.
Stuck at the mall instead of at the beach.
Stuck at the store instead of out exploring.
Stuck with sick family members instead of healthy and whole.
Stuck in frustration.
Stuck in situations that I don't want to be in.
Stuck in the same rut of emotions that are not uplifting.
Stuck at the mall instead of at the beach.
Stuck at the store instead of out exploring.
Stuck with sick family members instead of healthy and whole.
So what is the big deal?
My heart is not clean . . . God has been speaking of holiness upon the heart." Acts of goodness and generosity align you with others and bring out best . . . acts of bitterness, pettiness and anger put you at cross purposes with God and diminishes you and others." (Sylvia Gunter) I was stuck in the petty, the anger, and the bitter places. How am I going to get unstuck from these situations?
Sick family members. There is an enemy, but we have authority. Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 10 that they had authority to heal every kind of disease, over unclean spirits - to cast them out . . . freely you have received = freely give. Have I not been freely giving because I forgot that I freely received? Have I forgotten the Lord my Maker? Isaiah 51
The store. Our youngest won $100 the other night - the catch was it had to be used that night, on one item over $100. Do you know how hard that is for a seven year-old in a store with only so many items? Well, now our whole family knows. So we were trying to find something we needed and would buy anyway, enabling us to give him the cash since he won it fair and square. But this is what I focused on - the pain and agony of figuring that out, which took what felt like hours instead of thanking the Lord for the $100 - how in the world have I taken this blessing and made it into a frustration!
The mall. A recent family photos shows us all giggling. We found humor in the camera taking 10 photos of us on the self timer when I thought the 10 was for 10 seconds! But the really funny thing was that we were making the best of a the night. It was our oldest son's last night before going back to college and we just had gone on a little hike. We were headed to the beach to watch the sunset and eat at a favorite restaurant . . . what do you know, we got stuck in traffic and ended up at the mall! Not what I would've have planned at all for fun family memories, but God had other plans. We have this great family photo and hilarious memories of the kids cracking up at each other while sitting in the car driving around. When you give a situation/frustration to Him, He uses it - to teach, to grow, to make it beautiful in His time. Just like the move across the ocean to here, it might not seem so pleasant or beautiful at the time. But, yes, we are blessed; and yes, blessed be the Name of the Lord!
The store. Our youngest won $100 the other night - the catch was it had to be used that night, on one item over $100. Do you know how hard that is for a seven year-old in a store with only so many items? Well, now our whole family knows. So we were trying to find something we needed and would buy anyway, enabling us to give him the cash since he won it fair and square. But this is what I focused on - the pain and agony of figuring that out, which took what felt like hours instead of thanking the Lord for the $100 - how in the world have I taken this blessing and made it into a frustration!
The mall. A recent family photos shows us all giggling. We found humor in the camera taking 10 photos of us on the self timer when I thought the 10 was for 10 seconds! But the really funny thing was that we were making the best of a the night. It was our oldest son's last night before going back to college and we just had gone on a little hike. We were headed to the beach to watch the sunset and eat at a favorite restaurant . . . what do you know, we got stuck in traffic and ended up at the mall! Not what I would've have planned at all for fun family memories, but God had other plans. We have this great family photo and hilarious memories of the kids cracking up at each other while sitting in the car driving around. When you give a situation/frustration to Him, He uses it - to teach, to grow, to make it beautiful in His time. Just like the move across the ocean to here, it might not seem so pleasant or beautiful at the time. But, yes, we are blessed; and yes, blessed be the Name of the Lord!
Challenge and growth . . . effective faith is born of total consecration. My Spirit alone can bring forth this kind of dedication and inner strength. Hold before Me at all times a heart that prefers instruction to comfort . . . Suffering is an instrument of grace. FJ Roberts "On the High Road of Surrender"
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