Daily Devotional – 5/15/12 “You might be the reason for your storm!”

Nawl, no, no ma’am, no sir; God isn’t the reason for the storm you’re in! Have you stopped to realize that all the encouragement you’re receiving isn’t working because you’re still in and holding on to the same mess? You pray to God to get you out of the abusive relationship and then you go bail him out of jail. You ask to God to be the lawyer when you’re in court and then when he gets you off with just a warning, you get in trouble again. You’re praying to ask God to give you rest but every time somebody calls, you say yes instead of simply saying no because you’re tired. You allow your friends to get you in some mess and then they run off and leave you when the crap hits the fan but you go again. You pray for forgiveness when you sin, God forgives you and you commit the same sin again. You’ve got to stop getting yourself into places that you need help getting out off, all the time. Yea, I can give you God’s word all day long but if you keep causing the rain to pour in your own life, they’ll be meaningless to you eventually. Why, because you’ll stop believing in God’s power if every time you turn around there’s trouble, when God isn’t the cause of all of it. Yes, he promised troubled on this side but he didn’t say all your days would be. That’s why Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Stop allowing the enemy to reside at your home sucking all of the life out of you, make a change. If your grown child is the cause of your stress because they are still staying at home running the house like it’s their domain when they can’t even buy tissue, put them out instead of allowing them to sleep all day when you’re out working day in and day out. You’ve done the job God gave you, which is to raise them up to be an adult. You are not responsible for taking care of him/her, the children and their baby momma/daddy. When your adult children have a family of their own, it is their responsibility to take care of them. No, I’m not saying don’t be there when your help is needed but stop allowing them to control your life. You can’t even go out because they’ve already filled your weekend with babysitting. If you got extra folks staying with you who only needed help for a few weeks that have turned into months and you don’t see them even trying to help themselves, give them a timeframe and put their butt out. You have a right to have a stress free home when the world you live in is stressful enough. Your home should be a place of refuge after you’ve toiled with worrisome coworkers, road rage drivers and attitude having children at the fast food places. Yea, this stress storm you’re in can be handled but you’ve got to cut off the source of the rain and don’t feel bad when you do.

God is an umbrella in the time of most of our storms but how can he keep up when as soon as he stops one you go right around the corner and start another one? You do know that mouth of yours is a big cause too, right? You always cry that God won’t come see about you when you’re so busy bragging about yourself that you don’t even notice you’re blocking your own blessings. Let me explain. You see in the Sunday program that Pastor Joe put Sis. Ruth in charge of Women’s Day and as soon as church is over you go running to his office to tell him how much better you can do it because you’ve been doing it for 5 years. God isn’t pleased with that! John 5:31 says, “If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true,” but you’re so busy raising yourself up that you don’t even allow God the opportunity. Then you get mad when man knock you down so easily and you have to wonder why the job you’re doing isn’t succeeding, well it’s because you’re the only one that thinks you’re great at it. Step down off the pedestal you’ve placed yourself on, take the cotton out your ears and listen sometime. Folks may be aware that you’ve been doing this job for years but they also notice the same problems that come along with it every year. If you can’t get anyone to sign on to help when you’re in charge, you might be part of the problem. Haven’t you heard that you should let your work speak for you? John 10:37 says, “If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me.” You get a position on your job that gives you a little authority and you act like no one can touch you and you wonder why you can’t be promoted. You’re so busy looking down on others that you don’t see your own self falling and then you don’t understand why no one is there to catch you. You fix a problem or issue that nobody else could and now you want everybody to know and then you wonder why no one asks for your help anymore. You got a little extra money in your pocket and when someone ask to borrow something, you tell everybody and their momma and now you wondering why your money is funny & change is strange. Child, shut up sometime! The bible says in James 4:16, “As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.” When you brag on yourself who knows this to be true, really? How do we know that you can do all you say you can? All we know is that you like the way your voice sounds because you’re always talking but if you let others boast of your good work, then we have a chance to know that you’re capable of doing this and that. This is why the bible says in John 5:32, “There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is valid.”

