“You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings." Psalm 23:5
This world will knock you down, push you around, beat you up, and kick you when you're down. People, who live in glass houses, will throw stones. Words will hurt. Lies will be spread like wildfire. Your name will be dragged through the mud. It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, how much money you have or don't have, what your status is, what family you belong to, what school you graduated from, or how many degrees you have on your wall... no one is immune from this kind of treatment and pain. If you live long enough you are sure to experience at least some of what I have just described. That is because we live in a sinful, fallen world and sin comes from the author of lies, Satan himself, the thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).
I struggle with blaming people for beating me up, kicking me, pushing me, throwing stones at me, and spreading flat out lies about me. When the reality is, that I am forgetting that scripture tells me that we aren't fighting against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities. (Ephesians 6:12) I am reminded from this scripture that we can all be used; the good news is that we can choose whether or not to be used by God for good or Satan for evil. I believe that is where personal responsibility comes into play. We have to take responsibility for our actions because every action we take is our personal choice but I do believe that it starts with a choice to be used for good or for evil. Evil can come in small packages such as lies and gossip just like good can also come in small packages such as smiles and hugs. When we realize that it's a choice and we realize that we can be used either way, then I believe that we become more proactive about being used for good. I'm choosing to move on in the knowledge that Satan is to blame and that the people that he worked through simply chose at that time to be used for evil, whether knowingly or unknowingly; but that God will always prevail. God will trump Satan every time. Good will overcome evil in the end. I believe that with my whole heart. So in every situation where you're hurt, remember that we aren't fighting against flesh and blood, forgive the person, and pray for their eyes to be opened to His truth and for good to prevail!!
I started this post with the bad.... what this world will do, how you will be wounded... but there is another story. Aren't you glad?! God loves you! His thoughts are for you! His plans are to bring you hope and a future! His grace is abundant. His Word is true! He cares for you! He wants a relationship with you! He will dry your tears! He will bring you comfort! He will give you unmerited favor! It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, how much money you have or don't have, what your status is, what family you belong to, what school you graduated from, or how many degrees you have on your wall... no one is immune from His love if they simply choose to believe and ask! Isn't that amazing?!
I have known God's love!! I am blessed to say that I know His love! I know His unmerited favor! I know His abundant grace! I know His Word to be true! I have a relationship with Him! The past few weeks have been some of the hardest of my life, the world broke my heart, the world tried to ruin my good name, the world came at me with a pretty powerful punch.... BUT GOD has spoken to my broken heart, protected me and my family, made a way where there seemed to be no way, gave me a HOPE and a FUTURE that was better than the path that I was on. He has made ALL THINGS work together for my good. Let me tell you how thankful I am! Let me tell you about His love that NEVER FAILS... He will never leave you or forsake you! No matter where you are, who you are, where you've been, how long you've been gone from Him... HIS LOVE NEVER FAILS. My cup runs over with joy and thankfulness tonight because of His love for me. I pray that you, whoever is reading this right now, would know the abundance of His love. As Paul wrote in Ephesians, I pray, "and may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is."
Thank you for reading my thoughts. God Bless You!
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