1 Kings 14:1-15:24
Acts 10:1-23
Psalm 133:1-3
Proverbs 17:7-8
Psalm 133:1 How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in unity!
2 It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
down on the collar of his robe.
3 It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the Lord bestows his blessing,
even life forevermore.
I had a friend reach out yesterday about her frustrations and negative feelings about how things are happening or not happening in our church and was wondering if that feeling of frustration was an indication that it is time to look for a new church. I can absolutely relate because I have struggled with the same problem and she knows that. But the truth is I had come to accept that my negative feelings about what is going on in in the church is about me. My expectations and desires are not being met. Even if those desires are for good and positive things when I put the expectation of when and how things are to happen, I am making it about me. You cannot be united if you are allowing yourself to think about leaving. It is the same reason there are so many divorces. The only way to divorce proof the church is the same way to divorce proof a marriage. Unity. For there to be true unity in the church or in a marriage it's people must stop looking to their own ideas and interests and start to seek God's ideas and interests in unity. I have learned this in both areas of my life. I need to remember that God is always at work and there are places in the church that I do see God moving so I know He is working. It takes time for God to prepare His people to accomplish what it is He has planned for His church. Pastor Amy last Sunday said that we need to remember that God is in control, and He will accomplish His plan. It is time to trust God and stop leaning on your own understanding and responding to feelings instead of to God, His word and His will. Each one of us needs to humble ourselves and come to the Father in submission. We need to not just talk to Him in prayer but we need to listen, so we need to be in His word daily. And as much as we would like to make others in the church or our marriage do the same we can't so we need to trust that God is in control and He will accomplish His plan so trust Him to know the right timing and what is needed to prepare each person as He sees fit.
Amen.
I feel, trusting God, Listening to God and waiting on God. The trinity of discontent, discomfort, frustration, at times, in a Christian. When we are stuck here it is a prime opportunity for the evil in this world to pour more lies into our hearts, causing a spilling out of grace. Praising God, reading the word, Listening and trusting these are the drops of refreshment that make our hearts a vessel to hold more of Him and less of us and this world.
It is a constant stream of muddy water. and life water 💦. A choice has to be made each day, hour or even minute on how we choose to filter what is running thru our hearts.