When you learn to keep your mouth you’ll give someone else the opportunity to brag on your talents and good works and you can keep your foot out of it when you’re bragging about yourself to the wrong person. Most times you are bragging to folk who want to see you fail, knocked down and being drug to hell and back but you’re so busy talking that you don’t even see it and now you’re surprised when your job is phased out and they are still working. You didn’t lose your job because God is opening up another door for you because you didn’t give him a chance too, but you lost your job because you couldn’t close your mouth. Yea, you’re the reason for the storm this time. When you are doing all that you should be doing and the work that you do is of great standing, it’ll speak for itself. You won’t have to say a word when your boss comes with the promotion you didn’t even apply for because your work has already claimed it for you. You won’t have to say a word when God starts to open up the doors for the career you always wanted because your work is speaking for you. You won’t have to say one thing when you realize that your raise was double what it should have been, but because you allowed your work to speak for you so God has already worked it out. You wonder how the VP of the company knows your name out of 500+ employees when you’ve never met – Your work introduced you. You’re wondering how the HR person at another company knew about the talents that you have – your work spoke for you! You’re wondering how you got the interview when there were 3 other people who had degrees and more years of experience – your work spoke up for you! If you are as good as you think you are, someone is noticing and you don’t have to say a word.

Stop putting yourself so far up that you’re too far to reach when you need help. Stop having your nose so far in the air that you can’t even smell when stuff starts to stink around your own house. Stop getting in other folks business and then cry when you get your feelings hurt. Stop wishing sickness on yourself just because you need a few days off. Watch what you say, the things you do and the folks you hang out with because it may play a part of the storm you’re in. God gave us the power to speak things over our life and if you keep saying you’re sick, broke, unhappy and miserable; these things become true. Speak sunshine when you see the clouds starting to form, speak joy when you see the hell coming and speak to God when you’re down. You got enough trouble promised without adding to it. When the devil knocks don’t go asking who it is but tell God to get it and watch him work it out. Plus, keep your mouth because he doesn’t need help.

Daily Devotional – 5/14/12 “It’s not right at the moment but it’ll be alright after while!”

Have you ever felt like the time is never right? You’re always broke even though you just got paid or something always happen as soon as you begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel? Well honey, it may not be right at this very moment but it’ll be alright after while! How do I know? Firstly, the bible says in 1 Peter 5:10, “In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.” Secondly, I know this to be true because I am a living testimony! See, God is saying although you may be weeping, hurting or down right now, it won’t last for 2 Corinthians 4:17 says, “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” It may not be alright now but it will be! Yea, you may have more bills than money but your life isn’t over. Sit down and write out all the bills you have, the money you have coming in and then get to work. Cut out the stuff that you don’t need but you think you have to have, if only for a little while to get on track. Call and make arrangements with the folks you already owe and stick to it. Then, when you’ve been able to manage the little that you have, God will see that you’re capable of handling a little bit more, so he’ll increase your earnings. If the house you’re in is sucking you dry, let it go. If you’re putting more money into the car that you currently have that keeps breaking down, you could have paid down on another one. Stop going to the nail and beauty shop every week, go every other week and save a little. Stop buying the shoes just because you see them in the store window, walk on past and save. Stop adding more rims to the car just because you want to look like you got it going on, when the rims are worth more than the car and save. You can get out the rut that you’re in but you have to start. Ok, so the doctor said you have cancer, your kidneys aren’t functioning right, you need surgery or your blood pressure is high, now what? If it’s cancer or your kidneys, go through the necessary steps to fight it. I don’t know how hard it’ll be for you but if it can save your life, it’s worth a try. If you need surgery, push out the date as far as you can so that you can get yourself ahead while you recover and then do what you have to do to survive. If its high blood pressure or diabetes, listen to the doctor and do what needs to be done to prevent a heart attack, stroke or death. It might not be alright now but it’ll be alright after while. You don’t have to give up just because the doctor has a gloomy look on his face, beat the odds. Romans 5:3-4 says, “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.” In other words, endure the things necessary to get you well because during this time you’re strengthening your character which allows you to preserve in the face of troubles and once you’ve gained strength you’ve filled yourself with hope for tomorrow and with this hope you now have the faith to know that even though it’s not right at the moment, it’ll be alright after while.

