Pshhh....Peacccceee!

Well, well, well...I've been struggling with the issue of respect towards a church leader for some time. Don't hear me wrong...not submission but respect. Oh, God and I have settled that little area awhile ago. I submit to authority as long as authority doesn't ask me to sin, then if that authority is wrong that's between them and God. I'm off scott-free. Respect for that authority is the deeper struggle for me. Then Oswald hits me where I live with...'The Holy Spirit reveals that God loved me not because I was lovable, but because it was His nature to do so. Now, He says to me, show the same love to others--"Love as I have loved you." "I will bring any number of people about you whom you cannot respect, and you must exhibit My love to them as I have exhibited to you".' Oucheee!!!

And now after a not-so-peaceful gathering with family, I am hit with another deep challenge from Oswald. 'It is one thing to choose the disagreeable, and another thing to go into the disagreeable by God's engineering. If God puts you there, He is amply sufficient.' Oh how I do NOT want to hear that... Now I have had lots of run-ins with the disagreeable at my own doin'. But, I don't think I've ever voluntarily chose the disagreeable...I'm a comfort junky. I do think, however, that God engineered some disagreeable in this family-thing and I'm coming forth as gold. I was attacked and didn't counter-attack (old nature). Thank you God, that the only regret I have from the weekend was turning down the chance to get into a water hose fight with my little brother on the account of...I didn't want to get my hair wet.