This week the chapter truly hit home. It's about being humble and trying to avoid pain. The author brings so many examples of her past experiences and it helps the reader understand her points. We are all familiar with the proverb, "Pride cometh before a fall." My mother used that as a mantra. She worked for many people cleaning their homes and taking care of the sick and she had a humble way about her. She studied her bible and would have loved this book about having the Mary spirit. Joanna Weaver talks about,"Me, me, me" as our self-centered repertoire. She has a two page Pride Test that shows how the self-centered vs God centered woman looks at life's challenges. If we put ourselves in the center of our universe we may unknowingly push the Lord out in the process.
The book pointed out that the bible mentions Pride over one hundred times and it is always something the Father hates. To be brought up that many times the Lord realized we needed to learn about it over and over.
Charles Stanley wrote in The Blessing of Brokenness.,"Because of our natural instinct for self-preservation, we fight hard to stay intact. Brokenness usually involves pain, and we will do almost anything to avoid that." This especially hits me because in the last few days I have been made aware that one of the ways I tried to avoid physical pain has put me in a difficult place. I have three types of arthritis and in the last few years I had so much pain that I have tried so many ways to alleviate it. Finally, the beginning of the year my doctor put me on chemo. I have had side effects that were frustrating (hair loss, bruising), but now I have had an abnormal EKG and I had to have an echo yesterday to see if my heart has been damaged. Dr. Stanley's statement jumped out at me. I truly wanted to avoid the pain and now I see that I would have been better off suffering through it. I stopped the chemo 3 weeks ago before I knew about this latest issue and I pray I won't have permanent damage to my heart. God breaks us so we will turn to Him.
I am blessed and I have not brought this out about my health to say that I am pitiful. I ask for your prayers, but more than that I ask that you look within yourself to see what pain you are trying to avoid and need to turn over to the Lord.
6 comments:
I'll pray that your heart is not damaged...and that you feel better soon.
I enjoyed your Cyber ball. You definately looked gorgeous in your ball gown and you were very adventurous to go on a hot air balloon ride.
Smiles.
Thank you for your prayers, Ruthie. This is how you truly know the ball was pretend. I wouldn't get in a hot air balloon for any amount of money. It's fun to imagine that I would, but no way. My daughter doesn't get the whole pretend thing, but I have enough reality everyday with my job to make pretending fun for me. Thanks for stopping by.
Hugs to you Nana. This is a very important post. Oh my.......A lot to digest here. This book sounds like a goldmine.
I'm so sorry to hear about this and hope it turns out not to be too serious.
I have some EXCITING NEWS!!! You are the winner of the Manor Ball's door prize!!! Please email me your address and I will mail it to you ASAP. Congratulations, Nana Trish!!
Willow x
TRISH... I'M RIGHT HERE!! I HAVEN'T GONE ANYWHERE... YOU KNOW YOU ARE ALWAYS IN MY PRAYERS.. HOLD ON TO JESUS... HE WILL CARRY YOU THROUGH!!!
Earlier this year I read "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World" and loved it... I'm certain that this book is just as wonderful.
I firmly believe that God allows us to face hard things (suffering) so that through them we will relay on Him, and be made holy.
I'm sorry to read about your health struggles. Thank you for sharing.
Today, my birthday!, I received you beautiful postcard in the mail. What a delight. Thank you.
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