Got People Bondage?

                                   

Sooo, this area is heavy on my heart because PEOPLE  will always have something to say about EVERYTHING  you do. If you are listening to fifty different opinions & trying to please them, you are like James 1:6--because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. In verse 5 it clearly states that if you LACK wisdom (you don't know what to do) ask GOD who gives it to all men LIBERALLY. So instead of running to your cell phone to call someone everytime you have an issue, start RUNNING to God. Am I saying that it's wrong to ask advice from godly counsel? No! Of course not--but don't DEPEND on them, depend on GOD. Humans are as frail as breath--don't place your trust in them (Isaiah 2:22) He will surround you with believers and great encourager's. So whoever is giving you advice & encouraging you should ALWAYS point you to Christ. I am grateful for those that encourage me--they give me that extra "boost" I need to PRESS forwad. But at the end of the day, they don't replace the beautiful COUNSELOR that lives on the inside of you--and His name is the Holy Spirit.

If you constantly listen to what everyone else has to say, it will clutter out what God is telling you to do. And if you don't know what God wants you to do--then REST. Stop all of that "trying to make it happen" --Galatians 3:3 says..are you so foolish?! You started in the Spirit & now you are trying to perfect everything in the FLESH.                                           

I remember a season in my life where NOTHING was working out. Doors kept slamming in my life. I couldn't find a job, I couldn't rent out this condo, relationships where going sour, my finances weren't working out.. I felt so far away from God. Throughout this WHOLE time, God was dealing with me about breaking off a relationship that I was in. It was hard for me because I was used to placing my trust & value in relationships. I didn't want to break up with my boyfriend! I didn't want be LONELY. I didn't want to deal with those emotions. But I knew that this unhealthy, ungodly relationship was moving me further.. and further away from my fellowship with God. That relationship didn't PUSH me towards God.. it pushed me AWAY from Him. I would BEG God for my purpose.. "SHOW ME LORD" Show me LORD! Open doors Lord! "He said in a sweet voice".... My beautiful child..how do you expect me to give you more instructions when you didn't obey me with the first instructions?" So, I'm thinking--ok, I'm going to obey God & go on a fast from this relationship for a few weeks. Fail. Fail. Fail. That was me "still trying to make it happen in the flesh" (Gal 3:3).. Then, I started to worry--WHAT would people think of me if I broke this off? I would be a failure in their eyes! Crazy, right? I sure think so.

                                 

Then, I got free.. I cut off the relationship for real.. from the root. I learned that whenever I was lonely or bored that it was God calling me to a closer relationship with Him..I got real free from people. How do you get free from them? Well.. you get HIT up with tests & opportunities to GET into people bondage. I started passing those tests!!! I started REALLY depending on GOD for every PART of my life. HE became my life, He wasn't my Sunday morning, He became my every breath. I started CARING less what people thought of me because they didn't DIE for my sins. MY worth & value comes from the ONE who died for me & now sits next to God the Father. I heard that so many times in church.. but this time.. it became REAL to me & I started to believe it. People started CRAZY rumors about me. Horrible rumors.. at CHURCH... crazy, right? Not, in the club or in the world, but at church. But broken people come to church to get restored by Jesus Christ, so don't place your trust in them or leaders either. They aren't perfect. They make mistakes--so forgive them & move on already. God has a beautiful plan for your life. Can He trust you??! Or will He place you somewhere & you let what everyone has to say about YOU matter? It can't matter. You cannot afford it. I know this about me & my husband's life. God has a call on our life in MINISTRY. It's a very expensive call that has cost us SO much (really nothing.. compared to the cross). So do I expect people to say horrible things, talk about us, call us crazy? Well.. if they didn't--I'd question my salvation. Because if I really belong to Christ, I won't look like the world. .. for "..if the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first..(John 15:18) And sadly, that includes the church. Many people are sitting in church every Sunday don't really belong to Christ. Their life looks nothing like Him, nor do they even care. They're satisfied with their church attendence & ushering as a ticket to heaven. 

So what should you do if people talk about you & hate you?! FORGIVE them (you need the same forgiveness from God, no?) & PRAY for them!! But really pray for them. Mean it with all of your heart. Don't you dare join their negativity--you cannot afford it. Hate multiples hate. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that.

Jesus loves you madly,
Heather