Happy Dance

We went to a dinner the other night and there were many people there from our church homegroup.      It is interesting at times just to sit and listen to the conversation. There were some that were talking about their sinful past, almost in a sort of bragging way, and then there were some that were talking as if they never had a sinful past at all.

I sort of can identify with both groups in a way, because I have been guilty at times of talking about my past as if it is something to be proud of or at the least amusing at times. I can remember at times sitting there thinking I am so thankful I am not as bad or sinful as that person speaking is, what a joke!

The truth is that we have an old nature and it will act up if we let it.

The tremors after an earthquake are called ‘aftershocks.’ The same is true spiritually, even after we make that decision to follow Christ we will still have those tremors [aftershocks] of fear, lust, pride, and temptation.

I have been through some of these just lately and I knew that I could either accept them or I could just send them where they should go, they will, and do pass if we stand up to them in the name of Jesus.

Today I verbalized that in God’s strength I will stand until the shaking quits…. Until the thunder stops rolling…. Until the midnight turns to the dawn… Until I feel that peace again…. Until the wave of loneliness passes…. Until I see my physical healing…. Until the struggle is over!

Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me” [Phil 4:13] that word strengthens is a continual verb. He does not just strengthen me once; He does it repeatedly. He does it every time I face a difficult challenge, or when a memory comes back to try and haunt me, or when I face a really hard choice, or when I have those moments of self pity over maybe some things I didn’t get.

Some days I need a little more strength than other days, but every time I receive that strength it is because I have run to ‘El-Shaddai - the nurturing, protecting One,’ and He is, and will always be there for me.

In His love

Les