Stepping Stone 2
Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2010 4:07 pmHey Everyone,
I was having a little computer problem (kept shutting off on its own) so I unable to access the site yesterday evening but here I am
I found stepping stone 2 to be very insightful into the problems I am dealing with and why I am having such a difficult time with it. I discovered that I actually set myself up to be used by others many time (which is hard to admit) because the word NO is not in my vocabulary. Even Jesus himself said no in so many words when he began turning tables in the Temple. I so want to help anyone I can but many times it is at the expense of my own walk with God. I know God wants me to help those who need it but what if the person CAN do better and do for themselves and then chooses NOT TO but rather relies (and expects) others to do it for them? Should I still help them? I'm not sure. This is one of my biggest issues. This stepping stone has helped me to see that I have let many weeds grow in my garden (mind) of my own doing. This was a pretty hard "pill" to swallow. I am going to pray for God to give me the strength to address this issue so I can clear those weeds.
Another thing that I learned is I must let the past go and not dwell on it. I want to look forward to the prize ahead (heaven) instead of looking back but this is sometimes difficult for me to do. I say,"I want to forget the past hurts.. but I want immediate results" and I know that isn't going to happen. I have to practice patience and wait for God's timing. I will be praying and working on this and I know it will not be easy.
I also discovered, again by my own hand, that some weeds are ones I have let in by lowering my guard (not daily reading the word) down and slowly letting other things creep in. I have actually convinced myself that some things really aren't that bad (such as a song or TV program) when in fact they aren't good. Some examples are, listening to music other than christian (nothing bad or vulgar but soft rock and things like that). This came about as the result of letting others use my car and the radio station or CD they put in was not my usual Christian station. I'd hear a song I liked form my youth and listened to it, then one thing led to another and before long most (not all) of my Christian music was weeded out and the other music was let in because I slowly let my guard down and rationalized why it was okay for me to listen to it. It should have been the other way around.
I see that I have LOTS of weeding to do in my mind and my life but I have to take it one step at a time and look to God for HIS guidance instead of my own The welcoming support of this group is AWESOME and I look forward to this journey EVERYDAY This stepping stone has really been positive (though some things hard to accept that I actually caused) opened my eyes to see things that were right in my face but I just couldn't see, "The forrest for the trees".
My Prayer:
Dear God,
Thank You for this group and I ask Your Blessings to fall on each one of them and their situations. Thank You for opening my eyes through today's stepping stone to see that indeed I do have lots of weeds in my garden and together WE can weed them out. God, I know I can't do this on my own and I ask you to reveal to me YOUR WAY to rid myself of these issues. I pray that you will give me situations that will help me to earn the patience I need to follow through with YOUR plan for my life. Help me to set aside time daily to read and study Your word and apply it to my life.
AMEN
Hugs To All,
2Doves2
I was having a little computer problem (kept shutting off on its own) so I unable to access the site yesterday evening but here I am
I found stepping stone 2 to be very insightful into the problems I am dealing with and why I am having such a difficult time with it. I discovered that I actually set myself up to be used by others many time (which is hard to admit) because the word NO is not in my vocabulary. Even Jesus himself said no in so many words when he began turning tables in the Temple. I so want to help anyone I can but many times it is at the expense of my own walk with God. I know God wants me to help those who need it but what if the person CAN do better and do for themselves and then chooses NOT TO but rather relies (and expects) others to do it for them? Should I still help them? I'm not sure. This is one of my biggest issues. This stepping stone has helped me to see that I have let many weeds grow in my garden (mind) of my own doing. This was a pretty hard "pill" to swallow. I am going to pray for God to give me the strength to address this issue so I can clear those weeds.
Another thing that I learned is I must let the past go and not dwell on it. I want to look forward to the prize ahead (heaven) instead of looking back but this is sometimes difficult for me to do. I say,"I want to forget the past hurts.. but I want immediate results" and I know that isn't going to happen. I have to practice patience and wait for God's timing. I will be praying and working on this and I know it will not be easy.
I also discovered, again by my own hand, that some weeds are ones I have let in by lowering my guard (not daily reading the word) down and slowly letting other things creep in. I have actually convinced myself that some things really aren't that bad (such as a song or TV program) when in fact they aren't good. Some examples are, listening to music other than christian (nothing bad or vulgar but soft rock and things like that). This came about as the result of letting others use my car and the radio station or CD they put in was not my usual Christian station. I'd hear a song I liked form my youth and listened to it, then one thing led to another and before long most (not all) of my Christian music was weeded out and the other music was let in because I slowly let my guard down and rationalized why it was okay for me to listen to it. It should have been the other way around.
I see that I have LOTS of weeding to do in my mind and my life but I have to take it one step at a time and look to God for HIS guidance instead of my own
The welcoming support of this group is AWESOME and I look forward to this journey EVERYDAY This stepping stone has really been positive (though some things hard to accept that I actually caused) opened my eyes to see things that were right in my face but I just couldn't see, "The forrest for the trees".
My Prayer:
Dear God,
Thank You for this group and I ask Your Blessings to fall on each one of them and their situations. Thank You for opening my eyes through today's stepping stone to see that indeed I do have lots of weeds in my garden and together WE can weed them out. God, I know I can't do this on my own and I ask you to reveal to me YOUR WAY to rid myself of these issues. I pray that you will give me situations that will help me to earn the patience I need to follow through with YOUR plan for my life. Help me to set aside time daily to read and study Your word and apply it to my life.
AMEN
Hugs To All,
2Doves2
