♕ Today's Promise: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation” 1 Peter 4:12
Dear Brides, It is like a good movie. Take your popcorn and read it through !!! Each time, just by reading the title of the chapter “You’re Being Set- Up”, I am like "hummm, I can't wait to learn this new principle", and it never failed me. Let your mind be renewed.
I actually (thanks to “Finding the Abundant Life”) already thought of trials that way. I stopped blaming the enemy for everything. Take this journey for instance. Of course, I destroyed my house myself. Yet, I needed to meet the lover of my soul, I need to meet the SOURCE. I needed to be a godly example for my daughter, I needed to get out of my unhappy marriage. I needed to find who can finally fill the void I had always had. So that really makes sense to me.
This is crazy (well when you come to know the Lord, not so much actually 🙂 ), but my elder brother is coming to stay with us this weekend. Meaning he is going to sleep home. Since earthly husband sleeps in the guest room, I have asked the Lord what I should do. He told me not to ask earthly husband anything, (earthly husband knows my brother is coming and was really happy about it). Heavenly Husband just told me to deep clean the guest room and also to prepare the living room couch. He said just to do that, and leave it there. The two of them will organise their sleeping arrangement the way they want.
I asked him to give me an occasion to clean the room. And this morning earthly husband went out, so I deep cleaned the guest room which also used to be my office. I noticed that all the pictures frames has been taken down. Not all actually, just the ones with earthly husband and I. They were put on the floor behind the library, as if someone wanted to hide or bury them. Oddly, I immediately thought of Michele saying "they don't have it" in the chapter 6 of Finding the Abundant Life. And I started praising the Lord. Whatever pain it caused me, I started saying the Lord that I forgave earthly husband, and that on the contrary he was right. He does not have to be reminded that he is married to me. So I asked the Lord to show me by what to replace the frames that we have in the living room, that were probably not taken down because it would be too obvious. I was thinking of going with the wave and not fight it. I praised the Lord and I really really thought in my heart, He led me to endure better !
What is crazy (well not so much), is that for my Sunday fellowship, I had to read the Living Lesson 21 "sleeping in the storm" !!! And then I carried on with my Living the Abundant Life lesson "You're being set up" !!! Do you see it ? It is like the Lord was giving me confirmation that this is a test, an ordeal, or whatever, but with the right attitude, I will go through it with peace... and see His glory. Believe me, throughout the day, the enemy chased after me "see, after 10 months of this journey, nothing has budge, he still hates you ! See he is using you to feed him and clean the house, you are just a slave, see he is not even grateful that his room is clean, and see, and see". I was bombarded ! At some point, I said out loud while driving, "Go away enemy! I praise the Lord who defeated you, for everything that happened. I am content, and I will go to the fire if my Savior asked me to. You will not steal my peace !".
I am actually in awe of how the Heavenly Father is changing me. Giving me endurance, being quick to forgive. I am in awe, and I thank Him. Not only didn't I say anything to earthly husband, but also I did not murmur or complain inside of myself, and that is awesome ! Instead, I agreed with earthly husband, thinking that I should have thought of taking them down myself, so he would feel comfortable. To Him all the Glory. As the Living Lesson 21 said, He is making me crossing to the other side, through the storm... but He assured me that the other side is better. So let's go !
When her ex husband told her he would destroy everything, I am pretty sure Michele's heart fell off her chest quietly and silently. I am not saying it is easy, but I will try to absorb the shock and then praise immediately. I will try not to give in into panic, fear, depression and all.
I will not lie, my flesh was sad and hurt (not as much as before though), when I saw my pictures thrown on the floor and hidden behind a furniture (like you would hide a scary doll or teddy bear under the bed where you were a kid). Of course I heard the enemy laughed at me "pfff He still hates you so bad, it will never happen for you, give up". But I do not want to give in physically, but more importantly inside of me, in my thoughts. I do not want to give in.
Recently it was snowing a lot over here. And while I was driving in a roundabout, I lost control of the car. What I did was not hit the brake. Instead I even released the steering wheel, so the car carried on going a little bit, then stop, and I regained the control. When you lose control of a vehicle, the first thing you want to do is hit the brake. Believe me, you do not want to do that. The car will not stop, to the contrary. The impulse you give by hitting the brake, will have the car going some more. Better do nothing. Had I hit the brake, I would have make my case way worse. I learn that after experiencing it twice. Now, each time that happen to me, I know what to do. This is exactly like "The wave of adversity" chapter. I will try to go with the flow and not resist it. releasing everything onto His hands and see His glory.
Dear Brides, Pfffff ! This chapter is fire again !!! I loved it. Dive into it. It will only give you strength, peace and the desire of resting on Heavenly Husband's arms. It said it all. Ordeals that will come will be testing our faith. We will overcome them by His mighty grace, and see His glory.
~ Petra in France
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