Giver

Our Daily Bread
Yes, I am a giver.  I prefer to give rather to receive.  God has been teaching me to accept the good will of others the past five years.  It has been a challenge for me.

It is a challenge for many folks to accept the Grace of God, the mercy of God.  When I have trouble accepting things, it is for several reasons.  I don't always trust the other persons intentions.  I don't want to "bother" anyone.  I don't feel worthy of the effort by others.  For humans, God already made the effort by giving his Son for us.  He continues to make the effort to reach out to us through his Holy Spirit.  He reassures us that we are his beloved children even when we don't always act like it.  God wants to be with us.  He wants fellowship with us, his special creation.  Put aside the things that are keeping you from him today.

Lord, thank you for reaching out to use and giving us your love and grace.

Simply Saturday
Longsuffering
I learned more about this Fruit of the Spirit this week.  We all have situations in our lives that we ask God "What the heck?"  I have had one specific situation for over five years where I asked something much strong of God.  I will let you imagination fill that in...

While reading my latest book, I read about a monk who was assigned to an elder that was abusive to him for 42 years!  42 years!  At the death of the elder, the monk asked God "What next?"  God finally explained that he had been answering the monk's prayer to learn more about God's love and God's grace for the last 42 years.  The monk felt in his spirit that, as always, God was right.  The monk had served God faithfully all this time to learn the lessons he needed.

I had trouble reading this story.  I was brought up in the United States of America where folks stand up for themselves and always want things to be "fair".  What did I learn?  Sometimes God allows us to experience unpleasant things because he knows he can use them to his glory.  He never allows more to happen to us than we can bear.  He knows exactly when our endurance fades and sends his Holy Spirit to comfort us.

I can testify to these things.  I was released from my situation last weekend after realizing that I learned the lessons I needed to learn.  My prayers were answered.  I had no idea along the way what the end result would be, but I knew that I was doing that God instructed.  It was not easy.  It was not always pleasant.  It was my journey.  I traveled it to the best of my ability.

I want to encourage you.  Whatever you are facing, whatever you think you can't handle, whatever you think is impossible, pour it all to God.  He already knows, but it will bring you closer to him to express all your fears and emotions and joys with Him!  I can testify!

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Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13