WOW!!!

Talk about getting a message loud and clear! Three inbox items brought a great encouragement to me this morning. Two of them I usually skip over in the rush of busy days and running here and there., but God heard my inner talk that wasn’t kind to myself and thus not pleasing to Him.

The first was a post from Crosswalk for Women titled “Stop calling yourself an idiot.”  That definitely spoke to me, since I reserve my harshest words for myself including that very one every time I lose or misplace something or make a stupid (Oh, there’s another one.). I would not say that to the face of another human being and shouldn’t be saying it to myself or to them through the windows of the car or behind their backs to others.  Why?  Back to a recent study in James that reminded us about the power of the tongue to build up or to hurt and destroy.  That challenged me about being very careful about capturing those thought and not letting be spoken and working to not even entertain the thought, even about the driver in the next car weaving in and out of traffic.  Today I was challenged that I too am made in the image of God.  While I need to do some self-talk to challenge growth, I should not be calling myself an idiot or stupid or other names I know I should not call any other person.  It’s a challenge.

The next was from “Your Daily Prayer” from Lisa Terkeurst which is a regular in my feed but rarely read based on the inevitable busyness of the morning. Today, I chanced to open it,  and it spoke loudly and clearly to me in two ways.  The first was a reminder to not give up on dreams because others seem to be jumping in and you begin to feel maybe what you have to offer is not needed.  Follow God’s dream because He can and will use it all.  We should be sending more workers into the field, not just a few good ones.  God does need my “special” offering, and it is His to use.  I need to pray for all the workers in the harvest, including those who are doing what I want to do.  I need to actually work on it.

Then, my regular devotional reading was based on the familiar “We are the body.” passage in 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 and was titled “Rejoice with those who Rejoice”. It also referenced Jesus’ parables about lost things and the general rejoicing of friends and neighbors when the lost item is found. Believers find delight in the successes of others. We are to give thanks in all circumstances, even for those who have success or health or wealth that we do not.  We ought to also pray for our own needs and share them with others.

Finally, the verse of the day from KTIS was ”1 John 1:7 - But if we are living in the light of God's presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin.”   Fellowship with one another -   thanksgiving for each other, encouraging one another, praying for one another, and loving one another.

All of these together challenged me in my personal discouragement and reminded me that as a part of the body of Christ, I have responsibilities to others. Nevertheless, I must take heed to myself not only in treating others well, but in recognizing that, as a child of God, I must to remember not to disparage this one that God has created and called.