Cheryl the Wyatt here.
Can you believe it's August already?
Seriously, can you?
How do we KNOW FOR SURE that it's August? I mean, really...how can we know?
Most people would answer: because the date on correspondence or on calendars on our walls or in our pocketbooks or purses or on our phones or computers or other electronic devices tell us so.
The Bible is like that. You can read it and take it for what it's worth, which is everything. It's utter and complete truth. But when it comes to God's love, I think it's easier for us to believe it on a mental or psychological (mind) level rather than a heart level. Believing at the level of the heart means a deep resolve of doubtless knowing.
I had an epiphany this week. I have a friend who I love very much. This friend is like a sister to me and she has a heart of gold. But sometimes her woundedness won't let her believe in my love. We have an unseen enemy who prowls around and who will take every opportunity to whisper in our ears about each other. This friend, while miles ahead of me in some ways spiritually, struggles with believing in the enemy's lies. He will say things to her like, "Cheryl hasn't called you in a week, so she must be mad at you."
And even though I tell the friend that I've just been covered up time-wise, she still has a hard time believing that my friendship is unwavering and that I care deeply about her and that she can't do something bad enough to make me stop loving her. I've had this friend for years but it seems lately that she's had more difficulty than normal fending off the enemy's lies regarding our friendship. I have convinced and condoled and reassured and shown practically my care for her to the best of my ability.
This week I experienced a rare moment of frustration over the fact that no matter what I say or do to prove it, she just won't choose to believe me over the enemy who is a liar and an accuser of the brethren (or in this case, sisterhood). I was going to say sistern, but that made me think of cistern. LOL!
Anyway, when I was at my wits end, I felt God say to me that I've done everything in my power to prove and to show her to the point that I'm bone weary. And it's now up to her to believe. And belief is a choice.
For one instant, I felt a tiny sliver of the pain that God must feel when He shows and tells us He loves us through a gazillion different ways continually, yet we doubt.
I do it. I imagine some of you do it.
I pray for you/us that we can take God at His word. When you don't feel His heart and His love, don't lean on your emotion. Believe what He says about Himself over what you feel, because your heart (feelings) will deceive you.
God will not. Not ever.
It's really August.
The Bible is still true.
I hope you will share one way that God has demonstrated His love for you this week. What you say may encourage others who may be in a season of struggling to believe God's love.
Especially when hard life stuff comes along to bite you in the caboose...GGG
Have a wonderful week.
Warmly,
Cheryl
12 comments:
Thanks for this. Very inspiring.
Thanks, Lynn for stopping by and commenting.
Hugs!
Cheryl
Cheryl, what an inspiring post.
God shows his love for me in so many ways. I especially feel it in nature--the beauty of the warm sun, the dew on green grass, a cool breeze, ocean waves crashing, a sky so blue it almost hurts my eyes.
I also feel His love through the love of my family. And most recently, while my daughter snuggles up to me to hug me. :)
Missy
Aww! Missy, your comment made me tear-up. Especially the part about the hugs.
Thanks for dropping by!
I've been so lax commenting on LI Author posts because of summer madness and deadline. But once I turn this book in, my schedule will lighten significantly.
Hugs!
Cheryl
How did you know this was just the message I needed to hear this week, my friend? Thank you.
God does work in mysterious ways, doesn't He Cheryl? This past Thursday Ihad my first carpal tunnel surgery out of the two. After muc prayer filled with questioning(why does a 17 year old get arthritis and carpal tunnel in both hands!?), I've come to the conclusion that there must be a reason for it. I think that this was His way of telling me to SLOW DOWN. I'm not positive but this is what I've come to after not being able to use my dominant right hand! It is just so strange to me how He works sometimes...
Thanks and sorry the comment is so late!
Hannah
Curled, I'm glad He ministered to you with the post.
Hannah, I'm sure sorry you're struggling with pain and probs. I feel for you! Your story reminded me about last summer when we got in a car accident that required several surgeries, pain and suffering. Two days before that wreck God had asked me to read Job. I didn't want to. But boy, after the wreck, I stuck my nose in that book and didn't come out until I'd read it three times through. LOL! I asked God all the way through it, "What are you trying to show me? What am I to learn?"
Then overwhelmingly I knew the answer when one line, one SINGLE sentence out of that entire book leaped out at me.
"Everything (hardship) you go through is for the benefit of other people."
That I knew God was using the accident to help others or that promise that He would use it to help others made the pain and suffering bearable.
I sure hope you're feeling better. And better late than never is what I say. Thanks so much for stopping by. You have my prayers!
hugs
Cheryl
Thanks for sharing that Cheryl. I'm so sorry to hear about your accident...that must have been so tough.
I'm doing ok. I feel like everyday I learn how to do something new with my left hand! Ranging from getting dressed to using the bathroom to eating with a fork! It makes me more thankful everyday at how healthy I(usually!)am. This whole experience, though just beginning, has opened my eyes.
Thanks Cheryl!
Hannah
Hannah,
It is amazing how when one part of our body doesn't work quite right, how that throws us totall off kilter. LOL! I remember the hilarity of trying to cook while on crutches. Simple things that we take for granted, like taking a pan of water from the sink to the stove...I could NOT master. LOL!
All the water sloshed out as I tried to hop there. Hubby had to take over the cooking because it was just a disaster and he didn't want me to hurt myself or burn down the house on accident. LOLOL!
Hugs and hope you drop by often.
Cheryl
Lol Cheryl!
Don't even get me started about cooking! It cannot be done with one hand...I literally cannot make myself anything. I'm 17 so I'm independent to make my own breakfast and stuff. Well noy snymore! I can't get the hand wet, so my mom has to wash my hair. Then, we have to very carefully cover my whole arm, making sure it's completely covered! Finally, I can take a bath! Not a shower(like I'm used to), but a bath. I actually find it quite humerous...lol.
It's just tough adjusting, though you understand that. We're going into my school to talk about my accomadations that I'll need for about a month of school on Friday. It should be interesting! : ) In the meantime we're checking out college campuses. It's so bittersweet for me : ( I don't want to leave home. I feel as if there's a shift coming on. I can't explain it really, but everything's changing...
Anyway, sorry to run on!
Hannah
Hannah,
I dread the day mine leave for college. LOL! If by some remote chance you attend SIU Carbondale, you MUST visit my church because it's practically on campus and we are probably 40% college students. No telling where you'll end up but like I said, if by some remote chance you end up at SIUC, definitely look me up.
We'll take care of you and our church would be a great place to plug in and have it be a home away from home.
And no need to apologize! We love chatter around here. Grin.
Good luck with your arm. Praying it heals quickly.
Hugs
Cheryl
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