As I have grown in my walk with God and tried to embrace all I can about His love, mercy and grace, I was struck by these two words found in the book Boundaries.
It has helped me see myself and others in a different light. Whatever role I have been in my life, wife, mother, grandmother, or friend, I can see how my reacting caused others grief and left me empty.
It can be a long journey to find who you are and find the peace we all seek. I have moments of sheer joy and peace, and no matter what the day brings I try to stay in that moment. Some days I have to seek the joy as life and its obstacles can be overwhelming.
The hardest thing for most people I think, is when to say yes to some and no to others. It is always determined by the situation, it is always about finding the balance.
Let's talk about that for a second. When we say yes we are relieved that we don't have to say no. In other words we won't cause any disappointment or hard feelings in those we love and care about. But sometimes saying yes to others when we don't feel that yes answer on our lips causes us to be angry, create guilt, and feelings of resentment. Saying no can produce the same feeling but it can give others the opportunity to grow in their own skin, and give you a sense of self and a new found strength in character.
We must learn the difference. We must learn to discern and listen to your gut or listen first to the wisdom of God. If you are praying for someone or something, God has answers too, sometimes yes and sometimes no. We must learn to live with both answers and weave our own thoughts and lives into the middle of yes or no and find the balance we all seek.
No one promises a perfect life. Many believe that if you believe hard enough, pray hard enough, attend church enough that you will be free of obstacles. Obstacles and overcoming makes us grow, lean into the truths of life, and still continue to seek that sometimes elusive feeling of contentment and peace.
So today try saying yes or no to a situation you are not comfortable with. Be uncomfortable, but allow your answer to produce a new muscle in your mind and heart and continue to seek, be generous with your love and grow in the Word.
Spiritual maturity is gained day by day; it is the inevitable result of placing God permanently at the center of our life. Wisdom on the other hand is not like a mushroom it does not spring up overnight..It is, instead, like an oak tree that starts as a tiny acorn, grows into a sapling, and eventually reaches up to the sky, tall and strong. Seek wisdom everyday of your life. Seek it with purpose and consistency. Continue to seek God.
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be give to him. James 1:5 NIV
Gerri-- Yes! Life is about balance, stretching, and growing. It's so true that we were not promised a perfect life, but we are called overcomers for a reason-- there are things to overcome. God gave us everything we need to overcome every situation and circumstance we experience. I love that you used the scripture from James about God giving wisdom to all who ask Him. I'm very excited about God giving that wisdom generously and to all, and he's not even upset or doesn't even think bad of us because we ask Him.
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