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Are you an encourager? One who inspires with hope, courage, or confidence; hearten.
Over the last few years our trials have at times been so unbearable and I had allowed myself to fall into a WOE IS ME, mentality. Such a terrible state to be in, I could hardly stand myself, let alone expecting anyone else to put up with me.
The very week (Jan, 2011) we moved to Ok City, my husband was bit by something, not sure if it was a brown recluse or a snake, but it quickly turned into a staph infection and landed him in the hospital for 5 days. (with no insurance, mind you) There was a pocket of about a month that he was going to be with out insurance and this fell right into that pocket of time. This is now August 2011 and he is still battling the healing process of this wound on his ankle. Through this time, Mike has been the sickest I have ever seen him. He has battled with Adema and recently diagnosed with full blown diabetes,and has just has been one sick man.
It is also different living in the City, we are just some country folks and Mike really does not like the city life.
In May I injured my knee at work and immediately was taken from the sales floor and put in customer service sitting, and the sitting has earned me about 10 of my twenty pounds I had lost the previous 4 months before moving to the city.
With much therapy and trying to get my knee back to par, they finally did an MRI and found a few tears that needed to be surgically repaired. On June 24th, I had the pleasure of surgery, which now I am very thankful I had done.
With all of these trials of course the trial of finances comes into play, having to be off work for three weeks and having to pay my full insurance premium (which are not cheap). We came to Ok City almost completely debt free and now I can no longer say that.
I said all of this to make a point. There are so many other circumstances that I could bore you with to allow you to understand the magnitude of the depression I found myself in and feeling like, What is God doing to us? Did we make the right decision to move to Ok. City? OH WOE IS ME mixed with lots of tears.
One day a dear friends had taken the time to invite us to their home while our children were out of town to teen camp. We had a great night of fellowship but the one thing I personally walked away from that night is this. These two dear folks spent the whole night talking about my dear Saviour and how good He has been to them and how real He is in their lives and how much He has done for them and how HE loves them and blesses them, and how He had moved mountains in their life and answered prayers for them. For the first time in months, the black cloud cracked open and a ray of hope shined through. I could see HIM again.
When we get our eyes on circumstances of life and we loose sight of WHO HE REALLY IS, a black cloud appears and blinds our eyes. God wants us to be constantly adding things to our life. Faith, Virtue, Knowledge,etc. and when we stop adding these things we become blind to HIM. We have to continually claim his word and fight the neg thoughts of despair and constantly learn who is is and if we do not we become blind and forget where he brought us from.
2 Peter 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
After that night of fellowship something clicked in my heart and I began to seek HIM again and I have realized how important it is to constantly reach out to others to encourage them rather than sit and feel sorry for myself.
I pray that today you will take time to look around to others and see who God has put in your path and take a minute to just encourage them and let them know, God is still on the THRONE! Because when He is lifted up, he promises he will draw all men unto Himself! Someone needs to see him today!
Praising the Lord for his goodness to me!
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