The Process

A pitfall of faith is the resentment, disappointment and doubt that follows from not receiving what you've been praying for so earnestly. I know it's cliche, but we don't always get what we pray for, even when it's a good thing. It's not the getting that is important, but the process. The process changes you, and that maybe what G-d really intended.

Be an example

By this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. 2 Sam 12:14


One of the greatest hindrances to the successful propagation of the gospel is the bad example of believers who do not live for the Lord. A common excuse is that ”there are too many hypocrites in the church.” Sadly, this is often true. This shameful fact should cause us to examine ourselves deeply to be certain we are not one of them. We cannot escape all criticisms...but we should do everything we can to be certain the criticisms are not true...

Keith Eggert, Union Gospel Press, Summer Quarter, 2014


Don't let your good be evil spoken of...
Romans 14:16

Selfishness

What you do affects others, it's selfish to think or behave otherwise. As believers we are free, but not free to do things that cause others to stumble, thoughtless acts.


Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover up for evil:live as G-d's slaves. 1Peter 2:16. When you agreed to walk the walk, you belong to G-d, and as such, you realize others belong to G-d, and you treat them accordingly, and bring yourself into subjection. This is not a burden, to those who believe, this is our reasonable service. Romans 12:1

You are loved

I wanted to say something deep and spiritual, to encourage you, to give you hope; but mostly, I just want to let you know that You are loved.



Disappointment sometimes lingers; but in time it goes,
The toll it takes, the hearts it breaks, the damage? No one knows.
All I can say is day by day the Father's love, will heal;
So let us pray for strength today,
No matter how we feel. DW

What if...

1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.
2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. John 9:1-3
No more ifs....
If I was prettier, if I was bolder, if I had more money, if I wasn't a woman, I was a different race, if I lived somewhere else, if I had made different choices...
Either I believe G-d had and has always had a plan for me, or I don't--- I can't afford to blame it on the what ifs...
I must believe that no matter how broken the road seems that He lights the way,
No more looking for the reasons why--- the reason is so that the works of G-d might be displayed in me.
From between the pages, from the ancient to the present, the Bible must become alive to the individual to be useful. "If I didn't have a problem, I would not know that G-d could solve them, then I would not know what faith in G-d can do."
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Romans 5:3-5
Just like crushing the olive produces oil, tribulation produces hope, and hope is the oil that burns in my lamp, so I can let my light shine

Failure

I went to bed in one of those "why do I bother" moods. This season, as usually, I planted a garden. Tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, garlic, strawberries, peppers, etc. At the very beginning, a lot of seeds failed to germinate. I am not a novice, so I planted again. This time, the squash, strawberries and tomatoes all came up. The plants grew big and strong, flowered, and I thought I was going to have a nice crop. Well as the season went on, it was obvious something was wrong. Although the plants were large and strong, not a single one had any fruit. You can imagine my disappointment.

I look back over the things I've done this year, things I thought would bear fruit. It finally looked like things were going to go my way. Like hard work and goodness would finally be rewarded. Instead , at the end,it yielded no fruit. Sometimes you feel like what you are doing is useless, all the effort, and when it looks like it's going to payoff, you lift the leaves and find no fruit.

Just remember, although God is sometimes saying you planted in the wrong place, or you did not give it enough fertilizer/water, He is never calling you a failure. The "why bother" spirit is not from the Father of Love.

Galatians 6:9 (KJV)

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Drawn from the well #2

FAITH is not blind. Faith is vision: long range forward thinking vision that sees and knows with an assurance that what is now, is not the sum of all things. It's not the end, only the start of a new beginning yet realized. It is a confident hope, based on experience, that "He that began a good work in you, will be faithful to carry it on until completion until the day He appears (Phil1:6)."

Faith is like health insurance. When you are healthy, you say you have it, you feel covered. But you never know how good it really is until you fall ill.
James 1:2-4
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing