Things I've Learned

 I’ve learned it’s okay to laugh! I have a sense of humor and I believe it's God given. I know God at times looks down at me, shakes His head, laughs and says, “Oh daughter, what am I gonna’ do with you”. 

 It’s okay to cry! Crying is cleansing! When I get my heart broke or my feelings hurt, I cry and Abba Father holds me and cries with me. Jesus is moved by our tears! When He cried at the tomb of Lazarus, it wasn’t because Lazarus had died; He knew Lazarus would live again. He was moved to tears by the tears of Mary and Martha. And you know what...He catches our tears and keeps them in a bottle and records them in a book. That tells me it’s not only alright to cry but our tears are important to Him. And an amazing thing I’ve learned, when He collects our tears He has to touch our face. Do you see that....He has to touch our face in order to collect our tears? I call that intimacy! 

 I’ve learned it’s okay to make mistakes! I’m flesh and as long as I’m wrapped in flesh I’m gonna’ make mistakes. God only asks that I learn from them. Sometimes I may make the same mistake more than once but when I do; I realize there’s still something for me to learn.   I’ve always been hard headed and stubborn so sometimes it takes more than once for me to ‘get the message’. God knows….! 

 It’s okay to stumble and yes even fall! I do so, often! I stumble and I’ve fallen but He’s always been there to catch me and help me back on my feet. He’s never scolded me for stumbling! He just brushes me off, dries my tears, bandages my wounds and tells me to start walking again. 

 I’ve learned you don’t have to always agree with a brother or sister. Siblings have disagreements, misunderstandings. We may see/hear things differently. An example...when my momma was in the hospital, there were 3 or 4 of us in the room when the doctor came in to talk to us and can I tell you something....not all of us agreed on what the doctor said. We all ‘heard’ different. How does that happen? I dunno but it happens almost every time. Sadly it’s the same in the Christian world. You can put several people in a room and have them read a scripture and I’ve found it rare if everyone sees the same thing, gets the same interpretation. Try it sometime and see, I have. Also, someone will say Holy Spirit told me this and someone else will say but Holy Spirit told me it was this way. Same Holy Spirit but different interpretations of what He said. Now we all know Holy Spirit is not the author of confusion so we know He didn’t tell someone one thing and someone else something else. How does this happen? Is it because we hear what we wanna hear? Is it because if we heard the ‘truth’ it would hurt too bad to accept so we take our own interpretation and run with it because we can’t face the pain of the truth. How often are people misunderstood, it happens all the time with me. People misunderstand what I say and even put words in my mouth, words that I never said. Could it be possible that’s what happens when we hear Holy Spirit...we sometimes misunderstand what He says and even maybe put words in His mouth to suit our own need. Hmmmm 

 I’ve learned it’s okay not to be religious! In fact, I hate religion! It was the religious that killed my Savior. I don’t have to keep all the ‘rules’. Jesus did for me! He took all the rules and nailed them to the cross with Him. He became a curse so I don’t have to be! Thank You Jesus! I for one choose to live and walk in the freedom He died to give me. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed! Jesus has only asked me to do 2 things…love Him and love those He loves. My salvation was bought and paid for at Calvary with the precious blood of Jesus! When He said, “It is finished!” Honey, He meant it! I can’t add or take away from what He did! I have to wonder why some people fill that they have to finish His finished work! 

 I don’t have to go to church every time the doors are open, in fact, I don’t have to go at all. God is not confined to a building, you can’t box Him in. He’s made His home in my heart so when I need Him I just look into my heart. He’s as close as the whisper of His name! As close as my next heartbeat! 

 I’ve learned it’s okay not to be perfect! I am so flawed! I am so broken! But God can take our brokenness and use it to help other broken people. He can take our messes and make messages out of them, our tests and turn them into testimonies. He can take a victim and make them into a victor! In fact, the only way God can use us is if we come to Him broken. He delights in brokenness He says a broken and contrite heart He’ll not deny! If we consider ourselves whole, what need do we have of Him? If we consider ourselves perfect and know everything...what need do we have of Holy Spirit? The more I think I know, the more I realize I know nothing at all! But through all this, 

 I’ve learned to just trust Him and rest in His rest! THAT’S THE KICKER! That’s what it’s all about, resting in Him! Trust Him to lead me into the paths I should go! Trust Him that He will finish what He’s started in me. Did you get that? He will finish what He began in you! He will not leave you ‘hanging’! 

 I don’t have to do anything except trust in Him, lean on Him! In my life, I’ve often asked Him something and got the same answer..."Do you trust Me?” or just plain ole “Trust Me”. I have to always remember that He loves me! I am the apple of His eye, I am His child and He will not EVER steer me wrong! Father really does know best! *smile* I just have to have an ear to hear and listen always for that still small voice. 

 I’ve learned I don’t have to try to live the Christian life; I have Someone living in me that does it for me. Hallelujah! 

 But the whole gospel in a nutshell is love! God is love so if we want to be like Him we must love like Him! We are to have His heart! We are to love Him and love the ones He loves! So what if you have a disagreement with a sister of brother...love them. Hold them in your heart and pray for them. He said they will know you’re My disciples by the love you have one for the other! Not they will know you’re Mine by the way you dress! Not they will know you’re Mine by what you eat or what holidays you observe or don’t observe! Not by how religious you are or appear to be! Not how much you know (or think you know) or how many diplomas/degrees you have on your wall. BUT HOW MUCH YOU LOVE OTHERS! 

In His love, 
Elizabeth