Sometimes I will hear my man say to my youngest son, "You are NOT listening. God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason!" I'm guessing this pragmatic observation likely brings the boy irritation, but it always makes me giggle inside because of the "duh" factor. Our body parts DO imply that our Creator intended us to listen twice as much as we speak. It's a good thing to remember sometimes that we weren't meant to do all the talking. Especially for those of us that are blessed/cursed to be extraverts. Man is it hard to filter that tongue and bring it under control! But that's a rabbit to be chased another day...
This morning as I was having my time alone with God, I found myself doing quite a bit of venting. Please tell me I'm not the only one who runs tattling to God about the real or perceived injustices in their life. Anyway, I had a little list. Not a big one. I'm not a grudge holder. But my little list was making me have a really stinky attitude. As I prayed, I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to try what my favorite devotional author, Sarah Young does. ( If you haven't read Jesus Calling, you might check it out--I've seen them at most bookstores, Christian bookstores, and even Walmart.) Sarah wrote her prayers down for years, and one day she decided she was doing too much of the talking. So she set out to write what she felt God was saying to her heart during her time of listening to Him in her prayer time. Uh, listening? That's so PASSIVE. But is our purpose of praying to complain, give God our to-do list, or to simply make ourselves feel better? Are we approaching prayer as if it were a magic pill to take to help us with our troubles? Of course, most of us don't consciously think those things, but is that the way we are approaching God? I wonder....how does it seem to Him?
Anyway, as I said, I decided to try what Sarah Young did and just take out a pen and notebook and sit and listen for what God spoke to my heart. How do I know it's God? It's really hard to explain, but for one, it ALWAYS matches up with His Word. The other is that it is typically contrary to my human nature, whatever it is that He is pointing out to me. In other words, I would've chosen a different path. An easier path. A more crowded path. There are more ways I've learned to recognize the Voice of God, but I think I might be chasing another rabbit. :-) So, I'll save more musings on this subject for another day. This is what I wrote down this morning when I was clever enough to stop and listen:
So Lori, you're feeling mistreated, disrespected, taken advantage of ? Does any of that REALLY matter? Is your goal in life, the reason you think I left you on earth, to be in constant state of concern for yourself and your feelings? Or are you here to glorify me by loving others? Regardless of how you're treated?
Instead of getting indignent when you perceive someone is treating you in a way you don't feel you deserve, try praying for that person. Pray that you can show my love to them regardless of how they are treating you. Try looking at them through the lens of my love.
"But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Matthew 5:44
"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:2-3
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 4:32
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." Philippians 2:3
D,D,&D,
Lori
No comments:
Post a Comment