After working at the Post Office for 31 years I've gotten a bit (just a bit, lol) tired of the day to day nonsense. I know I am supposed to have patience. I know I am to turn the other cheek, extend mercy.....but honestly when I am in the day to day trenches....dealing with an organization that for the most part seems to throw logic and common sense out every window and door, co-workers who make a career out of getting out of work, and supervisors who cannot or will not deal with the issues....lets just say I lose my mind a lot and leave it at that! I said to one of my co-workers a couple of days ago, "I just can't seem to help myself....I see wrong things and just have to say something! It just comes right out of my mouth!" Oh, but God was not going to leave that one alone!
So the next day dawns, a beautiful day, sunshine and warm temperatures and off I go for a jog. Pop in my ear phones and put on my Joyce Meyer podcast....always enlightening, always helpful....and sometimes, well sometimes our of her mouth comes things I'd rather not hear. God's little corrections! Joyce spoke on not defending ourselves, and keeping our mouths shut! Hmmm....really, really don't want to hear this! But she went on the use Jesus as an example, who when at the end of His earthly mission, never answered His critics, never defended Himself, and never complained about the treatment He was receiving at the hands of evil men. All that He suffered, all He endured and yet He never opened His mouth in complaint or defense. Amazing. Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet He never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, He did not open His mouth. And you know what else Joyce said? She said, "Yes, you can!" Yes, you can do this too. Yes, you can not complain, gossip, criticize, correct and just all around speak negatively. And yes I can. The same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead lives in me. So yes I can!
This is hard. This means swallowing a lot of pride, a lot of self righteousness, a lot of words. This means running to the throne almost constantly, crying out for strength to control my mouth. I know my emotions will be kicking and screaming. The "it's not fair-ites" will raise their ugly little heads. These thoughts that pop into my head and out of my mouth are not pet sins that I can continue to entertain, continue to justify in my mind. They are sin and I need to deal with them and work with the Lord to rid my life of them.
Hebrews 4:16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
As I continued on my jog the Lord led my thinking to the armor of God. He brings correction, but He also comes with the solution. Ephesians 6:11-17 Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against might powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. My focus was drawn to the breastplate, or body armor of God's righteousness and the shield of faith. God's righteousness is our guard....nothing should pass through either way that is unrighteous....whether from the world, unrighteousness should not be let into our heart, or outward from our hearts to the world. The shield of faith needs to be lifted up to deflect the arrows of stress, annoying circumstances, co-workers, basically just all the goofiness of this fallen world.
So how did I do last night? Better. Not perfect. But better. And I am grateful for that. A work in progress!
Lord help me to move forward in this area. Let each of us see the truth of our sin, the truth of what it actually is in this world....so much more than what can be seen by our physical eyes and felt by our physical hearts. Open our eyes. Give us insight into what our words are really accomplishing and who and what they are building up. Lord, I want to build up Your kingdom, not the enemies.
Today, put on the armor God has given you. Where can you build God's kingdom with your words?
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