Daily Devotional – 12/13/11 “It’s all you!”

This morning when I rose I was so tired and it was almost like I hadn’t slept a wink, but I did.  I just couldn’t understand why I was feeling this way and then my best friend from work came in asking if I was in a better mood today than yesterday.  I had to stop and think because even though I didn’t realize the mood I was in, somebody did and it wasn’t fair to her.  See, many times we come into to work or even home with our issues on our face and in the way we walk and because we’ve been dealing with it for so long, we don’t even recognize it anymore.  We’ve become so accustom to the frown on our face or the cold demeanor in our attitude that we don’t call it an attitude, but it is and yet I’m reminded every day that things could be a whole lot worse.  I get upset at the kids about their bad grades but some mother or father is dealing with a teenager on drugs.  I wake up tired and complaining about my job when someone would love to be in my shoes because they’ve been without a job for over a year now.  I complain about the amount of bills that I have but I am the one that caused them so what’s to complain about?  I say the devil did this and that but if the truth should be told, some of this mess we got ourselves in.  The devil didn’t make you shop and run up your credit card bill, so stop blaming him for it.  The devil may have placed that fine man or woman in your path but he surely didn’t make you sleep with them.  Yea, the devil gets blamed for a lot of things but the only one that will keep you out of Heaven is you. 

Yea, I know that you think you got time to make it right and ask God for forgiveness for all the wrong you do each day, but what if you don’t?  You may find joy walking into stores and taking stuff that don’t belong to you but just as quickly as you can pop a tag on a shirt and stuff it into your purse, it’s the same way the Angel of Death can snatch the breath from your body.  At some point in time, you’ve got to make up in your mind that you want more from life than just what others can give or what you can take.  You are better than that no good boy (because he is not a man) that keeps leaving you every time some other girl whispers in his ear.  You are much better than that person that keeps putting his hands on you because he/she is neither mom nor dad.  You are much better than what folks call you.  I told my cousin the other day that it doesn’t matter what folk call you because the other thing that determines who or what you are is what you answer too.  1 Corinthians 6:11 says “Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” Yea, you can call me out my name but that doesn’t mean that’s who I am.  You can talk about me all you please, but it doesn’t make me do the things you say I do.  It makes me feel good to know that folk talk about me because that means that I’m doing something right to make them notice.

I write these devotionals every day because this is the gift that God has given me.  Yea, I know I don’t have to write them just like I know that Jesus didn’t have to be tortured for our sins and I could easily close out my blog and go on about my daily life, like God isn’t trying to talk through me, but would it be fair to him when he sacrificed his Son so that I could have a life?  Yea, it would be easier because maybe then I wouldn’t have the devil on my doorstep every day, but when I started this walk I knew exactly what I was getting into because God prepared me.  Romans 8:29 says “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” See, he made my knees strong enough to handle the extra time I would need kneeled in prayer.  He made my eyes stronger to endure the extra reading time I would need studying his word.  He made my mind stronger to be able to get a better understanding of his word and he opened my ears and made them stronger to hear and receive when he is saying to me.  I’ve learned that God doesn’t choose the qualified but he qualifies those that he has chosen.  Don’t believe me?  Read on down to Romans 8:30 that says “And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.” Whew! These verses send chills over my body because they make me appreciate my gift so much more.  The same way you should appreciate yours.

I know that you are now wondering if you have been blessed with a gift, your answer is in Ephesians 1:11 which say “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.” See, God chose you to be blessed with whatever gift he has given you because he knows you can handle it.  I know at times the going might get hard, but press on.  I know at times you may want to give up, but hold on.  I know at times, you want to throw in the towel, but fold that towel, wipe the sweat from your forehead and stick it back in your pocket and walk on.  I know that you may have been knocked down and the counter is almost to 10 but all you have to do is tag God in and he’ll finish the fight for you.  If you are still not convinced that you are worthy of the gift that he has given you, then read Romans 11:29 that say “God never changes his mind when he gives gifts or when he calls someone.” Why? Because he knows that you can handle it.  You are worthy because you are God’s child.  You don’t have to settle for the scraps and the leftovers because God has made you the lender and not the borrower.  Just because you have a little debt and you may be living paycheck to paycheck now, it doesn’t mean that’s the way it has to be.  Sit down and make a budget and stick to it.  Stop acting like you have something to prove to folk who are also struggling.  The only reason why you can’t see their struggle is because they know how to cover it up.  Yea, I may dress like I got money and I may even walk like it but that’s because I don’t have to look like my situation.  I may have cancer in my body but I don’t have to wear a shirt to broadcast it.  I may not have a job but that doesn’t mean I have to post it on Facebook every day.  I may even be without food but it doesn’t mean I have to look like it.  I’ve come to realize that God will send a blessing your way just when you least expect it.  When you are hungry, he’ll send a friend that will share her sandwich with you.  When you don’t have gas money, he’ll send a friend to pick you up.  When you need someone to talk to, he’ll send your neighbor by your house. When you feel like giving up, he’ll allow a movie to come on at the right time and on the station you just happen to be looking at and when you feel like God is not hearing your plea, he’ll send this devotional with a word that you need. 

So hold on my sister, hold on my brother!  Whatever you are facing at this very moment will get better.  I may not know what your situation is but I know a situation fixer.  I may not know what has you crying but I know a Man who can dry tears and he isn’t your boyfriend.  I may not know why your head is bowed or why your heart is broken but I know a Man who can fix what ails you and he isn’t a doctor.  I know a Man who can listen to your every plea and he isn’t a psychiatrist.  I know that friends may have walked out on you when times got hard but they weren’t your friends to begin with so let them walk.  Stop trying to hold on to something that isn’t yours to keep.  It’s like standing outside with a balloon in your hand and you know that you can barely hold it because it keeps slipping away but you keep trying.  Baby let go of the string and let it fly.  If it was meant to return to you then you would have been holding a boomerang instead.  Whatever is meant for you will be for you and they won’t leave.  Stop chasing after something that was never yours to begin with.  It’s as meaningless as a dog chasing the mail truck because you know they won’t ever catch it.  Whatever is meant for you is there always and never has to be looked for.  The only thing you are supposed to look for is a surprise that has been hidden and feelings shouldn’t be hidden.  If you have to wonder about anything or anyone, then you have your answer.  Let go of whatever is causing you pain because the only way for you to receive the blessing that God has, you have to make room for it.  Don’t you make room for the Christmas tree this time of year?  Then it may be time to make room for your blessing that you’ve been blocking all year-long.  Throw away the garbage and wipe away the dust and be ready and available for the blessing that is about to come into your life.  It’s been there all the time; God is just simply waiting on you to open the door.