Have you ever heard the saying that goes something like, “the traits that most annoy you in others are often your very own flaws?” Well let me tell you what annoys me…mamby-pamby, sensitive types who make excuses and who have to be understood and coddled all the time. Ugh! Just thinking about it gives me the heebie-geebies. But you know what? That’s EXACTLY who I have been for the last several weeks! Why didn’t SOMEONE slap me?!
I can’t STAND that attitude. When I see it, I just want to say, “Come on, let’s pull it together and move forward!” But that’s not what I was saying to myself as I counted the ways I was justified for feeeeeeling the way I felt. “Boo-hoo, someone hurt my feelings. Boo-hoo, someone didn’t appreciate me. Boo-hoo, someone wasn’t the friend I thought they were. Boo-hoo, I’m all emotional because I’m premenopausal. It’s my hormones fault, my husband’s fault, my kids’ fault. I worked hard. I’m tired. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah!”
I am just so darn tired of having to coddle people—particularly myself—because of our feelings. We are not called to live by our emotions and I’m tired of trying to make this subject pretty by sprinkling glitter on it. Stuff is getting real in this world, and at some point, someone hurting our feelings is going to pale in comparison to being ordered to convert to Islam or be tortured and beheaded. It’s time to grow up. There are adult, Christians who are sitting around feeling weak and defeated because “we’re overwhelmed and we have all these pressures and all these roles to play and all this stuff to do.” I call hogwash on that whole mess. We’re only defeated if we allow ourselves to continue to focus on our circumstances instead of taking up our authority and walking in it. Do you know what is going on in the world? Do you see the reality of it? Soon and very soon we are going to have to be able to make a strong stand for who we are and Who we believe in while staring into the face of real adversity—and are we prepared for all of that if we can’t even handle it when someone inadvertently forgets to invite us along on an outing?
I know this is not my usual tone, but the more of this junk I see in myself, the more it frustrates me. I’m tired of focusing on the superficial and doling out lame excuses that only serve as permission for continued wallowing in “how I feel.” It is MY job to CHOOSE my attitude. Don’t get me wrong…I make wrong choices in this area and I make them often, but I need to stop making EXCUSES for making wrong choices and strive to do better!
There have been a lot of little things that have happened which, taken all by themselves, are not such a big deal. If I look at each situation objectively, I can see, through God’s eyes, that the person who hurt me was acting out of their own insecurities. The friend who wasn’t the friend I thought she was…well, I do have others who are EXACTLY the friends whom I KNOW they are, so it’s all good. And the hormones…that’s life. I’m sure Sara, Esther, Ruth, Deborah, and Mary all had hormones too, but they made it into Biblical history. If hormones didn’t stop them, why should they stop me?
None of these things, taken all by themselves, had the power to overwhelm me. But when all the little things were married together by the whispered lies of the devil and left unchecked, they grew into bitter offenses and insecurities that felt like a millstone tied around my neck. BUT, eventually, I stopped whining long enough to listen to the Spirit Who Reveals All Truth, and He reminded me: The Word says that His yoke is easy and His burden is light, so I remember that these other things are not of Him and, therefore, they have no place in my life. I suddenly awaken to how long I’ve messed around, allowing these things to become too important. I realize I’ve let my emotions take over when I should have been drawing my sword.
So today I remember, I’m the only person whom I have the power to change (through Christ, of course). Therefore, I am determined to purposefully become more aware of the things I can do to change me, and let God take care of changing everybody else. I’m finished fighting against flesh and blood and allowing my emotions to run wild. I’m locking my targets back to where they should have been all along…zeroed in on the powers and principalities of darkness, which are the real culprits that have waged war against me.
I decree and declare that the stamping foot of the flesh that cries out, “I want…, I think…, I feel…,” will no longer rule my behavior. Because the Word says, if we keep our mind stayed on Him, He will give us perfect peace. So I’m going to stop looking at all the things I wish were different and turn my attention back to the Lord, claiming peace over my mind, my will, and my emotions. In every instance today, I’m going to ask myself if my words, my actions, and my reactions are based out of fear and hurt and lies of the enemy, or if they are based out of faith and trust in God?
The joy of the Lord is my strength, and the enemy has been prowling around my whole life, trying to steal kill and destroy that joy. But today, I am choosing not to allow that to happen. I choose joy. I choose faith. I choose to be unshakably strong, not in my own strength, but in Christ alone. I’m not getting my strength back… I’m taking it back—all of it. It’s mine. It belongs to me because Jesus purchased it for me on the Cross and I’m through wasting it.
Today is a new day. It’s a day of fresh strength. It’s a day of renewal that has been a long-time coming. And now that I’ve gotten my head back on straight and my priorities lined back out, I can once again focus on the important, the eternal, the things beyond myself that bring glory to the Father. I am back in the proper condition to go out and fight devils and win hearts for Jesus.
Thank you, Jesus, for the truth of your living Word that cuts through soul and spirit, joint and marrow, judging the thoughts and attitudes of my heart. Thank you for doing a new thing…for making rivers in a dry land. Thank you for waking me up and not allowing me to continue to wallow in this nonsense any longer.
Yep. It’s time…It’s time for us to suck it up, put on our big kid clothes, and do what we do, once again, for the Glory of our Father. I know truths like this can hurt, but pruning is necessary for growth and it can’t always be written in candy on soft pillows with flowers. Some of us are easily confused by the kinder, gentler approach. So for people, like myself, who really need the straight-forward method…this is for us. We need to grow up and stop being so easily hurt and offended in order to have a more abundant, fruitful, mature walk with God. It is my prayer that you will take these things—not as a harsh scolding from someone holier than thou, but as an encouragement from a friend who is likely in a similar situation—and be reminded to pick up your sword and take back the ground that the enemy has been trying to steal in your life!
220 Gal 