It has been over a month since I have sat down and read my bible. That is difficult to say here, but I want to be honest (ahem ahem…I did ask you all to keep me in check). I have let MY plans and MY agenda become so great that I have left God out of them. It make my skin crawl just thinking about it. Even though I was not sitting with God and reading his word daily He got His message to me through sermons at church.
Message #1:
A few weeks ago my Bigmama passed away after being sick for several years. While at home I was able to spend time with my family and attend Sunday mass at the church I was raised in. The priests homily was on HUMILITY! Let’s just say it was exactly what my mom and I needed after begin around family all weekend and me just starting back to school with varying personalities. It is difficult to be humble, but he made a strong point that day. It takes a lot of humility to really love! It is hard to love everyone, but if you truly put yourself low to the ground and be humble it would be easy. I feel so much dislike and dare I say hatred in our lives comes from a feeling of entitlement. If we were to put ourselves on the lowly ground where we believed we deserved nothing we would never be unloving. I have had a hard time with this because I have sadly cut God out of my agenda. I know if I seek Him and His help I can be a more humble person and be able to love more.
Message #2
Our (Adam and I’s) church is at this time without a permanent preacher. Beginning this Sunday we will have an interim preacher until January when a permanent assignment will take place…we hope! It has been interesting to say the least. Since we have no preacher we have had lay speakers step forward and preach on Sunday. A few weeks ago Mrs. Foy, a women I had never even noticed before was up in front of the congregation sharing her personal testimony. Though her testimony I felt convicted yet again for living MY agenda. The scripture was John 15:1-8 which was about pruning your fruit trees so that they bare fruit. Mrs. Foy shared at one point in her life God was cutting away the obstacles that prevented her from following His agenda. Do you not love that? I felt like God was pruning me right then and there! I want to live God’s agenda, and bare fruit for him!
So in all I have been in prayer for God to help me in the many places I am in dire need of help! I hope diving back into His word will help me see and want Christ in all that I do.
I want to live my life for Him and bare fruit!
Oh, Lauren..what a great post! I can't even begin to tell you the personal experiences I've had with God cutting away the obstacles that prevented me from following Him and His agenda. It was so difficult during the process, but looking back on it, I know exactly why God was pruning.
ReplyDeleteOur Pastor just spoke on pride last week at church and it resonated with me more than you could imagine. We all want to be recognized. It's definitely about entitlement and when we feel entitled to something, we can't love others, and God can't use us. How disappointing for us and for God! I will be praying for you and feel free to pray for me too! :)