Stop crying because you’re already suffering and things keep happening; cry because you know that although it’s raining now, the sun will eventually have to shine. How can I be sure the rain will stop? Well, because God told me in his word in Ecclesiastes 3:1 which says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” See, God said you’d weep but you have to know when weeping time is over. So what if your husband left you for somebody else 6 months ago, this isn’t a reason for you to still be crying over it now because if he left, he wasn’t yours to begin with. So what if you didn’t graduate with your friends, go to summer school and finish what you need to do and graduate then; don’t keep being mad at yourself but learn from the mistakes you made and don’t make them again. So what if you got put out from your house/apartment, you had to know it was coming so pick up your stuff and find somewhere else to stay. Stop wallowing in the pit of “woe is me” and do something about the situation you’re in. There isn’t any sense in crying because the milk is spilled, clean it up and buy some more. Luke 12:25 ask, “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” You know the answer is no, so then Luke 12:26 ask, “And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?” You’re constantly worrying, then crying, then you’re praying and as soon as you finish praying you’re worrying again but why? Don’t you know all the stressing, worrying and crying you’re doing is only going to give you a headache and not a solution? This is the reason Psalm 55:22 says, “Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.” I know it might not be alright now but it will be after while, so hold on. Stop giving up so quickly because it’s the easiest thing to do. Anything that is worth having should be worth working for because if it was easy and simple to get, you wouldn’t appreciate it. You know this to be true because momma always told me that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. God paid a price for our sins to be forgiven but he had to pay that price by sacrificing his only Son and do you think it was easy for him to do it? No, but it’s the only way for us to truly appreciate the price he paid. If it was easy for me to make a million dollars do you think I’d be conscious about spending it? No, but if it takes time, sweat and effort to get to a million dollars, I’d appreciate and cherish it more. If we give our kids everything they want so easily, how would they learn the value of hard work and dedication? If we never have to suffer with migraines then we wouldn’t appreciate the days we get up without one. If we never have to face a day of not knowing where the next meal is coming from, then we wouldn’t appreciate the food that’s always in the refrigerator.

We have to go through some strains, trials, tribulations and circumstances in order to appreciate the testimonies, blessings, healing and deliverance. We have to go through in order to appreciate things because going through makes us stronger and if we trust and believe in God, he won’t leave us in our time of need. See, God’s test is setting us up but not to fail but to succeed because in succeeding we get success and with success comes victory and victory makes us victorious over the enemy. So don’t run and hide every time the rain begins to pour because it’s just a storm and with any storm it has to end. Plus, the storm is not sent to wash our feet from under us but simply to wash off all the dirt that has been thrown on us by haters, enemies, folk that say we won’t be nothing, those wishing death on our life and those digging a dusty grave to throw us in. We have to go through the rain in order to come out clean and refreshed because once we’ve been refreshed we’ve been renewed and through renewal come endurance and enduring gives us assurance that we are ready to be elevated! I don’t know about you but every day I am asking God to enlarge my territory but in order for me to receive the increase, I have to be ready for it. So, I’m weathering the storm and I’m getting up every time the enemy knocks me down because I’ve got my first aid kit in my purse (that’s God’s word) to bandage up any cut or bruise I get when I fall. I’ve learned that it’s not about the times I fall that God is concerned about just as long as I get back up better than I was before! So, although it may not be alright right now, at this very moment, it will be alright after while!

Daily Devotional – 5/11/12 “Reach beyond the break!”

