The last post at Grace Talk was called Where Is Your Hope? This post, is a follow up to that post. So, if you haven't read it yet, you may want to scroll down the page a bit farther, and then come back up here.
I LOVED, all the feedback that several viewers left. Some of you see the "negative" side of yourselves, and others have those that "suck the life out of you" in your lives. Either way, we are all in this together, right?
I have to admit, when I wrote "Where Is Your Hope?" I did not expect any of you to say "Oh ya, that is me" I was just expecting, hoping, you could relate. But, I LOVE and appreciate the honesty that was left in the comments. The good news for all of you that "saw" yourselves in that post, is that YOU SEE IT! I believe that means the Holy Spirit is in the process of saying "Hey, you are the Righteousness of Christ, and you don't need this any more. Let me take care of that for you." You my friend are in the process of being changed! Most people, like the ones I was referring to, they don't even see it! They think they are just fine the way they are.
If you, like me, know one or two of those that "think they are fine just the way they are" then we can continue to encourage one another in the Lord. We can remind one another to simply continue to live in the truth, be an encouragement and allow the Holy Spirit to be the One to bring about change in others.
I agree that there are those times where we have to have a healthy distance from people who constantly bring us down. But, sometimes God wants to change us so that we can be vessels of hope and encouragement to those that seem to have none.
In the face of discouragement, lets continue to shine brightly! Lets be an encouragement and an example of how God's Love brings true change! Lets show the world that being a believer is not something that we "do" it is who we are!
My friend Lisa at Bombastic Bandicot, put up a post the other day that features the song "The Motions", by Matthew West. In her post she says that this song sums up her desires. should it not be the desire of us all; to continually be changed and drawn closer to God, placing all of our hope in Him, not simply going through the motions?
Stop by her blog and check it out! Also, please leave her an encouraging comment, she has recently stepped back into the "bloggy" world and could use some new "bloggy" friends!
MY SERVANTS ...
18 hours ago
6 comments:
We are urged in scripture to be like stars shining in a dark world. But so many times we prefer to hang with the other stars. You are right when you suggest that one reason negative people are allowed to enter our lives is for us to give them some of our hope...I am enjoying your blog!
Thank you my dear encouraging friend. :) He is my only hope, the reason that I live. I appreciate the ministry God has given you -- a "Barnabas" ministry.
Thanks, too for the blog mention.
Love you and am so glad to have you as a friend!! :)
"Hey, you are the Righteousness of Christ, and you don't need this any more. Let me take care of that for you."
amen amen amen..yes,,
God has revealed this to me also,,,"You see it Angela,,that is the start,,you could have been still in blindness but now your eyes are open to see and change can begin"
I don't want to go through the motions. I want to be an authentic Chrisitan. The same inside of my home as I am outside in the world. God is the unseen guest wherever we are. And people need to get saved. Too much time wasted on fleshing out. That's what I got from your post. Thanks Daveda!
Right on girl! It is a balance between encouraging them, praying for them, and sometimes when called to do so..reproving them. I am thankful for the people who reproved me so I could grow, but I am careful to check my motives and pray before I say anything to others. However, I can't always 'avoid' them because that would mean I wasn't faithful to be salt and light. I think it goes back to the level of involvement. I want to influence them for Christ, but I want to be careful not to get so close that they influence me. "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted" Galatians 6:1
Thank you for both of these post on hope. I can relate to both. I am dealing with a negative person, who "prays" to God, but does not do anything that shows it. Very negative, sees the bad in everything,etc. Someone like this definitely brings me down. I have started to read the bible and what to have inner peace, but I find having someone like this in my life makes it difficult.
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