Awhile back, I wrote to you about stepping out in faith in the area of receiving a general blessing from someone. Well, over the last 2 days, I have been able to practice that in a more specific way so I thought I would share it with you.
A person online simply said the generic words, "God bless you." I thought I would honor God and that Christian's wish by receiving what they had given. So the Holy Spirit helped me to think of what kind of a blessing of grace I might need to meet a challenge or temptation that may lie ahead of me in my day.
A situation came to mind in which I would need patience and mercy in order to deal kindly with a person I was going to be meeting with. So I told that person who gave me the blessing, that I had received grace for mercy and patience for that evening and I appreciated that gift from them. Then I went on with my day until the meeting time. The Holy Spirit reminded me that I had received the blessing already and so it was available for me to access in the time of need or temptation.
So the evening progressed and the situation and temptation were upon me. Then at the time when I usually feel defeated I had a new response, I had faith that I had been given mercy to avoid the usual response. I ended up getting through the night without going back to my old response and instead remained patient, trusting and quiet- relying on that grace from God's blessing received online from another Christian who knew nothing of my challenges that day. Praise God!
Again today when I was online, another blessing from God was prayed my way and I again paused a moment to think of how God might want me to receive more intentionally this gift of grace or mercy or something from Christ's inheritance for me to use to live out a more godly life. I had felt flustered about my schedule and use of time a few minutes before so I determined that the Holy Spirit might desire that I use this blessing for grace to honor God with my schedule with the rest of my day. A brief moment later, I was reminded of some things God had brought to my mind at church the day before and so as I looked at those notes from church I sensed that the Holy Spirit was already leading me forward in using that blessing in giving me direction for my schedule to honor God! What a joy to work with such a God. May you be blessed in quiet moments to ponder what blessing God has for you when someone says, "God bless you!" Amen
A person online simply said the generic words, "God bless you." I thought I would honor God and that Christian's wish by receiving what they had given. So the Holy Spirit helped me to think of what kind of a blessing of grace I might need to meet a challenge or temptation that may lie ahead of me in my day.
A situation came to mind in which I would need patience and mercy in order to deal kindly with a person I was going to be meeting with. So I told that person who gave me the blessing, that I had received grace for mercy and patience for that evening and I appreciated that gift from them. Then I went on with my day until the meeting time. The Holy Spirit reminded me that I had received the blessing already and so it was available for me to access in the time of need or temptation.
So the evening progressed and the situation and temptation were upon me. Then at the time when I usually feel defeated I had a new response, I had faith that I had been given mercy to avoid the usual response. I ended up getting through the night without going back to my old response and instead remained patient, trusting and quiet- relying on that grace from God's blessing received online from another Christian who knew nothing of my challenges that day. Praise God!
Again today when I was online, another blessing from God was prayed my way and I again paused a moment to think of how God might want me to receive more intentionally this gift of grace or mercy or something from Christ's inheritance for me to use to live out a more godly life. I had felt flustered about my schedule and use of time a few minutes before so I determined that the Holy Spirit might desire that I use this blessing for grace to honor God with my schedule with the rest of my day. A brief moment later, I was reminded of some things God had brought to my mind at church the day before and so as I looked at those notes from church I sensed that the Holy Spirit was already leading me forward in using that blessing in giving me direction for my schedule to honor God! What a joy to work with such a God. May you be blessed in quiet moments to ponder what blessing God has for you when someone says, "God bless you!" Amen