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today i spoke with a very good friend of mine about our walks with the LORD. i have been saved for prolly 15yrs longer than she, but i have been in rebellion and backslidden longer than she has been walking with the LORD. when she came to Christ, she never looked back. i gave the benefit of my knowledge of spiritual things and sat back and cheered her on. at the time, i was serving my husband and not my LORD, but i never wanted to pull her back into the world. while she had tons of help close to her, when i chose to stop running, i was on my own. i have listened as we kept in touch, and her ministry has flourished. as GOD has used the gentiles to provoke isreal to jealousy over HIM, so i was jealous. not over her or her ministry, but the time i had wasted along the way. she has proven herself faithful, while i study and search the scriptures in search of the closeness that she has with Jesus.
anyway, she told me of an offense with o very close family member who is a member of the body of Christ that is still bothering her after 3+yrs. i told her she must go to them and tell them of the offense.
according to matt 18:15, they need to be reconciled, but they cannot do that if she would not present the offense.
after about 20 mins of me trying to tell her to go to them in love with the Scriptures, she niether agreed or disagreed and quickly got off the phone with me.
immediately i began to tremble, even after an hour, i am still shaking.
what right do i have to counsel her, seeing that she has surpassed me in the things of the LORD?
i have begun to take biblical counseling training, but she is ordained. i fear that i was wrong and i am not competent to give this type of advice. what if it is out of flesh? i fear that i will not be able to walk in this calling, and if this is true, what do i do?
my WHOLE i have known the holy scriptures and i have been guided to leadership, but what if im wrong?
GOD HELP ME

awwww Heuslingbroad my sister....

i was quite recently facing similar circumstances and while i have no words; i would like to take the opportunity to share a few words that a dear friend sent me during my time of questioning and soul searching....

Welcome to the wonderful world of shepherding ...

ALL of those before us, had days they believed they could do it all thru Him and other days they questioned their own faith.

It is when we KNOW that we are merely tools and only when HE is using us are we ever completely happy and fill the void within.

It is the essence of LOVE ...

You keep on keeping on and know God is God, and we aint. and do not require so much of yourself ... God does not and only wants you to cast burdens upon Him, trust HIM and carry on in FAITH and LOVE.

If she is really walking with God, then when she got off the phone, she spent time talking to God to see what His will was. Sometimes we need an outside influence for us to see what God has been trying to tell us.
So don't keep beating yourself up or you are giving in to the enemy. If you felt what you were saying was right, you did the right thing.

I have found that sometimes, instead of trying to convince someone of something, it is better to put it back to them in a question form so they have to think it through. Seeds take hold better that way

may the LORD open the windows of heaven and pour upon a blessing that u don't even have room to receive

Hi huelsing

You know often the Holy Spirit will lead us to speak something...and later the enemy will have us question what we spoke...but in reality it wasn't us speaking but Him. I would say that convincing your friend is not for you to do...but for God to do....God used you to shed Light in a darkened area of your friend's life. When she opened up the convo about having an area of unforgiveness in her life....then this opened for you to share scriptures with her. It's not about who you are sis...but who God is through you. Don't worry sis...God has it all.

luv ya

hi huelsingbroad,

you wrote:

what right do i have to counsel her, seeing that she has surpassed me in the things of the LORD? i have begun to take biblical counseling training, but she is ordained. i fear that i was wrong and i am not competent to give this type of advice. what if it is out of flesh? i fear that i will not be able to walk in this calling, and if this is true, what do i do?

Think about Peter and Paul. Here was a man who walked and talked and lived with Jesus...who in a certain time denied he knew Christ..in his shortcomings...then you have Paul...who persecuted Christians until the Lord opened his eyes..and they were equal in the eyes of the Lord. Your calling is from God..and the same Holy Spirit who lives and leads your friend lives and leads you. That is not to say that we...all of us...wont need a reminder of what the truth is...cuz we all still war with the flesh. Your friend will seek the will of the Lord through this. She brought this to you in conversation...confessing sin to one another...

Sis...its not about us..its about Him. He is the one who calls, and if He has called you He will equip you with what you need to carry out that calling. It is Him in you Who does the work. You are called...lay this at His feet and know that He will work through it.

in Jesus,
love momo