Because You delight in me LORD
I am beautiful.
I have joy.
I am made righteous.
I am set apart.
I have worth and value.
I have someone to live for, someone to please.
I am not alone.
I am kept in Your mighty arms.
I have a reason to act and to stand.
I need not worry nor fear.
I have a protector.
I have a best friend.
I am alive.
I have love and know love.
…
As i was reading my bible this morning, what I was reading was making way to much sense to me, that I figured I should share it because i think it just speaks loud and clear to basically all believer’s.
Numbers 22 is where most of this is coming from…it is the story of Balaam (where his donkey talks to him…). I am finding this story so completely interesting. But what I find most interesting….
(I suggest you read this story…and compare it to what I say, and see if you can see it too.)
*How often does God tell us what He wants when we inquire of Him, and then when the same inquiry comes up, we seem to inquire to God again…hoping for a different response becasue we didn’t like the original….We hope for another response that will allow us to do what we want to do, whether we realize this or not (that can be the problem at times…)
So some time may go on, may be short, may be long….and we keep inquiring of the same thing…then God sees our stubborn selfishness, and allows what our hearts wanted in the first place…BUT….God becomes displeased. Because we are being disobedient.
Often we use God’s wait…or God’s allowment as an excuse that what we are doing…is okay. When really, it may not be okay. Was it what God has told us in the first place? Probably not…so what makes what we do most of the time okay then?
Then come the consequences…which we don’t like. And we wonder why things seem harder, why God seems further away than normal, why things aren’t working out as they should, why we aren’t joyful….simply answer…DUH. we are doing our own thing….we are not doing what God’s original answer was to us.
The dangerous part in this is that at times, it doesn’t seem like we are doing anything wrong, cuz to us….God gave the a okay! But did He really? Were we really listening?
Too often we know the answer……but we still want it our way….so we disobey. is really all this is. and that is why in Numbers 22, when Balaam went with the King’s men, and God became angry and the angel of the LORD stood in His way (which is a warning sign to us…we get those often), he was really being disobedient. God has made up His mind…He originally told Balaam to not go with them…but Balaam let them stay and waiting it out to see if God would say anything else.
You see it again in chapter 24 i believe in Balak…the King…He wants Israel to be cursed…but Balaam repteatedly says he cannot curse them because God has blessed them and he cannot go against that….yet Balak does not give up…He keeps pushing for His way…becasue He is fearful and knows he cannot win against Israel. How often are we even like that too…God makes Himself perfectly clear….yet we still push…for our way.
God is Holy. God is Sovereign. God is good. God desires obedience in His people. He deserves obedience. His word and desires are way beyond ours. Who’s are you fighting for?
“but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.”
Acts 5:39
bearing with others…also means being commited to them.
as one who has always seemed to have an issue with commitment…i have been challenged even mentally to stand by to what and who I have committed to.
Commitment means, no matter the cost, you stand by who and what you have committed to.
“Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.” Hebrews 12:12-13
I hate any kind of exercise. Even the simplest thing as walking…is a trial for me. But last week, I felt motivated twice. Got up purposely to go on about a 3 mile walk. I must walk funny, or not right, becaue I am always in pain when I walk. My shins and my feet hurt when I walk. So I start my walks out, quite frustrated and angry and in pain. Asking God to take the pain away. hah But by the end of the walk, I am feeling great. (which probably should make it all worth it!)
During one of these walks, I noticed that I tend to walk with my head hung low. I watch the road and my feet. I don’t look ahead, or hold my head up. But by the end of the walk, im looking ahead and my head is up. I feel like we can relate this spiritually as well.
I think when we are in those moments of life where life hurts…its hard, we are struggling, we are in pain…we tend to really hang our head….and when life is good, or we are really trusting in the LORD and confident in Him, our heads are definately held high.
WE HAVE NO REASON TO HANG OUR HEADS.
as children of God, we should always be looking up. No matter what pain or struggle we are in, we never have a reason to look down or to hang our heads.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so cloesly, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endure the cross, despising the sahme and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2
“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called (how?), with all humility, and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace…” Ephesians 4:1-3
Falling in love with the book of Ephesians. It is so rich, as is the rest of the Word of God. But Eph 4 is my new fav. And the idea of bearing with one another IN LOVE…something has seemed to click and stick with me.
We cannot escape people. No matter how often you may lock yourself away, people will still find you and bother you. It is basically a guarantee. And we will forever be with people. Even in eternity. So, we need to learn to bear.
I use to always think that bearing with one another meant bear with the people who annoy you. we all get annoyed. I have quickly learned, bearing, means so much more than being annoyed.
We need to bear with people, when they have hurt us, when they ARE hurting us, when they are living in sin, in their mistakes, in their hurt, their struggle, their annoyances….etc. Bearing with one another, is showing people love, and grace and mercy no matter what they have done to us, or what they are doing to us at the moment in time. Bearing with one another, has no selfishness in it. It is all selfLESS.
As Christians, I feel we are terrible at bearing with one another in love. and I think the reason is, we forget to look to Christ. We forget how much Christ has bore, and does bear with us.
Ephesians 1:3, we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing. We have everything we need. We have been blessed…with an abundance of grace, mercy, patience, peace, love, kindness, gentleness….so what makes us think that we can get away with not bestowing upon others what has been so bestowed upon us ?!
In the midst of our sin, our mess ups, our failures, our hurt, us hurting others, Jesus bears with us. He bears so much, that he actually died for us.
Surely in honor and to glorify Jesus and what He has done we can bear with others right?!
What it looks like for you, may be different than what bearing looks like for me. I know for me…its not complaining about others. It’s embracing them, and engaging in conversation and prayer. My prayer is that God’s Children will have a heart to bear with each other, and be united.
“…There is one body and on Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:4-6
To whoever reads this;
I just ask for prayer. My heart is heavy laden. I want to embrace this new season of life that I am entering into. i want to learn, to grow, and to be more of the woman God has created me to be, confidently. I want to stand strong and not crumble in weakness. I don’t want to feel pitied in certain areas. I want to be joyful. I want to be so much more dependent upon my Father in Heaven in so many ways. I want to feel the love of my Savior for me. I want to find my acceptance and love in Him alone. I want to not be afraid. I want to wear the armor of God. I want to walk in a manner worthy of the calling I have received. I want to build people up. I want to know what my opinions actually are. I want to see followers of Jesus be united and laying ourselves down and being servants to each other and the world. I want to worship with my life, my all. I want to be pleasing to my God. I want to believe. I want to remember. I want to bear with people. I want to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading. I want Jesus to be my everything. I desire confidence. I need to remember.
I need Jesus. I need His love. His fight. His jealousy. His truth. His words. His grace. His mercy. His patience. His confidence. Him.
I want to fall more in love with Jesus.
”He is jealous for me…” May your love for me God overwhelm me, please.
