GUEST BLOGGER: Carolyn

What did I say???

Sometimes just who you are gets you into trouble, you do not even have to open your mouth or do a thing!
I used to get incredulous about this, feel sorry for myself and rage against the “injustice” of it (okay, yes, sometimes I still do but I’m getting better, my raging is becoming shorter in duration!).

You know that irritating habit God has of speaking back to you during those times of “venting/raging”, when He won’t even allow you to indulge yourself in pity, for even just a little while, when He reminds you that it doesn’t matter what they’ve done or said to or about you, He expects more from you, He expects a better reaction!

It’s right back to His favourite, “character building versus your comfort”, attitude! God has been doing this to me a LOT lately (or maybe I’m just listening more!)

I will (grudgingly) admit to being aware that it is part of the price to becoming mature and it is especially part of Leadership training!! I guess the next step will be to work on losing the “grudgingly”, to go from, “Yes Lord I know, BUT....” to just, “Yes Lord!”.  He reminds me that Jesus frequently, probably daily, faced unfair accusation and innuendo and that I am to, “count it all joy”!

As I said at the beginning, just who you are can get you into trouble! Here’s the thing though, it is not so much who you are as to Who is living in you! It’s the Holy Spirit within you who is actually bringing conviction, it’s your stand on the Word that clashes with their choices and life styles so that they feel uncomfortable around you, even when you’ve said nothing!

So take it as a compliment, I love the way “The Message” puts it in Matthew chapter 5: “Not only that- count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me.” (I especially love this next part!) “What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable.”

The verses that follow this are the encouragement that you need to hold onto when it next happens.......(and it will....)  “And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.”

When I read that it pumps me up sufficiently to say, “Bring it on!” (Until the next time! then the cycle of working through it begins again, but practice will make perfect one day!)
Carolyn