Broken Chains

As time goes by we learn so much, life lessons from walking down life's road. These lessons we must learn, wether or not we want to. God has so much in store for us that we don't fully understand, that we can't even comprehend. So much has been going on lately, so much drama and fighting, that it can't help but open your eyes and make you wonder what does the Lord have planned for you.

This past weekend I went to Rock the Universe with some friends. The experience ended up being one of the best ones I could ever ask for. I had originally planned to go with an entirely different group of people and the plans fell apart, and I had been hurt by this; but I truthfully believe I had a better time then I could of had if I had gone with the other group of people. God made it a time for me to grow closer to everyone and get to see their hearts. I truly enjoyed every minute of it and would never change it. I know God had this in store for me and I'm so thankful He did. 

I imagine my life as if there are the chains of this world holding me down. Every sin, every transaction, every pain, every heart ache, they are all chains. One chain that has been truly hurting me the most has been the drama that has recently come into play. I can't help but feel hurt every time I think about it. To love someone like a brother and have them treat you the way that no one should be treated, hurts a lot. At times I seriously feel like my heart has been stabbed with a knife and is broken. I know it seems like I'm putting a lot of emphasis on it, but to truly have that brotherly and sisterly love for someone means a lot.

On Sunday I decided to do things a little different and instead of just continuing my devotions from where I had last left off, I decided to let the Lord just open it to where he wanted me to. The place in scripture that He showed me was Psalms 25, this place in scripture was King David surrendering all of his trials and everything to the Lord. This was perfect for me and everything I'm going through. Every time, since then, that I start being sad about what has happened I meditate on he scriptures that God showed me.

I'm confused on what God wants me to do though. I am wanting to give this person a chance to fix things, but things have to change. I keep praying about what it is that God wants for me and I wish it could be made clearer. I know oh so strongly that I am to give it to Him and that's what I'm doing. I also know that just like God showed me before that I can only do so much and that they have to be willing to try also. So I know that if the other person isn't willing to try then it is out of my hands.

God's stolen my heart and broken the chains, I am His and no body else's. Who am I to want and who am I to argue. He knows all things and has a plan. My Life is his for the making and no one can change it, obedience is required. My heart is pure in total surrender, Lord do what you want with me.

Wondering Why?

As time goes by I can't help but wonder "why?". Why do people treat people the way they do, like they are beneath everyone else and not deserving of respect. While they meet someone new and treat this person with more respect and love than they do the friends that they have had for a while. People deserve respect, everyone does, not just who someone chooses. Who do they think they are to choose between people? If God went through the crowd and decided who was worthy of His love and who wasn't, all of us would fall short. In 1 Peter 2:17 it is writen: "Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king." Notice how it says honor all people, not just who you choose.

It disappoints me greatly when I see brothers and sisters of Christ being each others down falls. People need to understand that no one is perfect, and that we need to be careful not to let their failures erode our respect for their good qualities. The truth of it all is that you can find something to respect in anybody if you look hard enough, and take the time to know their heart. When with Christians, you are with God’s children and should honor them accordingly; regardless of how they are acting. Because we are not the ones to judge them; but we are the ones to love them. In Genesis 9:6 it's written: "Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man." God made us not that we hurt and judge one another, but that we are equal no one being greater than the other for we are all made in His image.

The part of all of this that makes it hurt the most is when you have a friend that you trust and love, as a brother or sister in Christ, and the entire time you are friends with them they believe they are above you. But friends are suppose to be willing to except your flaws; not because they have to but because they want to, because they love you. He or she may be lazy and forgetful. Yet chances are good if they want to be a good person and do the right thing. You can respect the desire of someone's heart even if you are disappointed by his or her actions. But when they do hurt you, the option is not to be judgemental but to be there and help them and show that you'll be there for them, just like Christ is there for us. We are to see others as God does. Each of us has amazing potential. Gideon was a fearful man, living hidden from the enemy, yet the angel of the Lord greeted him by saying, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior" (Judges 6:12). The angel’s greeting was not because of anything Gideon had done, but because he knew how God planned to use Gideon.

I hurts me to watch people do this to others, especially people who love them. I personally just had an experience of this, during this past week. Being told that "You're not worth respecting" by another brother in Christ, especially someone that I loved like a brother, hurts a great deal. I know I am facing another trial in my life, the fact of the matter is sometimes I become to dependent on my friends. I've been working on fixing it, but just like everyone else, sometimes I fail; and everytime I do God reminds me of it. But the reason for this being such a huge issue for me is that we are suppose to love our sisters and brothers in Christ not hurt them. The question still remains: "Why? Why do they do this and why do they think they are right in doing so?"