Are you at edge and it seems like you can’t hold on? Are you tired of being broke when you just got paid? Are the kids acting like strangers in your home? Does it seem like all hell is breaking loose around you no matter how hard you pray? Do you want to let go because your rope is breaking? Well baby, reach beyond that break, hold tight and pull yourself up because if you keep holding on, reaching past the breaks that’ll happen from time to time and if you keep pulling yourself up, you’ll eventually reach the top of that cliff that you’ve been hanging over. See, once you reach the top of that situation that has you feeling like you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired, you’ll get your healing. Once you’ve reached the top of that circumstance that has you feeling like you’re bound and in prison, you’ll get your breakthrough. After you’ve reached the top and passed all those footholds the devil was standing in, the bumps that used to be friends and sharp edges that used to be haters; you’ll be able to stand tall, while wiping the tears from your face, the dust from your clothes, dirt from your hands, footprints from your shoulders that folks used to push themselves up and bandage the scars from the knives that were stabbed in your back to shout loud and proud, “I’m so glad I made it!” After going through the storm, you’ll appreciate the sun. After being broke for so long, you’ll manage the increase that God sends. After being used, abused and lied on, you’ll wait for God to send you who you are supposed to have in your life by way of friends or a spouse. After you’ve been to hell, you’ll appreciate the word that God left for you in Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Yea, I know it’s easy to get caught up in what other folk do and say but listen to that small voice from God because he won’t steer you wrong. When all those friends are gone after your money runs out, God is still there. When your boyfriend leaves because your coca cola bottle shape is gone, God is still there. When your girlfriend packs her bags because your black hair is now gray, God is still there. When the job closes down after you’ve given it your all, God is still there. He never abandons you although you often leave him because his word says in Deuteronomy 31:8 “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Although, it may seem like you’re walking this path all alone, you simply need to go back where you left God, take his hand, believe in your heart and trust him so that he can show you the right way to go. God doesn’t leave us and he won’t force his way in but we have to open the door to receive him because Revelation 3:20 says, “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.” See, if you accept God because he has been forced upon you, you’ll leave him the first chance you get but when you open the door and accept the calling he has over your life, for you, you’ll proudly accept and wear it for the world to see. Don’t give up because other folk are telling you what they get while in the world because while they are being blessed, it comes with a price because the devil blesses too but his always comes with a high price to pay. Didn’t your grandmother tell you that if it looks too good to be true, it probably is? Yea, I know you met this man and he wines and dines you at the most expensive restaurants and buys you the most expensive shoes and clothes but you pay him by walking the streets all night. Yea, you got this fine young girl who all the guys wants and she’ll do whatever you ask her to do in the bedroom but she has you stealing from your own mother to satisfy her hunger for worldly things. Yea, I know you don’t go to church because the world has much more to offer but pushing it through your veins, you won’t last long. Yea, you may be enjoying the perks of the world but they aren’t free. Don’t give up so easily when the clouds start forming in your life on God’s side because the devil can shine a green light on dead grass to make it look good from a distance.

God has you covered and he won’t allow anything or anyone to stop you from reaching the placed he has designed just for you. Yes, God has a place that has been tailored just for you because it’s for you. How can he do this? Well in Jeremiah 1:5 God says, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” Can’t just anybody sit in the chair behind the desk because it won’t fit their butt the same, they can’t wear your new suits because it won’t hug them the right way and they can’t even handle the financial blessings that will come because it won’t fit in their checking account. Why not, you ask? Because, God has it all designed just for you. He has the walls and the carpet the color you like. He picked out the comforter set and curtains to match the bathroom because he knew you would love it. He even designed the kitchen the way you’ve been dreaming of and it’s all for you and all you have to do is reach beyond the break in that rope and pull yourself up. Now, wait because there is a catch! The only person that can take this away from you is YOU! So get out of your own way, stop sabotaging your own dreams, stop talking yourself out of the blessing that’s in front of you, stop settling for anything, stop falling for everything and stop listening to other folks because they want what you have. Yes, you are worthy! Yes, you can do this! Yes, you can be that! Yes, you can go there! Yes, you can live there! Yes, you wear that! Yes, you can say that! Yes, you can marry who you want! Yes, you can date who you want! You can do whatever you want to do because God has given you exactly what you need to do it! Don’t ruin it for yourself because you’re too good for that. Reach beyond that break in that rope and watch God work this thang out for you in your favor! Everybody can’t handle the favor that God has, so put it on and rock it and show them how it’s done!

Daily Devotional – 5/10/12 “That was your blessing!”

