God is merciful.
Usually when I think about this attribute of God, all I think about is that through salvation in Christ Jesus, God spared me the punishment I deserve.
But what if we approach this truth of who God is when we go through painful trials in our lives. Because of sin, we live in a world of brokenness. For most of us, whether a believer or not, our first reaction when hard times befall us is to blame God, be angry at him, and question why, why, why.
It's inevitable. We suffer because of sin, something that God did not do, but something that we essentially brought upon ourselves.
While it's not God's "fault" at all, his mercy is ever surrounding us. He still chooses to bestow his mercy and goodness on our lives through the hard times. Think about it...
He could very well leave us to hurt and suffer through the pain that we experience here on this earth, but because of his mercy, he longs to be our comforter, our refuge, a lap to sit in and a shoulder to cry on. He chooses to be WITH US in the fiery trials. He chooses to lavish his love on us in our pain, instead of leaving us to bear the hurt alone, the hurt that human sin brought...the hurt that he had nothing to do with.
And in his mercy, God is patient with us while we are busy blaming or being angry at him.
I pray that I remember this age-old, yet new-found truth in my life when the fiery trials come. I pray that I run and cling to my merciful Father, rather than run away from Him.
Thank you My heavenly Daddy.
Daniel 9:9 - "The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.."
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Romans 12:9-21
Love MUST be sincere.
Hate what is evil; CLING to what is good.
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
NEVER be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
Be joyful in hope
patient in affliction
faithful in prayer.
Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
BLESS those who persecute you; bless and do not curse...
REJOICE with those who rejoice;
mourn with those who mourn.
Live in harmony with one another.
Do not be proud...but be willing to associate with people of low position.
Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil.
Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with EVERYONE.
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.
On the contrary!...
"If you enemy is hungry, FEED HIM.
If he is thirsty, GIVE HIM SOMETHING TO DRINK.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Sweet Jesus, thank you for your living and active Word in my life at this very moment. Thank you for your example of perfect love...and thank you for forgiving me when I miss the mark every day. I want to be like you...help my life to reflect this passage, and only for your glory. Not my own.
Help me to be humble right now...in so many ways.
I love you.
Hate what is evil; CLING to what is good.
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
NEVER be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
Be joyful in hope
patient in affliction
faithful in prayer.
Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
BLESS those who persecute you; bless and do not curse...
REJOICE with those who rejoice;
mourn with those who mourn.
Live in harmony with one another.
Do not be proud...but be willing to associate with people of low position.
Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil.
Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with EVERYONE.
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.
On the contrary!...
"If you enemy is hungry, FEED HIM.
If he is thirsty, GIVE HIM SOMETHING TO DRINK.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Sweet Jesus, thank you for your living and active Word in my life at this very moment. Thank you for your example of perfect love...and thank you for forgiving me when I miss the mark every day. I want to be like you...help my life to reflect this passage, and only for your glory. Not my own.
Help me to be humble right now...in so many ways.
I love you.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Some Mullett happenings :-)
Well, I've been sitting in Starbucks since 12, and I'm starting to run out of things to do until work at 5.So I thought maybe I'd write down some silly things about Kyle and I since we've been married/in KY.
1. The facewash we've both been using since our honeymoon has lasted us for 106 days and counting. That's impressive.
2. One day on the way to church, right after having a conversation about animal's mating (don't ask how that came up) we passed two cow's going at it on the side of the road.
3. Someone who lives on our side of the building always turns out the stairwell lights and it's driving us crazy.
4. The first meal Kyle and I had in our new home was absolutely horrible! We didn't have time to go full grocery shopping, so we went to the IGA in Wilmore and bought packaged pasta and brauts...it tasted like breakfast sausage mixed with sodium chicken flavored pasta. I guess that's what we should have expected though... Blehhhh.
5. When moving in, our neighbors downstairs had a couch they were trying to get rid of. We were in need of one, so we gladly took it. Unfortunately it was too big to get into the living room...until the boys cut the legs off with a saw. We noticed after the fact that it was property of Asbury Seminary...
6. One night (quite recently) we had our new friends Dave and Stephanie over for dinner. We were all helping make pizza, and Stephanie accidentally dropped a knife on her big toe. She had to go to the emergency room and get stitches that night...but the hospital ER was so great, they were back within 2 hours and still ate pizza with us!
7. On Monday mornings when Kyle has to be at work by 5am...and I have to be at work by 12pm...(note we only have one car) I wake up super early with him (4:15), ride with him to work, and sleep in back seat of the car for 3 hours. It's so much fun! Whenever I come inside after waking up, all the employees greet me with warm Good Mornings and Starbucks beverages! :-)
8. The oven/stove in our apartment has no numbers/temperatures/dials. It appeared as if the tenants before us cleaned it with a wire scrubbing pad and erased everything! Therefore it makes cooking and baking somewhat difficult at times. haha.
9. Just yesterday, Kyle and I were driving on a road that we thought took us to another main road that we needed to get to. As we were driving we suddenly found ourselves in a construction zone/bike path. Some guy in a ginormous tractor stopped to tell us that we were on a bike trail and helped us find the way to the road. Bad signage, Wilmore...
10. Being married is probably the most exciting and fun part of life's journey so far. It is so comforting to know that I get to spend the rest of my life with my best friend. It is so overwhelming to know that I have a husband who is proud to have me as his wife and loves me more than I can ever understand. It is so good to know that this love is right, is good, and is exactly what God had planned since the beginning. And it's satisfying to know that I knew He was it all along. :-)
1. The facewash we've both been using since our honeymoon has lasted us for 106 days and counting. That's impressive.
2. One day on the way to church, right after having a conversation about animal's mating (don't ask how that came up) we passed two cow's going at it on the side of the road.
3. Someone who lives on our side of the building always turns out the stairwell lights and it's driving us crazy.
4. The first meal Kyle and I had in our new home was absolutely horrible! We didn't have time to go full grocery shopping, so we went to the IGA in Wilmore and bought packaged pasta and brauts...it tasted like breakfast sausage mixed with sodium chicken flavored pasta. I guess that's what we should have expected though... Blehhhh.
5. When moving in, our neighbors downstairs had a couch they were trying to get rid of. We were in need of one, so we gladly took it. Unfortunately it was too big to get into the living room...until the boys cut the legs off with a saw. We noticed after the fact that it was property of Asbury Seminary...
6. One night (quite recently) we had our new friends Dave and Stephanie over for dinner. We were all helping make pizza, and Stephanie accidentally dropped a knife on her big toe. She had to go to the emergency room and get stitches that night...but the hospital ER was so great, they were back within 2 hours and still ate pizza with us!
7. On Monday mornings when Kyle has to be at work by 5am...and I have to be at work by 12pm...(note we only have one car) I wake up super early with him (4:15), ride with him to work, and sleep in back seat of the car for 3 hours. It's so much fun! Whenever I come inside after waking up, all the employees greet me with warm Good Mornings and Starbucks beverages! :-)
8. The oven/stove in our apartment has no numbers/temperatures/dials. It appeared as if the tenants before us cleaned it with a wire scrubbing pad and erased everything! Therefore it makes cooking and baking somewhat difficult at times. haha.
9. Just yesterday, Kyle and I were driving on a road that we thought took us to another main road that we needed to get to. As we were driving we suddenly found ourselves in a construction zone/bike path. Some guy in a ginormous tractor stopped to tell us that we were on a bike trail and helped us find the way to the road. Bad signage, Wilmore...
10. Being married is probably the most exciting and fun part of life's journey so far. It is so comforting to know that I get to spend the rest of my life with my best friend. It is so overwhelming to know that I have a husband who is proud to have me as his wife and loves me more than I can ever understand. It is so good to know that this love is right, is good, and is exactly what God had planned since the beginning. And it's satisfying to know that I knew He was it all along. :-)
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Monday, November 09, 2009
The Meaning of Silence
Yet He did not say a word to her (Matt. 15:23).
What are we to make of a Savior who does not answer? The request of the woman whose daughter was demon-possessed was legitimate. Her acknowledgment of Jesus as Lord was accurate; her understanding of His will was appropriate. And yet, as with many of our seemingly appropriate prayer requests, He does not answer "a word."
Our response to His silence is often too timid. We backpedal, saying that perhaps our request was not in line with His will, or maybe we assume that we didn't have enough faith, because if we ask anything - even the removal of a mountain - and do not doubt, it will be done (Matt. 21:21). So we drop the request and do all sorts of interpretive gymnastics to justify the fact that God has not answered our prayer. But deep inside we know that His promises are certain and that we water down Scripture by explaining why we did not experience them.
Children learn much about their friends by playing hide-and-seek. They experience how their friends' minds work. They don't give up when they can't find them at first; an exciting encounter will take place if they keep looking. Might God's silence prepare us for an encounter with Him?
We need to contemplate this silence of Jesus in the Gentile woman's hour of great need. We need to remember that none - not one - of His promises guarantees an immediate answer to prayer. In His silence, He expects her continuing response of faith. She must ask herself: Am I sure of His goodness and His mercy (v. 22)? Am I sure He is able and willing (v. 25)? Do I know that God's blessing is given freely, not earned (v. 27)?.
