You know I have never heard God speak in an audible voice, many times it's much louder than that. I don't know how it is in your life but it seems like when I start dealing with something that everywhere I turn He puts it before me whether in a sermon, bible study, a good friend sharing with me, overhearing word on the street, however. I think that's because I'm thick-headed and He knows He just has to keep beating me over the head and then sometimes just jerk the rug out from under my feet and scream, "Now will you listen to me?". The last few weeks I've been cowering saying, "Ok Lord, you don't have to scream it anymore. You have my undivided attention." Do you ever get there? Maybe I get so busy that it affects my hearing but trust me I have been listening up lately and it has been sweet. Just left wondering why it takes me so long to get it.
It usually starts with discouragement or aggravation, something of that nature. This time it happened to be discouragement. Once again I was faced with the fact that everyone or everything is not always how it seems or wants to seem. That some people have motivation for doing things even calling it ministry that at the bottom line is nothing more than selfishness or a desire for self glory. That scares me a bit because I know God shares His glory with noone and I have seen the discipline on lives that try to get something that belongs to God alone. Well, that has been one lesson that I've had to learn yet again.
Then just when you need it God brings encouragement. I met with the college girls Monday night for their bible study. As I watched these young women turn through the Word and soak up the teaching that was coming from a Beth Moore study, I could've cried. I've always thought if they catch that hunger for God's Word early it will carry them through their life. I have seen some of them catch it and there's nothing more exciting. The message was on friendship, I think I needed it more than them. Beth shared how there's a huge difference between true friends and associates and how true friends can probably be counted on one hand and maybe our wrist. How true is that. One of the girls said she thought about all her facebook "friends". Maybe they should be called facebook "associates". It's funny how we talk to those people like we really know them and most of them we really don't. It's also amazing to me how we will talk on the computer but we see them face to face and we act like we've never met. Facebook is a great thing and I use it myself but I have to make myself keep some perspective. I hate that it seems to have cut out our face to face conversation skills. We will text or email stuff that we would never say in person. It also can move from being fun to trying to get a point across to someone that usually doesn't even realize we're talking to them or we're not talking to them but some assume we are. It's truly crazy at times. Anyway, the message on true friendship and what that means was awesome and I love to see these girls prioritizing bible study when I know how very busy they are.
On the heels of that I read a fellow pastor's wife's blog and she was talking about the people we surround ourselves with. She said that strength is found in shared passions and similar commitments. She said do not be fooled into thinking that you are strong because there's a lot of people around you. Do an assessment of who you can count on. She said it is better to have 2 people with her with like minds, commitments, and passions than 200 who can't support her purpose for being here. I thought that was great insight and I needed to hear that.
I know it's already long so I'll stop and do the rest (hopefully) tomorrow. Blessings.
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