About a month ago, I witnessed my daughter Wendy and her significant other, Stephen, get angry at the manager of a restaurant after they were treated unfairly and also rather rudely. I tried to reason with them that even if the manager was wrong, their actions only added fuel to the situation. I told them that their anger only resulted in an inner conflict and caused the manager to feel vindicated when they left in a huff, and I suggested that perhaps killing her with kindness would have been the better choice.
But I might as well have been talking to a brick wall.
I was upset with both of them for two days, and when I prayed, I asked God to show them how bad they sounded in front of their children.
Well, I must have been feeling a little too self- righteous, because a few days later while I was babysitting for my grandsons I had an encounter with the cable company.
I could feel myself getting upset at the woman on the other end of the phone, who didn’t seem to care that even though I had cancelled my internet service I was still being charged for it. With my voice raised, I asked to speak to her manager. As my words became angrier I glanced over and saw three pair of big blue eyes starring at me. I was suddenly reminded of the words I had given to my daughter a few days before. The Lord said to me, "Luanne can you practice what you preach. "
Last week, Lysa TerKeurst at Proverbs 31 asked us to tell her our favorite scripture when we encounter fear. I replied "2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV) 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' I always feel like God is saying "don't worry, I'm already on it and it helps me relax."
Later that evening as I was returning from bible study, I turned a lttle too sharply into my parking spot. I heard a scrapping sound as the passenger side of my rented vehicle made contact with the post of the carport. I stopped the car but instead of pulling forward I backed up and heard the sound all over. Here is the result.
Oh Boy, did I have trouble sleeping that night.
I had just swithched insurance companies before leaving.
Tossing and turning all night long I wondered whether to turn a claim into my insurance company or pay for the repairs myself.
The next morning I woke with the weight of the world on my shoulders, and as I went thru the day it felt as though I could burst into tears if someone smiled at me. I was half way thru the day when I remembered what I had written on Lysa's blog, and driving down the road I began to recite "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' over and over.
As I repeated the words I realized that I had been focused on what I had done wrong instead of what God can do because of it.
I wasn't being careless and I hadn't been distracted when I pulled into the parking spot. I had just misjudged it this time, despite the fact that I have pulled into the same car port atleast 365 times previously without ever scrapping my car.
So I'm just wondering why God has allowed me to experience this trial now.
Even though I don't know the answer, I know he does.
In her book “Calm My Anxious Heart” Linda Dillow gives an account taken from Michael P Green’s “Illustrations for Biblical Preaching” where Andrew Murray wrote the following advice :
“In times of trouble say “First, He brought me here. It is by His will I am in this straight place, in that I will rest.” Next, “He will keep me here in his love and give me grace in this trial to behave as his child.” Then say, “He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons he intends me to learn, and working in me the grace he wishes to bestow.” And last say “In His good time he can bring me out again. How and when he knows” Therefore say, “I am here (1) by God’s appointment (2) for his keeping, (3) for his training, (4) for his time.”
I love those words "to behave as his child". Most of the time thats the hardest part for me.
No comments:
Post a Comment