by Carol Roberts | Feb 17, 2016 | Love
When a child runs fast to reach home plate for that extra run the parents and crowd cheer. The outfielders drop the ball giving extra time to get that run. He reaches home plate and it is an obvious score. He is safe. Then the umpire yells, “out.”
Most people would get angry and many would make a display in order to prove a point. The umpire refuses to change his mind creating an even bigger uproar. This is the standard response to such an obvious wrong call by an umpire.
What if the crowd took a different approach? What if the parents told the child in front of the crowd, “son, that’s ok, we will get that run next time.” The real game at that point becomes a winning attitude which God will reward. It is easy to be a cheerful winner but it’s an even bigger challenge to be a cheerful loser in a game. To display the mind of Christ in all things is to be the type winner that will draw others to Christ.
1 Peter 3:9
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
by Carol Roberts | Feb 16, 2016 | Love
It makes no difference to God if you are the star actor in a movie or one of thousands of people in a crowd scene. God knew you before you were ever born. He knows your past, present and future in perfect detail. He sees you if you have a major solo in a stage production. He sees you if you are the page turner for the pianist. Even if you are in the audience He still knows every detail about you. There is never a need for jealousy of the one who gets a major role. God is bigger than all audiences combined. When people are not noticing you, God notices everything. During times when you feel so all alone, you are in the presence of the Almighty. Attention from the whole world toward you doesn’t even tip the scales to God’s love at all time. To look to God either through prayer, reading the Bible or serving others is to fill a void of loneliness with companionship of the greatest love there is.
Jesus loves you.
Psalm 33:18
But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love,
by Carol Roberts | Feb 16, 2016 | Hope
Has it ever been where you have had a situation so complex you are afraid to let it go? It takes every bit of knowledge to try to piece together all the things that built up to the disappointment. All you know is something important to you has sifted like sand through your fingers. What was once something you could count on is shattered into so many pieces you can’t possibly gather them all up again, much less put it all back together. Even if you could, what is left to trust. It let you down once, it’s impossible to trust it will ever be the same again.
We all have such situations to cross our paths where we have relied on something or someone that totally blows up in our faces. Things are so complicated and hurtful that we don’t even know what to ask God for.
God Who created us in fine detail and with much love knew these times would come before the beginning of time. He has the very hairs on our heads numbered so it can be trusted He knows every single detail of every person, place or thing that contributed to our hurt. With God, we do not have to understand because He understands for us. God can do just as much with a simple, “God, help me” as He can with long prayers with many words. He understands and He is waiting to help and never to judge. God will even wait with us while we wait on His answers.
Psalm 9:9-10
The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You.
by Carol Roberts | Feb 15, 2016 | Encouragement
There are reasons why God doesn’t answer all prayers right away. His reasons are divine and have a purpose to give His absolute best.
There are times when God will give a hint to the direction He is headed. Some people will either wait for His answer to continue to unfold. Some people will become angry because they do not understand the full answer yet. Still others become so excited they run ahead of God and ruin the whole thing. To get ahead of God is still getting out of His will because we have run beyond His light.
The times when excitement overcomes us and we mess everything up beyond human repair God understands. Nothing is broken beyond God’s loving arms that repair. When God mends the things we have broken, the mended seams are much stronger than the original that was broken. Each mended seam in our life is one more reminder of the times we trusted God’s safety net of forgiveness. It’s a reminder of the bond of love between God and us and that love can never be taken away.
1 John 2:1-2
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
by Carol Roberts | Feb 13, 2016 | Encouragement
In life there are many options to solving problems. Sometimes the options are numerous while other times options seem to run out very quickly. It’s natural to try all possible ways to work things out. This is especially true in relationships where one person really wants to move toward a marriage while the other is nowhere ready. Various things are tried in an effort to move things forward which lead to yet another hurry up and wait situation.
There are some illnesses where options are offered and things improve for a little while then it’s back to square one all over again.
Companies promise advancement and a person is told to take additional responsibility which creates a path to success. Things seem hopeful when bosses give a kind compliment of a job well done. Suddenly those hopes turn to disappointment when a brand new person gets the position. Not only is there a feeling of defeat but burn out when the same amount of work is expected while others do not work as hard.
There are many examples of disappointment when all efforts fail. These are times when only God can make a difference. The hardest thing to do many times is nothing at all. As long as there is an option there is a feeling of getting somewhere. God has a better way. His ways are not our ways but better. His ways never disappoint but bring something brand new.
Just as an airplane soars when it reaches the end of the runway, there are endless possibilities when people reach the end of their options. When human understanding is all gone, God’s endless understanding begins.
Psalm 37:5-7a
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this:
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.