Reading: Days of Deepening Friendship by Vinita Hampton Wright
Her site and to buy this book : http://deepeningfriendship.loyolapress.com/
Chapter 17: Are you ready to be honest?
Just the title of this chapter makes you cringe a little. Just the fact that it asks that question makes us question if we are…we may say we are…but are we, really ready? Each of us has to make that decision…we can say it….but only we know within if we ARE or we AREN’T! Consider….
Vinita begins this chapter with telling us about John the Baptist and His call to the people for repentance…from the whole Judean countryside…all the people of Jerusalem came to hear ( WOW…it said ALL THE PEOPLE came to hear) and what did they hear, Vinita says—-“John’s no-nonsense message woke them up to their spiritual need.” Isn’t that what we need is to WAKE UP!!
NO-NONSENSE …in a world that sugar coats, band aid patches, and skews the truth…what we really need is no-nonsense =TRUTH. Truth makes sense. We don’t have to wrack our brains about it. IT JUST IS!!! Truth sets us Free…
Excerpt: When your soul is sending you signals that something is wrong but even good friends tell you not to worry so much and to give yourself a break, you will understand that something bigger is at stake. Spiritual awareness brings with it choices that sometimes only you will know about – those interior decisions that truly shape who you are.
What are you being called to do, to change, to let go of, to surrender…….
She goes on to write about how the WHOLE of society is BENT toward UNTRUTH.
The Doc says ~ take a pill so you don’t feel that way. Our Mind says ~ Tell them everything’s fine so you don’t have to deal with the gravity of the situation right now. Your Feelings says ~ Don’t ask direct questions its offensive. Your Ego says ~ Skate over wrongdoing, better yet cover it up. The people say ~ Its ok, its not that bad.
These are the crazy things people do and hear in this world. WE as GOD’S PEOPLE have to be careful that we are not CHOKING on that kind of LOGIC. (NONSENSE)
Excerpt: What does it cost you to tell the truth? Does your marriage limp along while both of you keep on doing the same old things in the same ineffective ways? If you told the truth, there would probably be fights and tears and horrible pain – but then at least you could begin to deal with the problems. Are you profoundly unhappy? And have you explored the possible causes of that unhappiness? If you learned what was wrong, then you’d need to act, wouldn’t you?
OHHHHHHHHHHHHH we are all BUSTED!!
While I know there are those of us who would rather have truth and let it grate our flesh and bleed than to be without it…however there are also those of us who are scared to death of truth. TRUTH requires us to DEAL WITH IT!!! Whatever IT is!!! It is sad to say but our human nature is just BENT toward COMFORTABLE SELFISHNESS!!! It is almost like we would rather lie, grin and fake it, manipulate or just plain take it …before we would just say PLAINLY what the PROBLEM is…what the TRUTH is…WHAT the ISSUE is!!! It takes great effort and much prayer and a strict regiment of habit to do RIGHT, live RIGHT, be RIGHT and let TRUTH be TRUTH and let GOD sort it out. Well isn’t that the issue. We do all that stuff for CONTROL purposes…come on!!.. we are getting HONEST right??!!
Vinita goes on to say that they had flocked to John the Baptist because He said : “You’re not ok, not at all. It’s time to change your life. Turn around and go the right direction, Face the truth – and you will know God’s mercy and forgiveness”
Facing the TRUTH is the problem we fight against these days and what we need most!! I would venture to say that most of us live in repressed, suppressed emotional hell holes inside our bodies and until we will …Heck until I was most steadfast on having truth –nothing changed!! NOTHING!
Its not like you have to all the sudden go over board and deal face to face with every issue you have at once we cant take that kind of pressure….ask GOD to show you where to start and be willing to just start following His lead to freedom. Maybe we have to start with our anger issues, our ability to be Melodramatic, or maybe its our pride or our critical attitude or gossiping tongue….He will tell you where to start and most likely you already know He has already said and you ignored Him! We don’t like to be uncomfortable or wrong or hurt or in pain do we??? Are we willing to be uncomfortable for a little while for FREEDOM! For PEACE Within!!
Except: When it comes to spiritual progress, the bad news usually comes first. One day you step out the door and run right into the consequences of your unwise choices and your entangled heart….God is already here, and you are already so completely loved that all of this mess will be just a little blip compared to what love can accomplish.
GOD is already HERE!! He knows what TRUTH we hide from and doesn’t condemn us for being weak. He offers His help. In our weakness He is STRONG. He knows how to get us through. TAKE COURAGE!!!
Acts 27:22
But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed.
But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed.
Whatever SHIP of NON-SENSE your Riding don’t worry, God can take care of you!! ONLY the SHIP will be destroyed. :0)
Better Yet JUMP OFF and WALK ON WATER!!!
Thanks for Listening
Starla
Sunday2Monday 
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