Showing posts with label encouragement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label encouragement. Show all posts

Friday, March 16, 2012

Fling Chune FRIDAY: In Your Will

Thank GOD it's Friday!!  *whew*  So glad the weekend is here again!

Nothing major to report this week... except that interesting episode of 'confirmation'. *pfft*  So I guess no news is good news.  But I would like to recap something recent and noteworthy.  I got a response to a question I sent in to the awesomest, krunkest Christian advisor this side of the internet: Unka Glen.  [If you know not of whom I speak, then, well... that just sucks. But I promise you'll thank God that you know now!]

My full Q&A is posted in his Citadel of Enlightenment, but I just wanna share the parts of his counsel that really stayed with me: 1) 'doubting Thomas' and 2) "Ask God for the trust that you need to use to trust Him (sounds weird, but that’s the way to get it done)."  I can definitely identify with Thomas as I'm too practical and realistic for my own good.  And praying for trust so I can trust the One I'm supposed to be trusting... easy-peasy, right?  Ummm, not quite, but at least I know what to do.

So this week's chune is an affirmation of my track from here, forward--staying in His will.  If you hear me sound like I'm falling off the 'faith wagon', you have my permission to nudge violently shove me back on board!  Lord knows I need to stick this out for the long haul. *sigh*  So, here goes!

stay blessed,
pVI


Tuesday, November 29, 2011

the reluctant cheerleader

Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty. But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams...  --Job 6:14-15
This perfectly sums up my feelings on the situation.  But to provide some context, let me ask you a question: Do you find yourself doing something, not because you like/enjoy it, but because you're just naturally good at it?? This is how I find myself when it comes to encouraging others because I am convinced that that is one of the roles I have been assigned in this life. The reason I call myself reluctant is not that I don't like supporting my friends--or even perfect strangers--but that more often than not, the love isn't returned.

Apparently, I'm feeling [a mere fraction of] Job's pain on this because it's definitely a conundrum.  On one hand, you take the word friendship seriously; you're down for whatever, ride or die, an ace in the hole--all that good stuff--or risk flying in the face of God.  But on the flip side, your 'sisters' are straight up flaky.  When you wanna vent about a bad day at work or you need a hug because you had an argument with your significant other, where are Toni, Joan, Maya... the girlfriends? In my experience, they appreciated my proactive gestures of caring but seldom returned them.  I mean, if we don't talk unless I call to say say 'Hi', are we truly friends?  If I'm constantly encouraging and praying for you through your grad school stress or season of unemployment, I don't think it's too much to ask to holla back every now and again. I'm just sayin...

But I also realize that God grants people different 'gifts' which are just that: meant to be given and not necessarily returned. Over the years, I've gotten so frustrated by friends' inability to do what came so naturally to me.  And sometimes I would lash out or just cut them off as the ungrateful wenches they were.  But the funny thing is that I always find myself doing it again.  Does that make me a glutton for punishment?  Perhaps.  It seems that I've been blessed with a high tolerance for punishment, then.  And if that is my service to humanity... well, gosh darnit, I guess I just gotta suck it up and keep cheering people on!

That sucks. :o/  Oh, well!  I'll just add this to my list of complaints to nail to the cross I'm voluntarily carrying for Jesus' sake.  He did so much more for me.  Goooooo, TEAM JESUS!

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