Hey there friend!! You may notice that I am meeting with you a day early this week. That's because Keevin and I plan to travel tomorrow morning to Hendersonville, NC to my Mom and Dad's second home (that's a blessing from God that I will have to tell you about, later). Our children and grandchildren will travel from Murfreesboro,TN to meet with us and my sister and family. An extra week of Christmas is great!
But the inevitable will happen. We will have to get used to saying 2012 instead of 2011. Yes, my friend, changes whether we like it or not. It signals a change of the time and date. Along with that particular signal comes encouragement from merchants and retailers to propel you into other changes--for the better of course. You know what those changes are--to get in shape, lose weight, organize your office, etc, etc. I'm not going to encourage you in those areas because, Lord knows, you are well informed by commercials and advertisements. But those areas of change will benefit you greatly. Through some recent reading I realized that feelings don't change overnight but a change in behavior leads your feelings in the same direction of the behavior. Just think about it and then act on it. OOPPss. I guess I ended up encouraging you in those areas.
What I want to concentrate on is a whole new life. Take a look. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (GWT): "Whoever is a believer is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence." We all like reading these words and imagining a new way of living but actually changing the mess we are in is difficult. I asked Keevin the other day if he thought the reason people are unable to change is because of their anger with God? I am convinced that lots of folks don't realize they are angry with God because they are afraid to admit to it. Afraid of God. But God won't disown you if you tell Him that you are angry with Him. Follow me down a couple of verses from where we started. Verse 20 (NCV): "So we have been sent to speak for Christ. It is as if God is calling to you through us. We speak for Christ when we beg you to be at peace with God." Some versions read it as being reconciled with God. So friend, He already knows that you are upset with Him. You probably blame Him for some of the bad things that have happened to you, perhaps in your childhood. However, I urge you to go back to the beginning. Genesis starts out with God creating everything from nothing. He placed Adam and Eve in the beautiful, lush Garden of Eden. Life was enjoyable and satisfying. And then in chapter 3 of Genesis the serpent comes along and entices the two of them to eat the fruit that God told them not to eat. The mess we are in is our fault--not God's. Yes, you may have been violated at a vulnerable time in your life but God can heal you of those rotten memories--please give Him a chance.
Now, let's back up to verse 19 of 2 Corinthians 5. (GWT): "In other words, God was using Christ to restore His relationship with humanity. He didn't hold people's faults against them, and He has given us this message of restored relationships to tell others." God know that we messed up and continue to mess up but He doesn't give up on us--we give up on Him and even blame Him. He went to extremes to make things right even though none of our mess was His fault.
Friend, allow His Word to change your life to a new one. 1 Peter 1:23 (MSG): "Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm. Your new birth comes from God's living Word." I highly encourage you to start a relationship with Him--talk to Him and listen to Him by way of His word. Then do what He says to do--He knows how for you to have a good life. And from the deep appreciation you will feel from the new life you will have--you will tell others--those who are hurting and living a dark life--how they, too, can have an amazing new life--through Christ.
The definition of anger (which you may be feeling toward God) is a feeling of displeasure and hostility that a person has because of being injured, mistreated, opposed, etc. Did you notice the word hostility? The definition for angry is feeling or showing anger, wild and stormy. Friend, your angry feelings are misplaced. Satan is the one who caused corruptness in the human race way back in the beginning. Please admit to God that you are angry with Him and that you are deeply sorry for the feelings. Ask Him to heal you and comfort you.
21 Day Journal Note # 25 is about control in difficult situations with others. You could also change the wording around to fit your situation--your anger toward God.
21 Day Journal Note # 25
Who's in Control?
Philippians 4:6-7 (MSG): Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitons and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholelness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
I get so stressed out when I am dealing with a difficult person. I feel loss of respect. I spiral out of control trying to gain control of my situation. I am to look at myself as the problem and not the other person. There will always be those "other persons" in my life and I will never be able to control them. However, I have control over me with Your help. Lord, I give You these difficutl times and trust You to keep me grounded.
end of journal note. If this one speaks to your life difficutlies then handwrite it once a day x 21 days. God's word is awesome by rewiring your brain and thinking system. Try it my friend, as I suspect your way of doing life has not yielded satisfying results. Try on this new behavior.
Instead of telling you to "get a life" I encourage you to "get a new life!"
Sending Jesus' love to all, Wynndy
