the cost of being blessed (2)

[ladylovesJesus]

The word 4U 2day

he cost of being blessed (2)

'"...SIT DOWN AND FIGURE THE COST..."' LUKE 14:28

Will you pay the price? How many times have you prayed for a particular thing without realizing how much it would ultimately cost you? Success always comes with a price tag. God opening up doors, answering your prayers and giving up opportunities can be hard work.

When He placed Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, they still had to do the gardening! Jesus said when you're 'planning to build...sit down and figure the cost.' For example, when God gives you a breakthrough don't expect everybody around you to jumping up and down with excitement. Some people will give you a hard time. Some will be jealous, often these people want what God's given you, but they're not prepared to pay the price you've paid. They can see you're running faster in the race but they don't want to push through the pain to catch up.

James says, 'Where you have envy and selfish ambition...you find...every evil practice' (James 3:16 NIV). When your enemies are having a go at you, it's not easy. It's much harder when those who are close to you are giving you a hard time. It can be painful to be criticized by people you respect and trust, it's worse to veer from the course God's charted for you in order to gain their acceptance and keep them happy.

If you KNOW what God has told you to do but you are scared to do it because you don't want your friends or your parents to be upset, be careful, you may be missing out on God's best. Talk and pray about it with someone you can trust.

 

[Dreamer]

The word 4U 2day

' For example, when God gives you a breakthrough don't expect everybody around you to jumping up and down with excitement. Some people will give you a hard time. Some will be jealous, often these people want what God's given you, but they're not prepared to pay the price you've paid. They can see you're running faster in the race but they don't want to push through the pain to catch up. /quote]

So very true.

A lot of times....I have experienced a twinge of jealousy when friends got to go on short-term mission trips. And I never have been called to go on one and have never had the money or the opportunity.

So I force myself to pray for them while they're on the mission trip. It hasn't always been easy. I would rather be there with them myself than pray for them. But it's a blessing when they return and say, "Thanks so much for praying for me!"

Now I've received sort of a "promotion" recently in home missions in my county. The other ladies from my jail ministry are jealous. They have not been happy with me from day one, ever since I heard different things from God than the ideas they were coming up with. To be honest, it has been a big pain. I've been under stress for a number of weeks about this. One of the main ladies, who I thought was my friend, took personal things I had told her and called several pastors in the county and spread lies and gossip about me.

I have forgiven her and today I went out to her house. ( I used to go to her house a lot, until the Lord started using me more in this ministry.)

We hugged each other today and made reconciliation. It was a beautiful moment. She knows I'm not returning to their ministry, and I think she is relieved. She feels somehow that she must compete with me, and that was never, ever my intention.

I had a beautiful walk today out in the fresh air with my son in his stroller. The Lord talked with me about some things concerning jail ministry/halfway house. It was so healing what He said to me!

Pleasing God and loving Him is what it's all about, people. It is by grace we are saved, and it is also by grace that He allows us to be used by Him.