Getting back on track

Well, it’s good to be up and at em this morning! I can honestly say I was glad to see last week end! Whew…what a week! I know there will be many more like it, but more importantly, I’m so glad that the Lord has spoken to me…..THROUGH what happened. What would be a tragedy is to go through hard times and NOT hear his voice!

My heavenly Father is not messing around when it comes to this prayer I’ve been praying “Lord set me apart….let your grace shine through me.” God keeps placing me in the humblest positions to truly see His hands upon my life. I know we all go through “stuff”…it’s just apart of life. But how we view that “stuff” is what makes us or breaks us. I can honestly say I’ve had my moments of weakness but I’ve truly leaned upon HIM to pull me through the times I felt like just rolling over to my grave!

This morning, God just popped right out to me once again……I went on a favorite website that has a daily devotional….today’s title was “Partakers of His Sufferings”. Right there that had my attention. But it was so awesome I just had to copy and paste this part:

If you are going to be used by God, He will take you through a number of experiences that are not meant for you personally at all. They are designed to make you useful in His hands, and to enable you to understand what takes place in the lives of others. Because of this process, you will never be surprised by what comes your way. You say, “Oh, I can’t deal with that person.” Why can’t you? God gave you sufficient opportunities to learn from Him about that problem; but you turned away, not heeding the lesson, because it seemed foolish to spend your time that way.

Although we personally may never go through every type of hardship there is, we most likely will come in contact with people who do go through all types of hardships. I’m always looking at how people handle different things and make a side note in my brain of it! I believe DAILY, just like this devotion says, God is going to place different opportunities to see how God works in different ways through hard times. It’s one reason I enjoy reading other Christian’s blogs……we get to see directly how God has worked in their lives through a situation.

Oh how I never want to spend my time “foolishly”, judging or not taking from each situation God has given me to the best of my ability. As I think about all the situations I have been through this year….and there have been quite a few! I think about how stronger it has made me depend upon the Lord. Maybe it’s apart of just “growing old” but…I look at it more as “Growing old in HIM”. When our pride is crushed, our feelings are hurt, we feel as though we have no options……..THAT is when the Refiner starts His work!!

I don’t think I can breathe a sigh of relief and saw……”Phew…..my time in the Refiners fire is done!!!” NO WAY. I personally don’t believe we are ever “out” of the Refiners fire…….He’s always working and molding us and shaping us to who He has desgined us to be. But I can walk on in Grace today knowing that His hands are working in a very tangible way in my life……God’s just not playing games. I don’t think that God ever “makes” us sick or “makes” us go through hard times….BUT I do believe He “allows” it because He’s got something BIG to say!! I mean….I still just sit here in awe of him how he worked out my health insurance deal!! I truly believe he protected me even into the 11th hour!! I always say my God is my “11th Hour God” and He certainly keeps proving himself to me!!! WOW!!! =)

Well, since the momma’s been out of commission for a few days, there’s LOT’S to do today!! Can I get an “OH MY”???? =) I love you all so much! Thanks for reading, praying and encouraging me!!! I look foreword to doing the same for you!! Have a BLESSED and I mean BLESSED day!!!

Walking by Faith and not by sight,
~Nicki