December 20

Those who follow the blog are going to see a common theme running through many days. God wants to speak to OUR lives as we read the Word and not just give us knowledge, or in my case as a teacher, not just something good to teach – although He does that too!

“…when you encounter various trials…” “…each is tempted… by his own evil desire…” We have got to stop (only) thinking about this as “sin” stuff. (The things we most think of when sin is mentioned). For me today, when I read that, I thought about the trial of depressed thinking when things are going wrong. Yesterday, after striking out Christmas shopping for 3 hours, I came home to 2 window leaks, a wet carpet and a wet couch. Then I was told that the main house computer didn’t work and we are out of toner. Compared with eternity, it’s nothing, but I wasn’t comparing it with eternity at that moment. It wasn’t a trial not to cuss or not to commit adultery or not to get drunk, it was hard to keep my head out of water. Honestly, I am a little tired and it pushed me over the edge of hopelessness. What was I going to do? Go out and shop more? No!!! That was stressing me out. Do nothing! I did try to fix the computer, but I had to reckoned that tonight nothing was going to be solved and I should eat dinner and enjoy my wife’s company. We watched a chick flick that was clean, went to bed not worrying and I woke up feeling renewed and wanting to get close to God. I always want to fix it, get out of it, escape, not do it, do more… How about just accept it sometimes and move on! It happened and even though I should of…. (sealed the windows last summer…) I didn’t and so what. I’ll get them next time. My evil desire is kicking myself until I am bruised. Jesus was already bruised for me– stop it Terry!