Tag Archives: Humility

Oct3

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

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I have hidden Thy word in my heart. (Picture by Lisa R)

I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

Judges 20. “Then Israel set men in ambush all around Gibeah. And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in battle array against Gibeah as at the other times. So the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city. They began to strike down and kill some of the people, as at the other times, in the highways (one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah) and in the field, about thirty men of Israel. And the children of Benjamin said, ‘They are defeated before us, as at first’…  But the Benjamites did not know that disaster was upon them. The Lord defeated Benjamin before Israel. And the children of Israel destroyed that day twenty-five thousand one hundred Benjamites; all these drew the sword” (verses 29-32, 34-35). I encourage you to read this Chapter. Heck I encourage (if you haven’t been doing so), to pick up your Bible and read God’s words for yourselves. After receiving the message from the Levite man who’s wife had been murdered. The Israelites gathered together to discuss where they were before the Lord, and what they needed to do to rectify what had happened (it took body parts in the mail, to get you to open your eyes? Really!?). Israel tells the Benjamites that they need to turn over the men who committed the crime, so that God’s anger would subside. However, the Benjamites refused. They go to war. Israel seeks God about who should go out first. He says, “Judah”. However, Israel is defeated. They come before God again, and He says. “Go.” But yet again Israel is defeated. They fast, pray, and weep and ask, “God should we try one more time?” This time the answer is, “Go, for I will deliver them into your hand.” The Benjamites are defeated. Don’t miss the lesson. The Benjamites didn’t want to repent, and for a while it seemed as though they’d be victorious in their sin. Sin is fun, it feels like a victory. No one would sin otherwise. But it ALWAYS leads to death, ALWAYS. There is no escaping the consequences, for sin only has one ending. Note, the first two victories had the Benjamites so confident they could not even fathom that they might lose. God was not even a thought in their minds. However, the two defeats brought Israel to a place where God could use them, they humbled themselves, humbled their hearts, and came out victorious. Sometimes it seems as though the world is winning. But sin only has one ending. Instead of looking at the world, we need to look inward and find out where our heats are before God. Victory comes to the humble of heart.

Mar23

DAY 82 (2014)

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When the enemy knocks, Let God answer. (Picture by Lisa R.)

When the enemy knocks, Let God answer.
(Picture by Lisa R.)

I am blessed to go to a church where even the associate pastors are awesome bible teachers. Today Pastor Jerry Saunders taught. He is one of my favorite pastors mostly cause I relate to his complete down to earth attitude. I like him because I can see that where he came from and where he is now, took humility and God’s awesome grace. Every time he preaches he says at least one thing, that I swear I hear as though it is being yelled in my ear through a megaphone. I call those moments God-speak, when God uses someone to say something that we need to hear. Today’s message was about SIN, its subtleness, secretiveness, and seriousness. The scripture used was Genesis three (and a part of four). He talked about the fall of Adam and Eve. Then he made this statement, “I wonder what would have happened, if instead of blaming Eve. Adam asked God for forgiveness.” Mind completely blown… BAM!!! I never, not once in my walk with God have thought about an alternative choice. But it hit me, Adam had one. From the beginning of it all, Adam and Eve had free will. That’s why the tree was there, that’s why from the beginning God told them what would happen if they ate it. They had a CHOICE. Adam had a CHOICE. Had he chosen to answer differently what would the world look like today? Honestly I couldn’t even begin to answer that question. But I am sure of one thing a world built on forgiveness would have to be substantially different from one built on blame. Just a thought. Be mindful our decisions have consequences.

“If the enemy starts knocking on your door. Please don’t answer. Instead ask God to get it for you.” (Pastor Jerry Saunders)

So what’s my plan of attack? God gets to answer all the knocks… 😉 That’s the CHOICE I am making.

Mar18

DAY 77 (2014)

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Even in the trees of life block it's view. The light can still be seen. (Picture by Lisa R.)

Even when the trees of life block its view. The light can still be seen.
(Picture by Lisa R.)

This has been the month of learning. Learning humility. Learning to live like I believe that God doesn’t lie. For the record, NOT easy. I am realizing that faith, the real kind requires the abandonment of self sufficiency.  That is not a easy feat for any person, even the most inapt and nonchalant of human beings wants (or needs) to feel like they are in control of their circumstances. However, faith requires that we allow God to be in control of our circumstances, even when it seems like everything is falling apart. In the last couple of weeks my belief system has been tested (hard). I felt cornered because I wanted to fix the issues in my way (you know the way where you hold on to your pride and pretend like nothing’s wrong). Turns out that “my” way escalated something that would have been preventable had I just done what God asked from the get go. The battle with our pride is often hard won, especially when we are working with a wrong definition. Most of us view pride as a puffed up arrogance. When in all honesty pride is anything that keeps us from being vulnerable, from being honest. That keeps us from being an open book to the people in our world, and believe it or not it is often masked in humility (the false kind). The mirror that’s shining on my life lately has been a hard one to look into. But I know that God wouldn’t be shining it so brightly if He didn’t have a purpose. It if wasn’t a necessary step to get me on the “right” path. So although it hurts I will continue to look in the mirror, so that I can clearly see what needs correcting.

“Remove the impurities from silver, and the sterling will be ready for the silversmith” (Proverbs 25:4).

So what’s my plan of attack? Let God do…

Mar18

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

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I have hidden Thy word in my heart. (Picture by Lisa R)

I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

Exodus 2. ” During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them” (Verses 23-25). Trials they are hard and often cause by our disobedience. The children of Israel settled for something less than what God had for them, and therefore reaped the consequences of their actions. However, we should be forever grateful and humbled by the fact that we serve a God who never forgets His promises to us. God remembered His convenient and He prepared a way of escape for Israel. He made the same promise to us, and God never goes back on a promise.

