Messages

My cell phone informed me the other day that I had too many text messages and asked if I wanted to delete them right away.  Actually what it said was, “Delete unwanted content and messages.”  And…my cell phone is relentless with beeping until I can get to it!  Whenever this happens I go to the sent box right away and get rid of those messages without taking a second look at them, hoping it will satisfy the request.  Then, when I have a few minutes I go through my inbox, select the messages and pictures of my grandsons I want to save, and delete the rest. I have done this many times.

Today this exercise was a little different for me.  It made me think about the messages I have received over the years.  Some have been easier to receive than others, and some have been easier to delete than others.  I have saved or treasured the ones like” It’s a boy” and “It’s a girl” along with many others I have been glad to receive.  I have had to delete others like “Your dad is moving out” and “There is no longer a heartbeat” in the pregnancy, which both were so painful to hear.  There are also those messages I have gotten that have said “You don’t belong here” or “You will never be able to do it” that have been hard to listen to, but, by God’s grace have been easier to let go of as I have been walking with the Lord.  I want to listen to what He says in Zephaniah 3:17 “The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

Then there are the messages I have sent, the spoken and the unspoken ones.  There have been many times I wished I could have just pushed OK on the delete list and erased words or “looks” but couldn’t.  Once they are out, they’re out.  I have given rude responses and have had impatient reactions to name a few, as I have become unglued especially when waiting on something or someone.  There have been many times when those closest to me have had to deal with a lot of stewing and spewing.  It is in those times that I need to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit saying “Stop!” and obey.  I said the other day that I’m not who I was in this regard, but I must remember and repeat over and over what He says in Psalm 19: 14 “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer” when I feel the ungluing coming on.

We are all on the road of “Imperfect progress” if we are trying to change and be the women God created us to be.  He has an abundant life for us, but that definitely involves giving up some of our faulty thoughts and reactions and moving toward honoring Him in what we think, say and do.  Philippians 1:6 says “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” 

Action Step: Will you let Him be Lord of your life in all things?  Will you uncurl your fist of perceived “rights” and give Him control?  Will you take a small step this week and share that with another sister in the Lord? Remember, “The Lord your God is with you!”

Donna Bowles