Sunday, July 24, 2011

Fear inhibits blessings....

I know you share this feeling in some way....

When I was about 12, I stayed with a cousin to help man the store my uncle owned. Uncle and his wife were on vacation and their daughter in law was manning the store (or I guess womanning ;)) and I stayed with her to be an extra pair of eyes.

Around lunch time we were hungry, but I couldn't drive and she couldn't leave me alone in the store. My aunt and uncle lived above the store. We rummaged through the cabinets and found this box of blueberry muffins. We baked them and I must have eaten 12 that day I was so hungry.

Later in the day I became seriously ill. As you might guess I was sick on the overdose of blueberry muffins. To this day, I do not want to think about eating anything blueberry. That memory is still stuck in my head. So I always avoid blueberries.

I remembered this when talking to a friend. Friend commented that they never use a straw because of an experience once. They were helping with a project and while their drink was unattended a spider crawled down inside the straw. Next sip the spider was in their mouth and bit them. Their solution no more straws!

I am sure by looking you can see the simple truth in both situations. My error was in gluttony. I ate too many blueberry muffins at one time. I am sure blueberry muffins or anything blueberry might be tasty. I am allowing one bad experience to taint my feelings toward blueberries.

My friend left something unattended and suffered consequences as a result. Are straws bad? I personally do not like to drink without a straw. It is very healthy on the teeth.

My point is this, how often do we avoid the good things in life with people and relationships for the same reason? We have one bad experience and we are done for life. We are allowing the defeat in our mind over one bad experience. satan is having a field day with all of our bad experiences. He is hindering and robbing us of the joys and blessings.

My game plan is to take captive every thought and allow God to renew my mind. I do not want to miss any blessing and give satan another victory. Get thee behind me dude! I am done and over you!! I am fearfully and wonderfully made and have so much left on my list to experience....

Awed by HIS mercy and grace,
Arla

Sunday, July 10, 2011

The Job Thing

Still processing and truly wanting to understand the Job story. God is God and obviously HE must give permission for satan to touch one of His (God's) children...so why?

My thoughts shifted to David and how God says David is a man after His own heart. I know that a lot of the Psalms are attributed to David. David committed a huge sin that we can read all about...yet God calls him a man after His own heart.

What I see in David is a man that realized his sin and confessed it and asked for God's mercy. When the child of his sin was struck sick, David fasted and prayed and asked God to spare the child. God never removed the consequences of David's sin. But God did replace the child and David and God moved forward in their relationship.

Did Job ever cry out for mercy from God and ask for deliverance? God finally spoke to Job and pointed out a lot of Job's mistakes in dealing with his suffering. And God still blessed Job more in the end than the beginning. Job learned a lesson.

So what do I get from all this....when satan strikes....go to the knees and beg for God's divine intervention. He is the only one who holds the power. He can crush satan and halt him in his tracks. And God can deliver me....what power!

My verse....Psalm 91:15 "She will call upon me and I will answer her...I will be with her in trouble, I will deliver her and honor her. With long life I will satisfy her and show her my salvation.”

Still in awe of His mercy and grace....
Arla