So a while back I was at a family gathering and a cousin dear to my heart who has struggled for years with something mentioned at the close of the day. “I had a God-moment, I’m free”. My heart leapt with joy! Such a wonderful answer to prayer. I’m so glad that she was open to what she did receive. Can you imagine having freedom from a long-term burden? Sometimes our burdens aren’t long term but short-term and intense. At those times we need to be open to receive reminders to trust God and remember whose we are… Yes?
Receive Reminders
So a situation at work
a thither it had me in
anger and resentment was
starting to settle in.
Conversations were a happening
advice surely given
I found myself a spiraling
a darkness striven.
Then a friend asked
a question.
Can you give grace in this?
A stop perhaps from heaven?
I found myself stopped
directly in my tracks
Thinking what should
I really do?
Why don’t I give it time
Gather in all the facts?
Chagrin flooded
my heart.
Can I forget so soon
God always has a part?
So often I need to
remember I’m really not all that!
Sometimes I swear I’d forget
That God is up at bat!
So what has God
Put in place already
for me to next receive?
I know that it will
be something, that makes
my faith easier to believe.
God’s Word
God puts us in community so that we can receive reminders of how we should act and whom we should trust in times of Trouble.
Romans 12: 3-8
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
1 Thessalonians 3:6-10
6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— 7 for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. 8 For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. 9 For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, 10 as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?
I don’t know what I’d do without my community to guide me, support me, encourage me, pray for me. Thank you for reminding me that sometimes the right word at the right moment can help direct us to put our focus back on God as a better solution to our situation. Your #fmf neighbor, Cindy
yes indeed. 🙂
Rejoicing with you in God’s answered prayer, and the God moment that brought freedom! Rejoicing in the Body of Christ that acts as iron sharpens iron and helps us to be overcomers.
Thank you. God is most gracious
Remembering can be quite grand,
but I think that I’ll be betting
my chips that on the other hand,
there’s more grace in forgetting.
My past is all but lost to me,
it vanished in a fevered haze;
education, work, and family,
and what I’m told were dreadful days,
and now I wander as a cloud,
or maybe better, ‘as a clown’,
deigning not to speak aloud,
and never burdened with a frown
as the bright days dance on by
‘neath a clear and smiling sky.
Sometimes we need those times too Andrew. 🙂
We all need these reminders from time to time!
yes, very muchly so.
Your words inspire me to learn to receive perceived criticism as a gift from God. Thank you.
well…. it should cause us to take a good stiff look at ourselves shouldn’t it? And then see if it correct or incorrect.
Like “God puts us in community so that we can receive reminders of how we should act and whom we should trust in times of Trouble.” Amen!
His community is so important to us as believers isn’t it?
I love your poem, Annette, and the reminder that we need to give grace. I needed to hear that this week.
Visiting from FMF #11 this week.
You are most welcome Kath. 🙂
A strong poem today. And a well-received reminder to stop, pray, and listen for God’s guidance.
yes, that reminder was very needful.