The Saga Continues..

So the testing continues and yes, I became offended! Very offended!!
Jesus said that it was impossible to not have things happen that would cause offense. So it's a huge relief to know that it really is normal to feel offended. It's how we deal with it that counts.

Remember the couple that stood me up on Wednesday night? She called last night to apologize. At first she said that they were just too busy and then she changed it to
they just weren't used to going to church anymore, and then she ended it by saying that they simply forgot. Now you tell me which of those stories was the truth. She had called ME the day before asking for the favor, not me her. I was pretty un-responsive but told her that someone would be there to pick them up in time for church this morning. I really am glad that they were ready and waiting. But it was the ride to church that finished me off and caused me to be greatly offended. I heard all about how they wanted to move back to PA because of the wonderful church there that had showered them with groceries and other things when they had first moved in, and how they didn't expect them to come to church or want anything from them. And the people there were much more friendly than the people in this church. HU?! Her boyfriend responded from the back seat where he was sitting by saying, "But we've just started." OK so I had their number and it was flashing in neon! We'd reached the church by then which was fortunate because I needed to distance myself from them very quickly.

Let me interject at this point that our church is the most loving and giving church of any I've ever been associated with. When they hear of a need they will go out of their way to see that it's met. A little over a year ago a group of people that had been living in the same housing where this couple are living started coming to church. We lavished everything on them that we could. At Christmas the church gave them all huge baskets of food plus supplied them with microwaves, bedding, etc. The majority of those people sold what we had given them to buy booze. We are called to love and to meet needs but we are also called to be wise stewards of what God has given to us and also have to be careful not to continue the enabling. We gave as unto the Lord so weren't lamenting for having helped. However; it was a lesson learned and we'd be much wiser the next time. One of the men from that group ended up having his life has been totally transformed. He is a growing Christian and is an absolute delight. So it was worth all the care and love we poured into all of them. One day the others might get their heart right with God too. But back to this couple.

So hopefully you can understand why I instantly felt like I saw through what they were saying and the word "users" kept flashing through my mind. She knows all the right "Christianeze" as well. I entered into the morning service very offended and angry. And by the way.. there is an anger that is not sin and this was it! I planned to have a talk with them on the way home and tell them about the previous tennants and how the church had helped them but how wary we had become because of what they had done. And I also planned to tell them that what I was hearing is that they were really asking for help and that they needed to just come out and ask for it instead of pretending that they were interested in coming to church. I ended up helping in the nursery which was just as well because my heart was in no condition to listen to the message.

After church dismissed I talk to the couple who had been stood up the week before and told them what had happened since and how I was feeling. I asked them to please pray for me that God would give me wisdom. So the three of us stood there holding hands and he prayed. When he was finished praying my whole perspective had changed. The Lord had filled my heart with His peace and I was no longer angry and offended.
Bill and I drove them home and she said how much they enjoyed the service and how much she really wanted to do God's will, etc. etc. We had a chance to share some with them and explained to them that often people wonder why their prayers aren't being answered and why they are receiving no blessings and it's because the only way we could expect God's blessings in our lives is to walk in obedience to his Word. They got very quiet.

We will continue to pray for them that God will bring them out of the darkness into his marvelous light and that we will see their lives transformed!

So my lesson today is that being offended is normal but we immediately need to take it to the Lord in prayer and make sure that our response is one that is the pleasing and perfect will of God and that we don't just react out of our offended humanness.

There may be a time that it will be OK for me to get in someone's face and read them the "riot act". In fact that has happened and I knew that it was right and the outcome was wonderful. But today was not such a day.

I wonder when the next "test" will come, and who it will come from?!