Mar17

DAY 76 (2014)

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keep-calm-god-s-got-your-backI haven’t posted in awhile. The last few days have been a rough. It feels like I am stuck in a dark tunnel and I can see the light at the end I have been walking toward it for what seems like forever, but not getting closer. Oddly, the more I walk toward the light the further away it becomes. I am realizing I have an issue with pride, and not the “I am awesome”, but the false humility kind. It is sad because right now as I write this I need help, and I am still (even after learning a really good lesson yesterday), struggling to ask for it. Why? Because to me it is a sign of weakness. A sign that I am not trusting God to do what He said he would do. Yesterday someone said this to me, “Asking for help is about trusting God, and trusting the people He has placed in your life.” I hadn’t thought about it from that perspective, I am all about helping, but I never saw the importance (until yesterday) of being helped. It very humbling and breaking to ask for help. To be vulnerable enough to show your fault and inadequacy. However, it is a necessary step to get is to move forward. If our pride keeps us from asking, then it is also keeping us from receiving. I am in the midst of breaking down this wall. It is difficult, but necessary. My wise counselor also said, “If God wanted to He could drop what you needed from the sky. But He wants you to grow through the asking, and He wants the one being asked to grow through the giving.” Who knew this would be my biggest struggle, yet?

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).

So what’s my plan of attack? Ask.

Here’s a bit of irony to further hit home the point. Yesterday the first sentence in my Pastor’s sermon were these words: “Find someone that says, ‘I need HELP'”. Yup, God’s got jokes… 🙂

Dec27

DAY 361

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Sometimes it is in stillness and quietness that the battle is won.

Sometimes it is in stillness and quietness that the battle is won.

Today I had a wonderful day. At work and during the ride home from Fort Lauderdale with my brother. The best part of the drive (apart from the laughter), the lack of TRAFFIC! It was a beautiful, peaceful ride home on a Friday none the less! I love days like today, they remind me that God cares about us. He knows when we need peace, because we can’t handle the storm anymore. He knows when to let the storm rage because the lesson it brings is needed for our growth. He knows when we need to smile, and when we need to cry. I love His intimate knowledge of us. I love that He WANTS to know us intimately. Today I am grateful for my blessings, and I am equally grateful for my trials. Just a reminder that God loves us and He allows us moments of sunshine and moments of rain, both are for our good.

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

So what am I thankful for today? Days of peacefulness.

Dec21

Some Stories Just Need to be Shared:

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My friend Lena just posted this experience on her FB status. It was beautiful and humbling, and a TRUE picture of friendship and the irrelevance of status and wealth. People should be judged by who they are NOT what they have.

Thank you Lena this story truly blessed me:

2 homeless men came up to my sister and I outside of CVS one was crippled with a set of beautiful blue eyes and the other was fairly normal he held the hand of his friend to help him walk. He asked for change to get a snicker bar to share so I said, “I’ll buy it for you”. They weren’t allowed in the store because people seem to be annoyed by beggars. So I bought them snacks and brought them out to them. I was humbled by their friendship. They stuck with each other for the sake of love that they have for one another. Then they invited us to church tomorrow. I swear in that brief 10 minutes I learned so much. – Post by Lena N.

Oct4

DAY 277

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Say what you mean...do what you say.

Say what you mean…do what you say.

I asked my brother this question, not even 20 minutes ago: “Do you think it is okay for me to not write my post today?” His answer, “No, you have been faithful every single day up till now. You’re gonna quit in October?!” (Yup, floored me) At first I thought he was joking, so I asked, “Are you serious?” to which he answered, “Yes.” Then I remembered my commitment to myself, to God, and to my blog: “Find one reason EVERYDAY to be thankful”. Today it wasn’t a lack of being thankful that made me want to not post. I simply wasn’t feeling well and wanted to rest, my plan was to post two tomorrow. However, my brother’s words reminded of the importance of keeping commitments. I want to be a person who is known for doing what they say. We are defined by our words and our actions.The two need to line up.  We need to be people who do what we say. Today’s lesson is simple: If you make a commitment…KEEP it.

“But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation” (James 5:12).

 

So what am I thankful for today? A commitment remembered, a promise kept.

Sep17

DAY 260

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Sunsets remains us that everything has an ending. (Picture by Lisa R.)

Sunsets remains us that everything has an ending.
(Picture by Lisa R.)

I have a question today. What do you do when one of the people you love and respect the most does something that has disappointed you, almost to the point of anger and tears? I have experienced these feelings before. At that time I gave into the feelings and have to say I did not handle the situation as I really would have liked. It took some time for me to get over my anger and hurt. Today as I sit here feeling similar feelings, I am asking myself, “If it turns out that I have to walk this road again, how will I handle it the second time around?” We never know what another person is really thinking, we may get small glimpses here and there (but many times we ignore what we see). Today I am asking God to prepare my heart, my mind, and my spirit for whatever is to come. I am trusting in His wisdom to guide me, because my wisdom is limited. It is interesting that while my feelings and emotions are disappointed I can honestly say that my spirit is calm. There is a part of me that know this is a trial and that it will pass, that there will be an end. I also have the assurance that God will not waste any of it, it will all lead to my growth and make me stronger. Today I may be disappointed, but tomorrow (after I view it through the lens of God) I will see the reason and growth behind it. Until that day I press on.