Stubbornness

"They're not going to listen, so why should I bother?" I've said that statement hundreds of times. It's very frustrating when you try to convince someone of the right thing to do, but they are stubborn. They won't listen. I'll just be wasting my time.

I read a very similar story in the book of Ezekiel this week. God calls Ezekiel in chapter two to speak to the Israelites. The Israelites are described as rebellious, obstinate and stubborn. Ezekiel is not to be afraid of them or what they say. I think this may have very well been Ezekiel's WHY BOTHER? moment. Seriously, he knows they're not going to listen, they're not going to like him and will probably threaten him. The key is found in verse 7. It says, "You must speak my words to them…." God's words are healing, transforming, convincing, freeing and truth. It's not about what Ezekiel would do, but what God wants done.

Left to my own choices, my words would irritate and aggravate a situation also. Today I'm not going to be stubborn either, but do exactly what God asks of me-share His word and His truth.

"It is the same with my word, I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to." Isaiah 55:11NLT

Safe Mode

Do you replay conversations over in your head? I do, all the time. And I bet if you’re reading this today, you’ve pressed the rewind button a few times yourself.

Usually it’s the conversations that hurt my feelings, cause me to feel insecure or make me mad that I repeat. Like the Aunt who says, “Boy you’ve gained weight! They must feed you well in college.” Sadly I've been out of college for a FEW YEARS and I still remember that! UGH. Or it might be the friend who says, “You can’t do that. You wouldn’t be good at it.” I’ll spend hours trying to “spin” the playback into what I should have said to get back at the other person or how I could have presented myself differently for the outcome I wanted. The problem is they’ve moved on and I’m the one spinning around and around and getting nowhere. I begin to question my self-worth and my abilities.

Recently my computer had the nerve to do this to me. It’s a machine for goodness sakes. However, it decided to not respond the way I wanted it to. I was in the middle of working, typing away and it froze! All of a sudden the keyboard stopped working, the screen turned blue and then these words appeared, “...beginning dump of physical memory.” Seriously, I thought to myself, this cannot be good! I panicked and desperately tried to figure out how to stop it. Eventually I realized that something in one of the links that was loading was tainted, maybe even corrupt. My computer automatically recognized it and in order to maintain the integrity of my work went into a “safe mode.”

Don’t you wish we could do that? When someone hurts our feelings, says something that scars us, or an old painful memory comes back, why can’t we just “dump it”, and go into a “safe mode”. For me, dumping the words isn’t easy. Sometimes every part of me would like to just battle it out. That’s not healthy, and mostly it’s just my stinking pride. But I have figured out ways to go into a safe mode and not do the old drill of rewind, play, rewind, play. My safe mode is found in my relationship with Jesus Christ and knowing who He says I am.

Today if you’re struggling with letting go of some hurtful conversations, find a Bible and look up these verses. Try committing them to memory and replaying them in your head. Your safe mode will quickly become knowing the truth of who you are in Christ.

You were created by God–Psalm 139:13 “Oh yes, you shaped me first inside then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb.” MSG

You are loved by God-Jeremiah 31:3 ‘God told them, “I’ve never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love and more love.” MSG

You are forgiven-Colossians 1:14 “God has purchased our freedom with his blood and has forgiven all our sins.” NLT