A nugget of God's truth...

I haven't posted my "Nugget of God's Truth" in awhile, but I am actually moved on to a new book of the Bible in my personal time with the Lord..... But before I share things from somewhere else in the Bible I wanted to make one last observation in Hebrews.

I have come to realize that I have a tendacy to be bitter and not able to let go and forgive. Some of it I have to admit is being in the ministry. Bryan being a pastor I take everything personal. That is not good and God wants to change me. God revealed this to me through Hebrews Chapter 12: 14-15....

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;

God has truely brought me along way over the past 14 years but I know that He is still working on me. I need to realize that any root of bitterness will just cause me trouble. God is not a God of bitterness and my goal should be to be an imitator of the Almighty Savior I serve. God has redeemed me by His blood and through Him I will no longer be the same! Now did you catch the first part of verse 14? Pursue peace with all people (Not that you will always get it but we should pursue it) and holiness (we should strive everyday to be holy as He is holy 1 Peter 1:15-16). I am so capable of falling short of God's righteousness but the truth is He doesn't give up on me. One of those areas that I fall short on is bitterness but my prayer is that God will continue to reveal His truth to me through His Word and that I will be broken and repentant as He changes me!

Next, I have to admit that sometimes that bitterness is toward God. When I get stuck in my finite mind that something should be in my time and my way it is not necessarily God's way or His time. I am constantly reminded that God sees the BIG picture and He knows what is best and I need to just trust Him and follow Him. Two examples in our home (I am sure there are more but for times sake) is when it took 5 years for us to have our first child. I was just so sure that we were ready to have a family as soon as we got married, but God knew we weren't. I was so bitter that all these people who appeared not to need a child was getting pregnant and here we were trying to serve and follow the Lord the best we knew how and He had closed up my womb. God did some great works in my heart and life over those 5 years and I look back now and see that He knew best. The second example is Our only girl wants a Sister so bad and doesn't understand why God hasn't given her one yet. We are trying to teach her that it is God who knows what we need and He is soverign. My prayer is that this will be the beginning of her understanding of her Heavenly Father.

So now you know one of my weaknesses, I ask that you pray for me. God is so good, all the time. He has brought me so far in overcoming my bitterness and I look forward to Him still working to remove that weakness in my life. May God be lifted up in my weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Cantina