Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, " says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your thoughts. " Isaiah 55: 6-9
I can get sidetracked by what I think will glorify the Lord. I think that healing will glorify the Lord, so I focus on healing. And healing can glorify the Lord...but His glory can also be found in the faithfulness of one of His children in suffering. His glory can be found in the truth that we do not understand His thoughts or His ways ....and we are not entitled to do so. He is worthy of praise because He is God. Our lives here are to glorify Him and how we respond to circumstances, to trials, to temptations, to struggles will either glorify Him or not.
This week I was faced with a temptation...I knew the answer. I knew what I had to do. But I was tempted.
I had ordered a Christmas present from Walmart. They sent me two. I only paid for one. It was a mistake. The temptation was to keep the other one, sell it and use the money for medical bills. Just being honest as to the thought....but I emailed the company back and told them what had happened.
I got a return email that said, "We will be happy to issue a refund of your money to you." (What?)
I emailed them again, "No, I do not need a refund. I need to know how to return this because I did not purchase two, only one, but was sent two and not charged but for one."
I received another email , "Please allow us to send a replacement item to you. Sorry for your inconvenience."
At this point, I'm thinking ....perhaps this is not a temptation but a blessing! (I'm rationalizing...debating myself...but I know the answer).
I go to my husband and tell him. "Yes, keep trying." I go to my parents and tell them, "Yes, keep trying."
So I sent one more email...hoping they would say, Just keep the item, our mistake.
This time someone knowledgeable read my emails. "We are sorry for the inconvenience. We will send you a prepaid return postage printout. Thank you for resolving this problem. If you would like to keep the extra item, please let us know and we will charge you for it." (No thanks)
So I will be putting it in the mail to be returned. The right thing to do is not always easy even when you know it is right. But would the Lord be glorified if I had not tried to right the mistake? No.
I know some people are probably saying, "Well, is the Lord glorified by your telling that you were tempted?"
I think He is...because He won the battle. He defeated Satan who is the tempter. So He is glorified despite me and my temptations...because He is the overcomer and gives me power to overcome as well.
"Let the wicked forsake his way..."
It is an ongoing forsaking...an ongoing following...a daily dying to self. I am glad that the Lord promises to have mercy on me..
It doesn't matter what you have done or not done....Jesus is willing to save you ...but not just save you...He wants to be Lord of your life... so it isn't just about being "saved". It is about following the Lord. Many people believe in Jesus...even the demons in hell believe in Jesus and know He is the Christ, the Son of God...but they will not be in heaven. Only those who have given themselves to Him as Lord and follow Him in the hard times too.
"For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Isaiah 57: 15
This week I was faced with a temptation...I knew the answer. I knew what I had to do. But I was tempted.
I had ordered a Christmas present from Walmart. They sent me two. I only paid for one. It was a mistake. The temptation was to keep the other one, sell it and use the money for medical bills. Just being honest as to the thought....but I emailed the company back and told them what had happened.
I got a return email that said, "We will be happy to issue a refund of your money to you." (What?)
I emailed them again, "No, I do not need a refund. I need to know how to return this because I did not purchase two, only one, but was sent two and not charged but for one."
I received another email , "Please allow us to send a replacement item to you. Sorry for your inconvenience."
At this point, I'm thinking ....perhaps this is not a temptation but a blessing! (I'm rationalizing...debating myself...but I know the answer).
I go to my husband and tell him. "Yes, keep trying." I go to my parents and tell them, "Yes, keep trying."
So I sent one more email...hoping they would say, Just keep the item, our mistake.
This time someone knowledgeable read my emails. "We are sorry for the inconvenience. We will send you a prepaid return postage printout. Thank you for resolving this problem. If you would like to keep the extra item, please let us know and we will charge you for it." (No thanks)
So I will be putting it in the mail to be returned. The right thing to do is not always easy even when you know it is right. But would the Lord be glorified if I had not tried to right the mistake? No.
I know some people are probably saying, "Well, is the Lord glorified by your telling that you were tempted?"
I think He is...because He won the battle. He defeated Satan who is the tempter. So He is glorified despite me and my temptations...because He is the overcomer and gives me power to overcome as well.
"Let the wicked forsake his way..."
It is an ongoing forsaking...an ongoing following...a daily dying to self. I am glad that the Lord promises to have mercy on me..
It doesn't matter what you have done or not done....Jesus is willing to save you ...but not just save you...He wants to be Lord of your life... so it isn't just about being "saved". It is about following the Lord. Many people believe in Jesus...even the demons in hell believe in Jesus and know He is the Christ, the Son of God...but they will not be in heaven. Only those who have given themselves to Him as Lord and follow Him in the hard times too.
"For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Isaiah 57: 15
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