I'm walking through something with a friend. We'll call her Sue....because I don't think I know a Sue. :) Sue is focused on putting her relationship with the Lord first. However, to do that she has to make a lot of difficult decisions. The decisions are one thing, but the excuses that can creep into our mind or that others might feed us, can sometimes make those decisions even more difficult, and giving up so easy.
From a young age I have felt drawn to the Lord. I didn't really know what to do with that so, I would just pray and go to church. Throughout the years I have come to understand what it means (not completely) and my relationship with Him is stronger than it's ever been. Unfortunately, it took walking through some rough things to get there.
Luke and I have been married for twelve years. There are so many stories from those years (and the year before we were married) that I could tell. We have had many rough patches along the way. Marriage is not easy.
Luke and I are both Christians which is great.....there was a problem though......the foundation of our marriage was not the Lord, He may have had a block or two, but that's it. I think it's safe to say that our separate relationships with Him were also not where the needed to be.
I desperately wanted that to change. For years, I would pray that the Lord would become the foundation of our marriage and I longed to grow closer to the Lord as well. The Lord would soon answer that prayer, but NOT in the way I would have chosen.
A few years ago, things began to really get rough. We had unresolved issues and we were about to learn what exactly bi-polar meant.....that's another post.
The months leading up to Luke leaving were extremely rough and confusing. The Lord was asking me to do things that made NO sense. I knew though from the past, I had to listen. I had seen the results of not following Him as well as the results of choosing to follow Him. The latter was more difficult, but the end result was much better.
Once Luke was actually out of the house, the Lord continued to ask me to do "ridiculous" things. I would often question Him and what He was doing. It just didn't make sense in my human mind....plus I had a whole bunch of people looking at me cross-eyed and giving their opinions on what I should/shouldn't do. Deep down though, I trusted Him. He loved my family more than I ever could and He wanted what was best for us all....whatever that was. I had to focus on that truth when the doubt would creep in.
One day, while I was folding laundry I asked the Lord a question, "Lord, I know I prayed for you to be the foundation, but did you have to tear the whole house down?" I had asked this particular question many times, but this time, He answered me....and it was along these lines "Yes, because I was never the foundation to begin with. It was necessary to tear down everything, even the foundation, and rebuild." Ouch......True. The answer brought peace.
It was encouraging to know that I was on the right track and following the One and Only. He was there to guide me/our family and protect us.
That wasn't the end of my questions, my sadness, my pain and confusion......but for that moment I had what I needed.
Someone asked a question on a website....How can you honor God's word.....I thought the answer someone provided was great....
We honor God's Word first by reverencing it, for it is God's words to us as inspired by the Holy Spirit. But it is not enough just to reverence it, we must believe it to the extent that we live a lifestyle based on it as a foundation of our lives. Many people believe there is a God, but don't want to be bothered with living how God wants them to. They want to do their own thing and not be told what to do. Jesus said, "If you love me you will keep my commandments". We can talk about how much we love God but it doesn't mean anything until we obey him. That is true reverence of God's Word.
Proverbs 15
31The ear that listens to the reproof [that leads to or gives] life will remain among the wise.
32He who refuses and ignores instruction and correction despises himself, but he who heeds reproof gets understanding.
33The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord brings instruction in Wisdom, and humility comes before honor.
No comments:
Post a Comment