A New Approach

Any time something is not going the way I want it to in my life, or someone is not doing what I want them to....I pray for God to change them, or the situation. It's not me God...it's them. Why can't you fix them? God hit me this weekend with a big answer....if something is wrong, maybe it is you....

OUCH!! That was harsh huh?

So I stepped back and thought about it. If there are situations in my life that I am not happy in...how can I fix them? What can I do to change their minds? Then I remembered...all I can do is change how I respond. I cannot change anyone but myself. So maybe if I reacted differently...I would see the same change coming back to me.

Here's an example...we had something happen this week with John and I that would usually start a huge argument. The situation was wide open, begging for a knock down, drag out, full force, screaming match. I could feel it coming like a freight train barrelling down on me. I stopped for a split second, and prayed (not like me, but maybe this shows I should more often)
I asked God to help me diffuse this situation, to keep it from getting out of hand. I said to God that HE would have to stop me, to keep me calm so that I wouldn't say something I would regret later. I didn't want things to go the same way they always had. John just sat there, not saying a word, even if he was asked a question, he stayed quiet. It made me so mad, drove me crazy. I could feel the ugly comments coming up in my throat, ready to burst out....then I heard God say, wait Libby. Not now, don't say that, you don't mean it, hold it. So I did, I didn't say one harsh mean word...I just waited it out. And after about an hour or so the tension went away....like magic.

But I know it wasn't magic...it was totally 100% GOD!!! And even now as I sit here and think about it...John may not know it, but God was working on and through him too. He would have normally exploded and just yelled and screamed....but at the very beginning John said to me stop talking to me, I'm trying not to yell. I totally blocked that out yesterday, I didn't even hear it...I just realized how amazing that is!!!

We sang a song in childrens church tonight that says:
"Trust, trust in the Lord
Lean not on your own understanding
In all, all of your ways acknowledge Him,
He'll make your path straight.

You'll be my God for life
I'll walk by Your side
With your hand in mine
I'll go where You lead me

My eyes can only see
The ground beneath my feet
Your dreams are greater
Your ways are higher
O Lord please show me."

I told the kids that all we see is the stuff right in front of our face, God is so much bigger, He knows our past, our future and everything in between...so why not rely on Him when making a big decision? He only wants what's best for us, and can He see the whole picture.

I tell you what, some nights I learn more from children's ministry than they do.