Don’t you know that God has a blessing with your name on it? However, so many times you are too busy lifting other folks up that they receive the blessing that God is dropping on you. You are so busy helping other folks get ahead that you’re missing the blessing that is meant for you. You are so busy encouraging others that you’ve missed the encouragement that you need. Now, you’re depressed or in a slump. Well baby, I stopped by to tell you that sometimes you need to lift, help and encourage yourself! I’m not staying stop doing what you know is right but I’m simply saying stop blocking your own blessings. Have you seen the commercial of the guy who is standing in line at the grocery store and he allows the person behind him to skip and that person wins $50,000? Well, it’s the same as you allowing others to receive the blessing that is meant for you. Let me break this thang down. Picture this, if you will. God is above you getting ready to drop a blessing on you and it’s what you’ve been praying and fasting for but just as God releases it, you go and lift your girlfriend up above you and she receives the blessing that’s yours. Now, this wouldn’t be a problem but see, this is the same friend who you have to lift every week when her cheating boyfriend leaves after she just took him back. Every time he leaves, you go running over there to pull her out the dump she’s placed herself in and now she has received what was meant for you. Child, if she hasn’t learned from the 50 conversations you’ve had over the past year about that man, she won’t this time either because she will only get what she wants to take. I’m going to repeat this because somebody missed it – You will only get what you allow others to give.

Now it’s time for you to lift yourself. See, while you are constantly allowing folks to skip you, you are giving your blessings away and instead of you realizing it, you blame God when God is doing what you’ve asked him to do. In 1 Samuel 30, when David and his soldiers returned home to find their homes burned and their wives and children missing, they became discouraged but instead of David waiting for someone to pull him up, 1 Samuel 30:6 says, “but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.” See, it shouldn’t have to take someone telling you you’re smart before you should believe it. It shouldn’t take me telling you that you can be somebody before you know it for yourself and it shouldn’t take validation from a man or woman to know that you’re beautiful or handsome. You should look in the mirror and see all of this for yourself. Stop allowing the way the world thinks to corrupt who you are because Genesis 1:27 says, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” If God wanted you to look like everybody else, he wouldn’t have made different races, shapes, sizes and ethnic backgrounds but because of technology, media and reality TV, we’ve stop believing in ourselves and think the way things are on TV are the way things are supposed to be for us. Well baby, those folks have struggles just like we do but it’s dressed up to look like they don’t when the bible says in Job 14:1, “Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.” Being a star on TV doesn’t make you exempt from trials and tribulations. Yea, Evelyn and Tami from basketball wives may have money in the bank but look at the hell they have to put themselves through to get it. Stop selling yourself short, believe that you can do whatever you set your mind too and then encourage yourself to get it. Yea, your mom or dad can make you go to school but they can’t make you learn, the same way I can give you God’s word but I can’t make you believe.

Stop allowing folks to get what is rightfully yours. God has a blessing for each one of us but if you keep allowing folks to get in the way of you receiving it, it’s your own fault. What happens if someone calls your name while you are throwing a bowling ball down the lane? If you aren’t focused you’d probably get a gutter ball, right? This is because you’ve allowed somebody to get in your way. Again, you don’t have to stop helping when you’re needed, encouraging whoever needs it or being a shoulder for folks but take a little time for yourself because being in the hospital or dead won’t allow you to help or encourage anybody. Be where you need to be in order to receive what God has for you. Yea, I know your friend always call you when she is depressed but can you count on her to be there for you if the roles were reversed? Yea, folks depend on you the most because you are dependable but who can you depend on? It’s alright to say no when your plate is full or to turn down invitations when you know you don’t have the energy to go. Stop saying yes because you don’t want to hurt folk’s feelings because they won’t stop hurting yours. You are destined for greatness but you’ll never get there if you keep allowing folks to pass the same way you won’t reach the top if you keep allowing folks to skip because by the time you go, all the seats will be filled. Grab your blessing because it’s meant for you!

Daily Devotional – 5/9/12 “Trust should be given!”

