Even the other day my Elleigh was published in our town paper that she wanted to be a missionary to China. When she first told me that I was very proud of her of course, and I wondered if she even knows many people get killed for their faith over there? I wondered if she knows how life can be over there? So I just patted her on the head and squeezed her tightly knowing I was not going to expose it all - did she even need to know now? I wanted to protect her from that info. I knew the worry wart she already is would quickly change her mind.
After all was said and done I asked her about being a missionary and why she chose China. "Mom, I like how sweet the people look over there."
Elleigh do you know that Christianity is a forbidden religion over there and that many people get killed for their faith over in China?
Oh no Momma, I didn't know. I change my mind, I want to go to London.
I didn't know it would be London, but I knew she would change her mind. Bless her! But it took me many days to muster up the guts to ask her that...I wanted to protect and let her just live in fairytale land.
The point is to all that is that I so often want to keep the hard stuff covered up so that one will not turn away...who does it help? No One!! I find myself wanting to sugarcoat a walk with Christ...I get scared to tell people at times it is not easy, it hurts many times, people don't understand, if you know everything you may want to run...
I have been reading much about the body of Christ and studying 1 Cor. 12. I find it so interesting that in verse 26 (i think) the writer explains that while one part of the body suffers we all suffer, but while one part of the body is honored, we rejoice. We are here for one another! We are suppose to help all parts of the body suffering through whatever it is. We don't sugarcoat and especially not ignore with our heads in the sand.
Now I find myself in 2 Cor. 1:8-10 and the writer pleading with the prayer warriors that they need not be uninformed about the hardships they suffered. He wanted them to know so that they would pray harder or keep praying. He also wanted them to realize that only the living God could get them through such trials and "deadly peril". All of this they were going through had the purpose of making them not rely on themselves, but on the Lord!
I see here that Paul was not into sugarcoating. He wanted to be upfront and honest with the way things really were. He wanted others to "come to the other side", but wanted to make sure they knew how difficult and dangerous it was at times. He wanted those serious, but also wanted others to know that HE will supply everything you need and more.
There are many lessons from this passage. Our call to keep praying for all the saints. The call to press on through the hard stuff as it should catapult us closer to the Savior. The call to give up the self-reliance game that can easily trip us up and make us believe we are all that and a bag of chips. Ha! But also what I took from this is that we are to not sugarcoat our trials in order to protect the innocent.
Lord Jesus, I am not sure how this really applies to me other than this is something I struggle with at times. I don't know of a situation right this minute that I am trying to do this sugarcoating in, but Father open my eyes to see. Maybe I am trying to protect my newest love - Baptist Children's Home girls!! They each have already been through so much in their lives and many don't know You, Lord. Lord, help me to be truthful and not sugarcoat. I love you Savior!
I am headed to Harrisburg to pick up the Barlow Girls tickets this morning. I am taking all the BCH girls. Barlow Girls have been featured in the Bible study we have been doing and it was incredible timing they were in town!!! I am so excited to worship with them! Thank you for this opportunity!
EJ did wonderful in her game last night - she hit a real homerun! Tucker has a game tonight and we are also excited for American Idol. Lord, please raise the temperature!!! I love you!
1 comment:
I know precisely what you mean. It was a long time before I could tell my daughter that walking with Christ was not the rose petal path.
I hold close the knowledge that there is a Honeymoon time with new believers that gives them some time for their roots to germinate. I rejoice that the hard times my first born has endured has helped her to thrive in the LORD. That is so encouraging!
Post a Comment