I CAN DO ALL THINGS

How I long to share what’s on my heart, but you know what? In our first blog message I tried to sum up my desires to help others absorb the SIMPLE TRUTH of GOD’S GREAT LOVE for each individual. Yet, in writing the post that followed and as I start this one, I, too, feel the inferiority, insignificance, and insecurity that comes from mentally seeing and hearing those looking down on my life, questioning why I waste my time, etc,

                1^st) because I don’t live “a good enough” life to be called a Christian

               2^nd)  because I’ve shown my “human side”

               3^rd)  because the attitude comes across, “Why waste your time? Who’s going to bother to read what you write anyway?”        

Okay, enough to tell each of you, I also have these same feelings from time to time, and as I sat here thinking of the difference between 7^th Grade and a lifetime of learning, I wanted to  let you know it’s always a struggle for me, but the SIMPLE TRUTH is there is HOPE, even after all these years.

You see, the devil knows my great love for God. He also knows my weaknesses, so he is trying to take away this method in which I feel well-qualified to use my abilities. Do you think he has forgotten my gift of persistence? Likely not, but one of the additional gifts is a comment from my daughter telling me that God will make sure that whoever needs to see what is contained in these posts will see them. With that in mind, let’s press on.   

I stated I am mentally seeing and hearing these attitudes and comments. No, I’ve not gone off the deep end. Once again, the devil is trying his best to hold me down, but with God’s help, I’m rather like the Weebles-Wobbles-But-They-Don’t-Fall-Down® doll from the mid-1900’s. The doll was filled with air and made of a soft thick plastic. It had a sand-filled bottom so one could punch it down and it’d pop back up no matter how many times it was knocked it over!  It’s my own giving in to the temptations from the devil and allowing judgmental thoughts that can punch a slow leak or a fast rip in my WEEBLES-WOBBLES-BUT-THEY-DON’T-FALL-DOWN® doll, if I don’t turn my thoughts back in obedience to God.

Let’s consider how we handle our self-thinking. We spend time allowing ourselves to develop feelings of insecurity, insignificance, and inferiority. Not one of us deserves any one of those titles, but with the frequency of our self-talk, we are some of the best salespeople on earth. (Have we missed our calling? Should we be selling real estate or cars? J )  Rather than hearing what God says*, the SIMPLE TRUTH is we spend more time listening to our own self-talk, of which we generally have little proof. AND, isn’t our self-talk more often made up of judgmental attributes that we are imagining from other people?  (*from http://seeingsimpletruth.blogspot.com/2016/07/simple-truth-explained.html In Galatians 4:4b and 5b I read that I am His adopted child. “…God sent forth His son…that we might receive the adoption as sons.” John 3:16 says He sent His only Son to rescue me. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” The above scriptures say I must be very special: Made in God’s image! His adopted child! Loved ME SO MUCH He sent His Only Son to DIE IN MY PLACE!)

Most of my life, in regard to judging, the fastest way I’ve been brought back to who God wants me to be is through the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:2, “For in the way you judge, you will be judged, and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.” How much more simply could that truth have been presented? I understand myself well enough to know I am a perfectionist at heart, so if I sound like I’m hard on others, please understand, I’m hundreds – thousands- millions – times more exacting of myself!   Unfortunately, in most instances, from the time of my very first childhood experiences with crayons  on a new coloring book page until crayons applied on a fresh picture now, and other things of far greater importance, my perfection plans just don’t come out with the aimed-for perfection!

The SIMPLE TRUTH is I KNOW what God wants and perfection is my aim, but there is balance, and I CAN ONLY BE PERFECT IN HIM. PERFECT equals MATURE. Oh, my! I’ve a long way yet to go to become perfect according to earthly standards, but THROUGH CHRIST IN GOD, I HAVE BECOME PERFECT!

Because I am human, the world and I may or may not see I don’t live “a good enough” life to be called a Christian, I’ve shown my “human side”, the attitude comes across, “Why waste your time? Who’s going to bother to read what you write anyway?”  Please pray with me that each of us will be “taking our every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5b

The SIMPLE TRUTH is “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

YOU can, too!

M Sue       7-23-2016