God often does not answer us immediately, but He encourages our persistence. He invites us in the silence to explore His character, learn of His will, and gain a proper perspective of how we fit into His plans. He tells us to seek and we will find.
"The great point is to NEVER give up until the answer comes." - George Mueller
Written by: Chris Tiegreen
What are we to make of a Savior who does not answer? The request of the woman whose daughter was demon-possessed was legitimate. Her acknowledgment of Jesus as Lord was accurate; her understanding of His will was appropriate. And yet, as with many of our seemingly appropriate prayer requests, He does not answer "a word."
Our response to His silence is often too timid. We backpedal, saying that perhaps our request was not in line with His will, or maybe we assume that we didn't have enough faith, because if we ask anything - even the removal of a mountain - and do not doubt, it will be done (Matt. 21:21). So we drop the request and do all sorts of interpretive gymnastics to justify the fact that God has not answered our prayer. But deep inside we know that His promises are certain and that we water down Scripture by explaining why we did not experience them.
Children learn much about their friends by playing hide-and-seek. They experience how their friends' minds work. They don't give up when they can't find them at first; an exciting encounter will take place if they keep looking. Might God's silence prepare us for an encounter with Him?
We need to contemplate this silence of Jesus in the Gentile woman's hour of great need. We need to remember that none - not one - of His promises guarantees an immediate answer to prayer. In His silence, He expects her continuing response of faith. She must ask herself: Am I sure of His goodness and His mercy (v. 22)? Am I sure He is able and willing (v. 25)? Do I know that God's blessing is given freely, not earned (v. 27)?.
God often does not answer us immediately, but He encourages our persistence. He invites us in the silence to explore His character, learn of His will, and gain a proper perspective of how we fit into His plans. He tells us to seek and we will find.
"The great point is to NEVER give up until the answer comes." - George Mueller
Written by: Chris Tiegreen
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Deceitful hearts
My heart has been on a roller coaster of emotions lately. For some reason writing helps me feel better for just a moment, because it gives me a way to release some frustrations and think things through.
Here's something to ponder on for a second.
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
Jeremiah 17:9
I wish that this truth was kept in front of our faces every single moment of our lives. We live in a world that presses the idea to "follow your heart" "listen to what your heart is telling you" Blah blah blah. It sounds romantic and all...but it's so very wrong and often leads a person down the very wrong path...especially concerning love and relationships.
I remember when I was in highschool, once or twice I allowed my heart and mind to plan my entire life around guys that I liked. It's typical of girls to do it, cause we're so stinking emotional and in touch with all that we feel. Anyways, without even knowing a person that well, I would start thinking "I could totally see myself with this person. we have this and this and this in common. I seriously think he could be the one." And on and on.
We get so caught up in our emotions and put ourselves on cloud 9 and FAR away from reality. We allow ourselves to be deceived by what our heart tells us, and don't think twice of who or what we may push over in the process to get what we think is right. Seriously people, at one point in high school I was convinced "in my heart" I was going to marry this famous Christian music artist who was probably like 35 and already married. Good thing I got over it somewhat quickly. That's messed up. haha.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that we must be so careful to differentiate heart signals between God-signals. We mustn't take what we believe our hearts are saying and tell God, "Wow, this must be your will for me!" Instead, we need to prayerfully ask God to examine our hearts and to reveal to us through his Holy Spirit His truth and guidance about whatever situation it may be. Now then, how do you know when it's God speaking or your heart speaking?
Well maybe you should take a step back and reevaluate the situation you've found your heart in. By acting on your heart feelings, could you potentially be hurting someone in the process? Could you potentially be hurting yourself? If you can get past your selfish feelings and put all the factors of reality into place, then you can more easily differentiate truth from feeling. If it's from God, he will make it clear to you, IN HIS TIMING. Too often we push and rush love because we don't want to be alone. We don't want to miss out on "Mr. Right". We don't want to be single for the rest of our lives. But in reality we are taking our trust off of God and putting trust in man...in ourselves. We take control and let our deceitful hearts lead the way. Dude, that's scary.
I'm not quite sure where I'm going with this. I guess I just know what it's like to follow my heart in the wrong direction and hurt myself in the process. And now, I also know what it's like to be the "third party" who gets hurt because of someone else putting their heart before truth.
I gotta get over it though.
But I need the Lord's help and tender love. And maybe just a little more time...
I can't do it on my own.
Here's something to ponder on for a second.
