You are cordially and humorously invited to view the 3 1/2 minute video below to hear what God “planted in my garden” yesterday. He has a sense of humor, and so do I! After viewing the video, scroll down to read some more on the topic.
Okay, friends. This really did happen. That chip had wedged its way in there good and settled in so that every time I moved or shifted, it would dig into my skin. Kinda like how life’s irritations ((and irritating people)) and offenses ((and offensive people)) seem to drop into our daily routines – unsolicited – and wedge their way into the tender and broken areas of our own soul (mind, will, emotions).
As I was (briskly) power walking my way about 1/4 mile down the hall to the restroom so as to extract and dispose of the potato-fried nuisance, my mind quickly meandered through corridors of these rambling associations: “This chip is not the only thing that’s irritating me today! I’m also irritated with … and also … oh, “and let’s not neglect that gem of a human being…”
Yeah, you get it. You know the internal monologue. We all struggle with these moments. Then God. I was chuckling to myself as He revealed the truth I shared in the video. I imagine people also traveling to the bathroom thought I was strange as I power walked that way myself whilst chuckling.
Here’s a pearl of truth to bring some insight to the ((unrehearsed)) video message:
We all struggle with stuff. We all get irritated with particular people. We all get authentically offended at times. It’s not “if”…but when we do, a most damaging thing we can do is allow our emotions to manage our mind and will in guiding us to take our griefs and (incessant, habitual) rants to social media. I am not saying be fake and wear masks and pretend to be happy…I am saying, “Practice wisdom!” If you have none, read the Scriptures. “Change your filter or clean it out!” If you need help with that, ask the Holy Spirit. “Use discernment!” If you have none, ask God.
Instead of taking these issues and people to trial on FacebookTwitterInstagram in an attempt to mask our broken places and build our alliance in SocialMediaSurvivor, howzabout trying one or all of the following:
- Allow yourself to cooperate with God in working through that issue/struggle/irritation/offense through the counsel of His Word and ministry of His Holy Spirit, or…
- Confront or correct that other individual (in love…) prayerfully and privately and properly, or…
- Drop it. aka…Forgive that other person (in love…or at least in grace).
If none of these options works for you, then stay miserable and mad. It’s your choice. Just know that I will employ one of the above options when your miserable and mad collides with my peace and joy…((in love…or at least grace…of course.))
“Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! If your hand or foot [or Facebook] causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye [or Twitter] causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.” Jesus Christ in Matthew 18:7-9