Our small group was challenged recently to write our "faith story". I must confess I did not complete the assignment. Why?, you might ask. In the age old game of blame shifting, I decided since I wrote this over a decade ago, there was no need to complete this assignment. For some strange reason the past dozen years were either not significant or I had decided I was stuck in the first decade of the new century.
Do you remember this old video? Poor Grand was stuck in the mud and mire created when they drained part of the parish park lake. Look at him--that mire is as bad as quick sand! Bless Him! I was looking for a long stick to try and help pull him out while laughing a great belly laugh. In all truthfulness, it is NOT funny or fun to get stuck in the mire.
Here is a picture from a hike a few years ago in south Louisiana after a particularly wet season. When you sink down in that mire, it becomes a vacuum which does not let go of your shoes! Forward motion is, at best, difficult and sometimes almost impossible without help.
We had a guest speaker at small group this week. She came to give us her testimony, but was impressed after arriving to talk to us about becoming "stuck" in parts of our stories. It was a beautiful evening where we had a front row seat to seeing God work. After her word, we all agreed we had places in our lives we had become stuck. Our stories have continued, but we allowed a particular event or season to replay over and over and become stuck. We were losing momentum by replaying the past. As she explained to us, we allow an insult or injury or pain or suffering to rule our thoughts and distract us from the path in front of us. She named her mire the idolatry of reproach. I looked that up in the Bible dictionary and found this~
1. an expression of rebuke or disapproval
2. the act or action of disapproving
3. a cause or occasion of blame, discredit or disgrace
Our speaker was speaking of becoming stuck in censure or scorn. As she explained in today's psycho-speak, she was a victim. She so strongly identified with being the victim that she had to be reminded who she was in Christ. To truly move forward with God's purpose, she had to first agree to get UNSTUCK. Leave the past behind and move toward in God's purpose today.
First thing, every morning, I remind myself~
"This is the day the Lord has made, let me rejoice and be glad in it."
I am thankful for fellow Believers who stand shoulder to shoulder with me and share their wisdom and revelations. God is continually growing us--but we have to be careful of where we put our feet and NOT become STUCK!
"Do not cling to events of the past
or dwell on what happened long ago.
Watch for the new thing I am going to do.
It is happening already-
you can see it now!
I will make a road through the wilderness
and give you streams of water there."
Isaiah 43: 18b-19
Oh, that video is priceless, Lulu! Yes, we can all too easily get stuck along our journey and not even be aware of it. Thanks for reminding me to truly look at where I might be stuck and to get unstuck with God's help.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Yes, all we have to do is ask & He will help us!
DeleteBlessings!
'Oh victory in Jesus, my Savior, forever!'
ReplyDeleteNOW I will sing that to bedtime!
DeleteBlessings!