Predators Amongst Us

For a while now, my heart has been so heavy with the struggles of those close to me. People I speak with at the businesses God has allowed me to have, here in North Carolina and Miami, Oklahoma. Yes, I still carry those I love from Oklahoma, in my heart. People I've spoken with from our church (past & present); people in my own sweet family. Through many times of prayer and godly counsel, I have come upon a few reminders from God's Word and from those Dennis & I respect in the ministry.

First, and foremost, God asks us to go with Him, but much of the time we want Him to go with us, because that puts us in control of where we're headed. Much of the time, where we are headed is not where He has asked us to go. It's just where we want to go, so we ask Him to be with us as we choose our own path. We make our own destiny, right? I may have even made that crazy statement, a time or two, myself. I've never believed it, however. Yes, we must choose our path, but then allow God to direct our steps, by following hard after His instructions that are revealed through many avenues. He's given us the Holy Scriptures, He's placed His own amongst us for counsel, He's put His Holy Spirit within us to comfort and guide us in the ways of Jesus (that's another blog entry).

We must remember that He knows the paths that are destructive (we can't see the long term effect of destructive choices...He can), as well as the paths that allow us to walk in peace where our soul is at rest...even in the midst of hardship, pain, and discouragement. And it all comes from saying, "I will follow (I will obey) Christ, even when I can't understand what's happening in the present."

A "plumb line" I've always been guided by, is one that shows me when I'm off the best path for me. I check that line by asking myself if I'm at peace with my decision. Sometimes I have even convinced myself that I WAS at peace with the decision. Because I wanted the crazy thing I'd decided on, so badly, I convinced myself I was at peace with it. But I knew I wasn't, simply because I continued to question, worry, fret, and be a general mess. So now, I ask myself this: "If God and I conversed face to face, would He say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Then I try to line that decision up with Scriptural wisdom. If I can't find it, I ask those I respect in the Christian faith. Sorry, I don't sit in the counsel of those that are not qualified to point me toward godly wisdom. Before you throw rocks my way, I do believe there is good, even great, counselors that never bring our Lord into their conversation. I just don't think they can give me what I'm searching for. Humanity is fragile. Humanity wants what it wants. Humanity sees with selfish eyes. Humanity is mostly "yes" people. Without the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, I don't believe myself as having accomplished anything I couldn't accomplish on my own. They can possibly make me feel better about myself and stop hating myself...but can they give me what my heart needs to know?

God has given us counselors to help when we can't see clearly. Godly counselors. If we, as Christians, don't want Godly counsel, we can bet that our soul and our spirit are at war with each other. We feel we "know what they'll say" and we don't want to hear it. It's because we are at war with ourselves. Our spirit, soul, and body work together. If they are in conflict, something is wrong. Proverbs 11:14 tells us that without good direction we lose our way; but with the more wise counsel we follow, the better our chances. Well, actually it says, "For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers." Regardless...we understand that wise counsel keeps us steady. Not counsel that pats us on the back and tells us to do what makes us feel best. We all know feelings are fickle anyway. Feelings will lie to us. Feelings come and go. Everyone tells us to "be happy." Where are those that tell us, "Be obedient?" True happiness comes from obedience to the Father anyway. Geez...

I'm reminded of conversations about certain government officials being "Yes" men. No one wants a yes man. We all want, and NEED, men and women that have the fortitude to stand for what they know to be right. Truth always wins in the end, anyway. Right? Of course it's right. A nation, a country, a city or state, an individual...truth is what leads us. Deception is formed through lies. Lies that are meant to destroy us as individuals, as families, as a nation. And even though we may be taken out of this life as deceived individuals, truth will always win.

And most of the time we know what that truth is...we just don't want to admit it, because that would take us off the throne of our own heart where we are in charge of our own decisions; we would lose that area of control, and our pride would have to take a back seat and allow the Lordship of Jesus Christ to prevail. That's the thing. The world tells us just the opposite of what Christ tells us. But seriously, would anyone choose destruction if they knew it was destructive to all they hold dear? I doubt it. What good is pride, anyway?

