So, sometimes I can’t make this stuff up if I tried. I’m not a very imaginative person. But God is amazing and funny and knows our hearts and needs long before we do.
Today is my sabbath, and normally by now I’d be dressed and even at church. But today is one of those days that I don’t want to go to church. It’s that special time of year where the believers from the northeastern conference gather in the camp grounds upstate New York. So, for those who remain at church, they show the program on TV. I don’t like going to church to watch the program on TV, so I prefer to stay home. But today, I decided, I still need to worship and hear a word from God. Brooklyn Tabernacle has some great sermons in their archive. I decided that’s where I was going to church today. Looking through their most recent sermons, I saw one on Faith. That one got my attention, and it was only 26 minutes. I looked at the date. June 12th. Two days before I officially started by blog, which is entitled ‘My Faith Journey’. As I’m typing right now, both my hands and legs are shaking.. What an amazing God we serve!
I proceeded to listen, it’s as if Pastor Cymbala knew that I would need to hear this today. He spoke directly to my heart. He talked on faith. The scripture was taken from 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5. Paul had written a letter to the Thessalonians to encourage their faith, not knowing that this letter was ever going to make it to the New Testament, but God in His infinite wisdom, knew that we’d need the same encouragement thousands of years later, to remain in faith. Pastor reminded us that it’s only when we go through a test, that we can have a testimony. Boy, do I ever? He also reminded us that sometimes when we go through stuff ourselves, that’s only when we can encourage others who might be going through something at that moment. ‘But you don’t know what I’m going through.’ Coincidentally, I do know know what you are going through, I’ve been there, and I made it through by God’s grace. When we go through the struggles of life, and we are victorious, it’s not for us to just sit on our blessings, but to share with others. I’m learning that daily.
Lord, help me to continue to share a kind word with someone who’s going through something. I may not know the specific situation, but Lord, always help me to have a kind word to share, as I never know how that kind word may change the person’s direction in life. I keep reminding myself that a soft answer turneth away wrath. Lord, let my lips to always have a soft answer.
