Oh, have I offended you? Good!

God's timing is always perfect.  Cliche, yes, I know.  But so incredibly true.  This verse could not have stumbled across the pages of my Bible at a more perfect time.  Second Corinthians 12:10 says, "That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong."

I believe the Lord allows us to go through circumstances in life for a very specific reason.  Often, for me, I don't realize the purpose of the circumstances until they have passed.  I would assume this is the case for most people.  Lately, that very thing has happened.  I found myself being consumed with worry about a particular situation in my life that quite honestly, feels very hopeless.  You know what I mean?  It feels as if the situation is not ever going to resolve itself, is never going to get better, and the people involved in the situation are never going to change.  Make sense?  Welcome to my world.  As a result of my involvement in this particular situation, I have made myself susceptible to heated conversations where I have been heavily criticized and judged.  I have had to defend my husband after him being blamed and attacked for no reason whatsoever.  I have also found myself having to defend myself on issues that haven't and may never make sense to the other parties involved.  And the thing that has been the most painful has been my having to defend my faith, my Lord, my Redeemer.  CAN ANYBODY OUT THERE RELATE?

After talking this out with my husband the other day, the Lord ever-so strategically brought me to the verse mentioned above.  I know when we follow the Lord and live our lives according to His will, He blesses us immensely.  But I also realize that when we follow the Lord and live our lives according to His will, we will, because of our faith, face persecution.  It comes with the package.  It's part of the deal.  And shouldn't we embrace the difficulties, the insults, the hardships?  It only means we're right where we belong.  This serves true even when those who are closest to us hurt us, as well.

It is my prayer that I will NEVER act outside of God's will for my life.  And I hope that everything I say, do and think will first pass through the filter of God's voice in my life.  I want, with desperation, for His Holy Spirit to reside in my heart.  For I believe that living a life consumed with Christ will bring blessings, peace, pain and difficulties.  That is what a life of faith looks like.

So, if you think I am over the top with this Jesus stuff, good.  If I offend you with all this Bible talk and God this and that, well good.  Hallelujah!  If me making decisions based on the plan He has for my life bothers you, insults you, or annoys you, sorry.  Respectfully I say to you, get over it.  He makes the calls in my life and living a life centered around Him is how I choose to roll.  That is all I truly want.  Don't you?

So when the insults come, bless God.  When the hardships happen, bless God.  When the persecutions shoot at you like flaming arrows, bless God.  When you feel your weakest, bless God.  For when you are weak, then YOU ARE MADE STRONG.  For His power is made perfect in weakness.
Linds