The reason I share this is to encourage anyone that seems to be going through a dark place at the moment, the sun will shine again. God will take the ashes of your life and create something so beautiful, even you won't recognize it. And to remind us that we are not good navigators in this life, without the light of God shining on our path. We just can't see so well in the dark. Life, indeed, throws us more than a curve or two as we walk it out. The best way to face this life, is with God's proven victories over it. Matthew 7:7-8 tells us to seek Him and we'll find Him, knock at His door, He'll open it for us.

John 10:10 says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." The thief spoken of here is a spiritual predator...he is the enemy of our existence and wants nothing more than to make our lives a living hell simply because he knows we will never belong to him. We belong to God. This predator is not stronger than God. He may seem to have triumphed and won a battle or two. He will not win the war.

Life can, and does, change. God doesn't. The only thing that remains a constant in this life, and the one to come, is the love of our Heavenly Father. He will withhold no good thing from those who love Him.

Constantly searching for truth, here you'll find me...in Mary's World.

Tears in Our Soul

tear¹

ter/

pull or rip (something) apart or to pieces with force, so as to leave ragged or irregular edges. 

No one escapes the occasional tears in the fabric of life, if one lives long enough. Our heart is given over to defeat as we fight with weapons formed from our own reasoning, relying on the wisdom we have acquired over the years. Forgetting that God holds the best strategy for war, we feel we must do this on our own. We may ask for His guidance, but then pick up the javelin of selfishness (when God asks us to be selfless), because it's what feels right for a win. It's what we must do to free others, we tell ourselves. 

We become so worn and ragged while fighting the battles that rage in our mind. Battles that may have been lurking, waiting for the appropriate time, as our own desires take priority, and weariness has set in from trying to make everyone else happy. We are tired.

Other battles we must fight are the ones created by those we love the most. And we have become the target. The fabric of our life has been tore into multiple pieces. Tears that rip, that pull apart with force. Tears that leave our edges ragged or at least with irregular edges. Tears that thrust us into the heart of God. Tears that will eventually allow the light to shine out. Tears that reveal God's heart, out of our barrenness. Our empty soul. Tears that will allow others access to our pain. Painful tears...

Over the years, I have been told, "It's not about you!" And my reply was mostly, "Well, it needs to be about me, once in a while." We believe ourselves to be such a part of the dynamics of family & friends, we take things personally, when indeed it's about those dealing with the war. The war inside their heads.

Pride must be shoved aside now. We cannot allow pride to be our downfall, our defeat. It's not about us, per say. It FEELS like it's about us. But feelings are deceptive, right? Feelings come and go. Feelings will lead us down the wrong path. Feelings are not to be trusted. Love is what we must trust. Everything we see with our natural eyes, our natural understanding, is subject to change. Only God's reality, (things not easily seen), can be trusted. We must acknowledge Him and the solutions He has already laid out for us. All else pales in the light of love. His love. The love that He has given to us, has infused us with, has placed inside our being, to rely on as the world around us, in us, becomes too dark, too hazy, for our understanding.

Standing on our front porch this morning, I watched the rain gently falling, at first, then begin to be poured out of the heavens. I talked with God as tears ran down my face, much like the rhythm of the rain drops. Softly, at first. Then came the downpour. It was good. It was needed. It was a gentle caress from my Father, telling me that some things must be, in order to grab the attention of those He loves. Of those who seem to have lost their way. Those of us that thought we knew what He was asking of us. Yet the days, the months & now years, have shouted, "You're on your own." "You must do this. No one will do it for you." "In the end, it will be worth it." We've always known there to be a bit of truth in every lie. It's true, we must do whatever it is. It's true we are our own driving force. And it's true that is how we become deceived and believe a lie, from the partial truth the lie holds. Our analytical minds figure it all out and believe God has figured it out for us. Because it feels right.

Prayer is not for God, it's for us. God knows what we have need of before it becomes a need. He knows the challenges we face on a daily basis. He is familiar with them all. Prayer releases US to hear God's heart beating for us. Prayer cleanses our soul. Prayer gives hope. Prayer worships the Creator and doesn't seek it's own...until the ripping of soul comes. 

Prayer has the potential to mend the tear that would seem irreparable. Once the light has been shown upon it. Once the light has penetrated the darkness and revealed the lie. Once the rescue has taken place. And then...then our burden will be lifted off us as the Father tells us, "Now go back into the darkness and rescue another one."

It's not about me...here, in Mary's World.