I know that it has been awhile since my last post but life has caught up with me! Lol. Between the birth of my twin nieces, (and I must say that I have the most beautiful nieces ever!) my son’s and mom’s birthday and they new school year starting we have been pretty busy!
So with school starting for my son and adjusting to a new schedule, I decided to go ahead and add in a workout program and set aside scheduled blocks of writing time. Which I must say both is actually going very well! And as I’m coming very close to the halfway point in my novel, I’m super excited! And I can’t wait to keep giving you guys more updates.
I have a few unspoken prayer requests for all you prayer warriors! And even though I can’t share exactly what they are at the moment, God knows what they are, and I ask that you guys remember me in your prayers. And while you are praying for me, I would love to know if there’s anything that you may need me to pray for. Leave me a comment or send me an email: erinhoward2002@gmail.com.
I must admit that our next chapter in our devotion journey, Psalm 41 has me a little perplexed. David is speaking about his enemies and how they are out to destroy him. How they visit him as if they were he friends then go and spread gossip about him. In verse 9-10 it says, “Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely, the one who shared my food, has turned against me. Lord, have mercy on me. Make me well again, so I can pay them back! ” Then it goes on to say in verse 11-12,You have preserved my life because I am innocent; you have brought me into your presence forever. “I know you are pleased with me, for you have not let my enemies triumph over me. ”
I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that I have had close friends turn on me, even family. It hurts, it’s awful. It’s not fun, it leaves a scar, can even turn you bitter and harden your heart towards that person. And I’m probably safe to say that I’m not alone in wanting to pay them back. And I think I am safe in saying that 9 out of 10 times, that I’m probably not innocent in the whole situation. I have probably said or did something to hurt that person back in some way. And lashing out at them in revenge is never the right way. Romans 12:19 says, Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. ”
So as I’m sitting here thinking through this whole chapter, what David had to have been feeling, how I have felt when someone turned on me, I have to think about the way I’ve handled those situations. Have I always walked away letting God deal with the situation, not trying to lash back out them, not try to hurt them, seek revenge? The answer is no. I haven’t always done that. I haven’t always been the bigger person. I have thrown words back that was meant to hurt, to cut them. And I’m sure that I’m not alone. We all have done this one time or another.
Why is it that we can hurt the ones that we love the most? Why is it easier to do that? Why does it hurt the worst when someone we love and trust hurt us and stab us in the back? Maybe because we feel vulnerable, we have shown that person our good sides, our bad sides, our weaknesses, our strengths. We open up to them and let them in. We trust them with who we are. So when they hurt us, gossip about us, cut us out from their life, it cuts deeper then if an acquaintance just doesn’t talk to us again. So what do we do to move past this?
I do know one thing: I do know someone who would never hurt us. Who loves us for who we are, who loves us in spite of our weaknesses, our strengths, our faults. Who can heal us from the hurtful words, and pain from others. Someone who knows everything about us, the good, bad and ugly, who went to the Cross to save us, cleanse us, heal us, so we could be forever with Him. Someone who wants to have a relationship with us. And someone who would have died on that cross for us, even if we were the only one on earth. His name is Jesus, and He wants you, He loves you.
Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” Are you going to let Him rescue you?
Hugs,
Erin
Leave a Reply