Yea, I know that you think that folk should gain your trust but who are you to be so picky? Don’t you expect folks to trust you, then why can’t you give them the same? If you’ve met someone or if you’ve known someone and they’ve never given you a reason to not trust them, then you should. Trust them, I mean. Why are you treating your current spouse like they were the one who hurt you because of your previous relationships? It isn’t his/her fault that you picked the wrong people to love/lust on before them so they shouldn’t be held accountable for the pain that was caused to you by them. It’s like you getting mad at your new doctor for the surgery your old doctor performed when it makes no sense. Yea, ok, you’ve been hurt in the past, get over it! I know folks took the love you gave and stepped on it, pick it up and dust it off and get over it! If you are still alive through all that you’ve been through, you are a survivor, so move on. Stop holding on to the things other folks have done because it makes you bitter which then turns to resentment and resentment turns to anger. Now, you’re just one big ball of angry mess who will eventually be left alone. Yes, so your baby daddy turned out to be a deadbeat, well he was probably a deadbeat dude before he ever became a daddy but you were too blinded by the sex to see it. (Harsh but oh so true) Now, you treat every man who comes after the way you should have been treating him before you laid down with him. Child, you better wake up before you send away your true blessing of a man! Yea, your boo thang turned out to be the name of a gardening tool (and I don’t mean rake) and now you got the nerve to be a stalker to every girl you’ve dated since but had you listened to your momma when she said that girl ain’t the one, you wouldn’t be in the mess you’re in. But, no, you decided to give it a try anyway and now you’re making every girl after her pay for the deeds she done. Boy, you’d better man up before you push away the rib you sacrificed to be the one God designed for you.

When you love, that for real shonuff love, you won’t have a problem trusting because love covers whatever ailed you in the past, that’s why 1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” See, when you love for all the right reasons, there won’t be any wrong reason. This doesn’t mean that you’ll have a perfect relationship because nothing nor anybody is perfect, besides God/Jesus, but what it means is whatever you face you’ll be able to overcome when you handle it together. You’ll deal with the bad days because the good days will outweigh them. You’ll deal with sickness and disease because you’ll have the strength to carry the other one when they can’t walk. You’ll deal with money problems because you’ve learned to live off the little in order to be able to handle when your breakthrough comes. You’ll be able to handle the attacks from the enemy when he sends temptations your way because you have that trust with each other that surpasses other folk’s understanding. When you love with God’s love, trust will automatically come because you’ll be able to handle everything else and then you won’t give up so easily. Psalm 84:12 says, “O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you!” See, when you trust in God, God places trust in you which then leads to you being abundantly blessed. When you trust in God, God places trust in you and it won’t allow you to dwell in hurtful places because Psalm 31:14-15 says, “But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD, I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.” God will remove you from any situations or circumstances that will causes you harm when your trust is in him. This doesn’t mean that hurt won’t come but God won’t allow you to stay and wallow in it for too long.

Now, trust should be given unless it has been broken in the past, then it is earned but this only refers to the same person. If your teenage daughter has broken the trust that you’ve given her time and time again, then she needs to earn your trust back but don’t hold her accountable for the things her older sister put you through. If your spouse cheated on you, then they should earn your trust back when you forgive but don’t hold their mistakes over their head. If you’ve forgiven someone for things they’ve done to betray your trust, then you have to forget it and let it go and if they have changed and are proving to you that they are worthy of being trusted, give it to them. Don’t keep searching the kid’s rooms, checking your spouse’s pockets, going through the cellphone, cellphone records, looking at emails or following them in a separate car because when you go looking for stuff you find stuff. And when you’re looking, the enemy is constantly whispering in your ear so even if you do find something you’ll turn it into something it’s not because you’re looking at it in anger and from a place of distrust, so you’ll see what you want to see. When you’re looking through distrustful eyes, you’ll turn a meaningless conversation between coworkers into a full relationship. When you’re looking through distrustful eyes, you’ll be quick to listen to your friends who say your spouse is cheating because they saw him/her drop somebody off at home when this isn’t new to you but because it came from someone else, the wheels start turning in your mind. If you forgive then you have to forget because they work together. If you decided to take back the person who broke your trust then you’ve got to start giving them the trust back and stop bringing up their old actions. Matthew 6:14-15 says, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Besides, you’ve had to be forgiven for things you’ve done in the past so who are you to make other folk suffer for mistakes if they’ve apologized and you say you’ve forgiven them? Don’t be too quick to throw your hands up and the towel in on someone just because they didn’t stay on the pedestal you placed them on because sometimes you can lift a person higher than they are able to handle and when they make a mistake your heart is broken. Leave the elevation to God because when it’s done by him, falling is sometimes in the plan which means you can fall without getting hurt and plus you can get back up better than you were before you fell. God made us so that we could love and being in love means trusting the one you’re with. Trust so that when trials and storms comes you’ll have someone to go through them with.