Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Lemon and Lime, Hold the Bitters


The last few weeks have been monumental.  Don has been continually studying/cramming for the last 7 weeks.  He passed two exams only to fail the third.  The boys and I have been to Qld, where I attended the Word Writers Conference in Brisbane and then had a few days holiday with family.  Since we have arrived home we have been very busy, and the boys and I have had a head/cold/fever.To top it off Centrelink called yesterday to inform us that they were decreasing our payments as they had made a mistake with their calculations. Oh dear.  I am sure that you have days like this, sometimes weeks even, where everything just seems to go pear-shaped.

The world suddenly becomes much to big for it's boots and you feel like you are about to be buried under a pile of rubble. 

Do not despair, God is there.

He has not gone somewhere just because things are not going swimmingly in your life, in fact if anything he is closer than the air your breathe.

Do not allow bitterness to settle in your heart, but let yourself be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Rom 12:2)

Do not compare yourself and your situation to others around you.  Each of us is on our own unique journey, and though we may encourage and uplift one another, comparing will do you no favours.  People will always be better off than you, people will always be worse off than you.  Your problems are as significant as the next persons and your troubles will not overcome you, if you give them over to God in prayer.

God can take what is broken in your life and turn it around for your good.

Harbouring self pity and bitterness in your heart bind God's ability to help you.  He will not force you to choose him.  He has always given us free will

I am not rebuking you today, I am reminding myself and sharing with you in the process.  I will not pretend to be more than I am.  I would be nothing but for the mercy of God.

We know many families going through life changing circumstances and unimaginable heartaches, we know people that are struggling to pay bills, have ongoing depression, some who are watching their kids struggle daily with their health, and some who have lost them this side of heaven.  But I will not take on their burdens or they will crush me.  Only Jesus was designed to carry the weight of the burden of sin.  He did it all on the cross for us so that we would not have to crushed under the weight.  I warn you, as I warn myself, do not harbour disappointment, anger, resentment and offence in your heart.

I will cry with them, I will laugh with them in victory, I will carry them to God in prayer.

'Father God refresh my mind and heal the wound left by bitterness in my heart.  Forgive me.  I love you.  I wait for your joy in the morning.'

14 comments:

Amanda Deed said...

Yes, yes and yes! It's so easy to slip into complaining mode, isn't it. But keeping our eyes on Jesus instead of on our problems is the best way to go. Thanks Nicole. :)

mamamia said...

Amen sister! I had to take a good hard look at myself just the other day when I was hurt by someone's lack of understanding and was feeling very resentful about it. A little quiet voice said to my heart "how many times have YOU done this to another person?" All the resentment left in a hurry as I asked for forgiveness and immediately forgave the other person. I felt so free, it was incredible!

iluvthoseshoes Project said...

Great Post Nicole! Charissa xxx

Paula Vince said...

Oh dear, I can see how the exam news and Centrelink message would have been enough to knock your spirits around after all the busyness.
Posts like this are really inspiring to the rest of us, though. Hope you'll be relaxed and on top of things again soon.

Penny said...

Thanks for sharing, Nicole. I especially liked the prayer at the end.

Nicole Watson said...

Yes Amanda, at times it is a challenge, but always worth it. x Nicole

Nicole Watson said...

I am excited to hear that I am not the only one being set free by forgiveness Mamamia. To forgive is one of the most powerful things we can do as Christians. OOh, I think there is another blog post in that one :)

x Nicole

Nicole Watson said...

Thanks for reading Charissa.
x Nicole

Nicole Watson said...

Thanks Paula. Yes, Centrelink is teaching me so much about humility. Praise God that He is our provider. I can feel the wounds healing already.

x Nicole

Nicole Watson said...

Thanks Penny, That little prayer was my saving grace.

x Nicole

Rose Dee said...

On difficult days an old church song often comes to my mind - 'One day at a time sweet Jesus, that is all I'm asking of you. Give me the strength to do every day what I have to do. Yesterday's gone, sweet Jesus and tomorrow may never be mine. Lord help me today, show me the way, one day at a time.' Sometimes we really need to concentrate on that one day at a time, because nobody but Him knows the 'big picture'.

Heart n Soul said...

... and he takes our mess and turns it into a message :)

Nicole Watson said...

So true Rose. That is the way to live your life in the palm of His hand.

x Nicole

Nicole Watson said...

Yes, God seems to do that...use our lives as a message that is. It is good to encourage one another and bring glory to Him in the process.

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