As I sit here on this very cold gray day pondering over how far I should take my story today with my feelings on all the changes in America. As well as what and where God is leading me today! Let me start by saying this whether you can relate or not we are all different the Bible does tell us that, right?
I have never, ever in my 68 years of life seen such changes in this country as I have seen in the past 3 years. I have seen a lot before, I saw division starting several years back. My heart just hurts to see us where we are. As a Christian, a God-fearing Christian I know this is not what He wants for His people. The sexual content being shown to our children, child trafficking, and so many other things hurt my heart. But, the last 3 years have opened my eyes WIDE. I see things clearer as the Bible maps out seasons, end times, and uncleanliness. I’m sure unless you live under a rock you too have seen things that shook you as well.
We all have to stand for what we believe maybe we believe differently, does that mean we must hate each other? No, God is love and He doesn’t want this hate and division we see all across the globe today. For the first time in my life, I can say that I have never been so ashamed of America and where we have ended up in just a short time. Ok, enough of that, as I said, we all have the right to feel the way we feel without being censored, but that is not the case these days now is it?!?
New things coming for me in 2024 no matter what is taking place, I have learned this year that I have taught people how to treat me, it comes from my childhood, and not knowing my worth. I have been praying that God will teach me, how to teach others to treat me. Yes, I sure have, and it is way past the time I stop giving and giving, only to feel like an old shoe that is thrown in the closet in the dark until someone’s feet hurt and they needed that old comfortable shoe. NOPE, not what God wants for me. He slowly started speaking to me this year about letting go of this one, or that one because they no longer served me well. If it ever did. I didn’t understand at first and had a time with it. But, as time went on He began to show me through words, with the actions of others, and their ways that it was time to move now rather than later, let them move forward without me.
A couple of people in my life made that cut, and I began to let go little by little and I started to feel alone, I mean almost isolated. It was withdrawals from each individual as God began to show me that I had become dependent on them for different things and reasons. God, showed me slowly that He had gotten me all to Himself for a reason. So that I could hear HIM, He wanted my full and undivided attention. You may be aware of this in your life, you see that they might say this yet do that. Did you ever once think they were sent your way to keep you from hearing God, distracting you from His plan, even family members can do this without knowing it, it is the devil, not of God for sure. It’s when we get totally alone for hours or even days on end alone with God, that we see where this one or that one might have caused us to think one way with their influence when that was not God’s path for us. When we are wrapped up in this situation it can be hard to see, but you know that there is something not quite right.
Now, will I always stay on the right path? Will I never sin again? Will I always hear God clearly and listen and follow? No, I am human, we all are. But, I am doing my best to obey and start what He put into place for my life. As I said earlier I am praying God will teach me how to teach others to treat me and let go of the ones that thought I was their OLD SHOE, the one they could take off and forget until they needed them again. Our Father wants us to always treat others as we want to be treated, but never does He expect us to be used, abused, or taken for granted, “think about that.” You have that friend you love but they gossip, and it pulls you in, what do you do? Ask them to not gossip in front of you, pray for them to stop it, and it goes on for years, and you notice it pulls you more and more away from God’s plan for your life as well as His words about gossip.
I used gossip as an example, there are many things that we allow our family and our friends to do around us that we know are against God’s word. Such as Matthew 18:9 READ IT. If God tells us to gouge out our eye if it causes us to sin, you should walk through this life without that eye, rather than enter the gates of Hell for all eternity. Should we continue to allow people to cause us to walk through this world and sin, leave that eye in? Or ask God to place in our lives those He wants for us, and show us how to let the ones that speak to our sinful nature go.. While we have to walk in our Faith and obey God if someone causes you to slip over and again, it might be time to shake them loose and start a New Year asking God to send people into your life that will keep you on His path, someone you are evenly yoked with.. As we approach a New Year I wish you all a healthy, happy, joyful, and blessed year.
If this offended you, it was not meant to. I wouldn’t want that at all. I pray that in 2024 we pick up our crosses and carry them with the Grace Of God. With all that is happening around us, it is time to get right with our Savior, I pray that each one of you reading this today, will have your quiet time with God, and ask Him what He has for you in 2024. What changes do you need to make to serve Him better, to serve in His kingdom, and to bring others to Christ, after all, we are here to lead each other home..
Love,
Debbie