Today was yet another awesome day...thank you Lord! I always look forward to my Tuesday mornings. We take a break from the books and head to CHC (Colonial Hills Church). Haylee goes to her P.E. class and RJ goes and plays with friends while I attend the GROW (Girls Raised on the Word) class. We are going through the Chronological Bible together in groups. But man is it awesome when the Lord really speaks to the heart of the speaker and changes their topic to match what we (or someone) need to hear that particular day! Today it hit me right between the eyes!!
One of the things the Lord has really been changing in me, is my being quick to anger. It has been years in the making! He has delivered me from such a bitter, hateful, self-absorbed attitude, but I am far from perfect. I am thankful that He is never finished removing unfruitful behaviors and pruning the fruitful!.....“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. John 15:1-2........So, one that was brought up today was how we act at home when things don't go our way. That's a biggie! It is so easy to slip back into that "all about me" mode when I am at home. For me, it's yelling when the kids are fighting with each other, not doing what I have asked of them, or doing what I have asked them not to do.
It's like this....If I were an orange, and you were to squeeze me what comes out? When everything is going fine and dandy, just the way I want it, I can be the most loving person. But the minute something goes wrong (I get squeezed) what comes out can be the VERY opposite of loving! I am not glorifying this. I am ashamed.
I thank the Lord that He has blessed me with two of the most loving, forgiving, and patient (got that from the daddy) kids I know! I REFUSE to take advantage of that. And I want them to see love, patience, kindness and self control coming out of me no matter what circumstance I am in. I want that for them as well, not anger. I have learned to stop, and call on the Lord when I feel like yelling. He brings to my attention usually immediately that I have no right to want my way at that moment anyway..............Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city. ~Proverbs 16:32
So, I guess what I am trying to say is that it is so easy to be fruitful (loving, kind, patient) when things go our way. But when the rug is pulled out from under us and we are squeezed, what comes (or even drips) out of us then? I only want that which comes from the Holy Spirit within me!.....
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. ~ Galations 5:22-23
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