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
Jeremiah 17:9
I wish that this truth was kept in front of our faces every single moment of our lives. We live in a world that presses the idea to "follow your heart" "listen to what your heart is telling you" Blah blah blah. It sounds romantic and all...but it's so very wrong and often leads a person down the very wrong path...especially concerning love and relationships.
I remember when I was in highschool, once or twice I allowed my heart and mind to plan my entire life around guys that I liked. It's typical of girls to do it, cause we're so stinking emotional and in touch with all that we feel. Anyways, without even knowing a person that well, I would start thinking "I could totally see myself with this person. we have this and this and this in common. I seriously think he could be the one." And on and on.
We get so caught up in our emotions and put ourselves on cloud 9 and FAR away from reality. We allow ourselves to be deceived by what our heart tells us, and don't think twice of who or what we may push over in the process to get what we think is right. Seriously people, at one point in high school I was convinced "in my heart" I was going to marry this famous Christian music artist who was probably like 35 and already married. Good thing I got over it somewhat quickly. That's messed up. haha.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that we must be so careful to differentiate heart signals between God-signals. We mustn't take what we believe our hearts are saying and tell God, "Wow, this must be your will for me!" Instead, we need to prayerfully ask God to examine our hearts and to reveal to us through his Holy Spirit His truth and guidance about whatever situation it may be. Now then, how do you know when it's God speaking or your heart speaking?
Well maybe you should take a step back and reevaluate the situation you've found your heart in. By acting on your heart feelings, could you potentially be hurting someone in the process? Could you potentially be hurting yourself? If you can get past your selfish feelings and put all the factors of reality into place, then you can more easily differentiate truth from feeling. If it's from God, he will make it clear to you, IN HIS TIMING. Too often we push and rush love because we don't want to be alone. We don't want to miss out on "Mr. Right". We don't want to be single for the rest of our lives. But in reality we are taking our trust off of God and putting trust in man...in ourselves. We take control and let our deceitful hearts lead the way. Dude, that's scary.
I'm not quite sure where I'm going with this. I guess I just know what it's like to follow my heart in the wrong direction and hurt myself in the process. And now, I also know what it's like to be the "third party" who gets hurt because of someone else putting their heart before truth.
I gotta get over it though.
But I need the Lord's help and tender love. And maybe just a little more time...
I can't do it on my own.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Agape
I finally got the truth that I have been searching for for over a year now...and it's exactly what I had suspected. Thankfully, I have a Savior who forgave me, so that I can do the same here on earth.
While in one's mind one might think with-holding truth would be for the betterment of another's heart...in reality it's much more painful for both parties. Because in the end, the truth will find it's way out one way or another...and the trust that has been built over time weakens just like that.
But when agape is present between the one and the other...there is always forgiveness and a fresh start. And for that, I am thankful, for nothing can tear agape apart.
While in one's mind one might think with-holding truth would be for the betterment of another's heart...in reality it's much more painful for both parties. Because in the end, the truth will find it's way out one way or another...and the trust that has been built over time weakens just like that.
But when agape is present between the one and the other...there is always forgiveness and a fresh start. And for that, I am thankful, for nothing can tear agape apart.
Monday, November 02, 2009
Confused
So I wrote this really long letter to a person that I don't really know...and I'm scared out of my pants to send it...maybe because I probably shouldn't. It deals with some issues in the past that happened about a year ago...I've struggled with letting this issue go, and I thought maybe by sending a letter to make things right I'd finally be at peace. But then I worry that it's digging up the past and will only make things worse.
I've prayed that God would spark their heart to say something instead of me initiating the whole thing...but I feel like I'm just being stupid about the whole thing and that will never happen. I'm probably alone in all of this and the other person could care less. I'm at a loss.
I just hate the feeling of knowing that there is possible discord between me and another person...let alone a sister or brother in Christ. I am a peacemaker/keeper and don't like it when I feel that something was left unsettled.
Well, I guess I can only do my best to let God handle it. If only I wasn't such a control freak...giving things up to God would be a lot easier. Bleh.
I've prayed that God would spark their heart to say something instead of me initiating the whole thing...but I feel like I'm just being stupid about the whole thing and that will never happen. I'm probably alone in all of this and the other person could care less. I'm at a loss.
I just hate the feeling of knowing that there is possible discord between me and another person...let alone a sister or brother in Christ. I am a peacemaker/keeper and don't like it when I feel that something was left unsettled.
Well, I guess I can only do my best to let God handle it. If only I wasn't such a control freak...giving things up to God would be a lot easier. Bleh.
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