It's no big secret that I am writing a book. Anyone who knows me at all or who has talked to me at length in the past 6 months knows that I am writing a book. It's something that I feel called to do and I'm both scared and excited in doing it.
Actually, I'm writing more than one.
I don't talk about this much because I am only actively writing the one, but the others are constantly forming and taking shape in my head. A couple of them already have titles and I know the general outline. Others are still a vague mystery -- kind of a shadowy, generalized concept...
Pastor Dino (as per usual) hit a home-run right out of the park today with his message on how God can use ANY life -- any hurt, any situation, any struggle -- for good. The very thing you are going through right now: loneliness, fear, anger, rejection, heartache... can be used for a greater purpose.
Don't get all cynical on me now.
Hear this out:
God doesn't make bad things happen to good people.
That's a lie from the enemy (please see previous post).
But you can't have it both ways, people.
You can't have FREE WILL without consequences. That doesn't mean that some things don't happen unfairly or the way we think they should. But you can't have a God that lets you choose how you want to live AND a God that makes everything "all better, all the time." And it's not necessarily resorting to the "clockmaker vs. puppet-master" theories, either.
God is in control, but He doesn't control us.
Sin and evil are in the world; partnered with these are sickness, disease, abuse, hatred, fear, and pain.
Just because a person is a Christian does not automatically exclude him or her from the realities of this world.
But as Christians, we have the power and authority to call on God to see us through ANY situation. And once we get through the crisis, God can use our testimony to bolster others who are going through rough times of their own.
But we have to get through it.
We cannot stay in the middle of it -- dwelling on the things we cannot change.
As Pastor Dino said this morning, it's not about you. And the sooner you take the focus off yourself, the sooner you will find healing.
How did he put it?
Give away what you want for yourself.
Hate your job? Start giving your all at work and you might just get a better one!
Need a miracle with your finances? Start giving money to those who are even less fortunate than you; Start tithing.
Lonely? Think nobody cares? Be the first to reach out and be a friend to others.
And don't keep your story to yourself.
How can others be blessed by the testimony of what you have survived if you never speak it?
God can get you through ANYTHING the world throws your way, if you let Him. But if you want to get to the point where you can praise God for what you went through, then you have to tell your story.
Speak up.
Start a blog.
Write a book.
Wait a minute... was he looking at me when he said that???
1 comment:
NO, he was looking at me! Just kidding. That was a powerful messege wasn't it? Just as I was sitting there thinking, "Okay, I want a baby. How do I give that away?" He looked right at me and said, "If you are trying to have a baby, be the first to buy someone else a baby gift or to congratulate them." That is how I try to handle it, but to have him answer a question I had just asked God was awesome.
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