Lenten Reflection #21:TGIF-Thank God for Friends
It has been good for me and for my relationship with God to be blogging daily again. I had gotten out of the practice of writing. I really had been experiencing quite a writers block. This seemed to happen at the exact the time that I had given in to God's nudging to right a book about playing church under the working title, "Stop!". For many years, I had felt the Spirit leading me to do this and had worked on it to the point of the basic outline, the chapters and began the introduction. I had spoken on the topic several times and had preached a revival where it was clear that the pieces to the the book puzzle were coming together. Then I stopped writing. I have had it in the back of my mind but have not gotten to it. It even stopped me from blogging. I was just blocked when it came to writing.
Here is a theological truth that we all should understand. When God is at His best that is when the devil works his hardest.
The fact that we encounter difficulties when we are trying to follow God is not a sign that we are doing something wrong. It most likely means we are doing something right. The devil does not want us to do the will of God. In those moments that we are is when he is going to go to work on us. He is going to try to make it difficult for us. He will fill our minds with distractions and with negative thoughts. He will try to convince us to believe that it is too hard or we just are not good enough.
Sound familiar?
Thanks be to God that we are not in this alone. God gives us others who are on the journey with us. Friends to fan the flame of the Spirit in us. Friends to inspire us and encourage us towards God's intent for our lives. Friends to spur us along toward love and good deeds.
God led me as I started the process to write a book to share with some close friends about the idea of the book and the desire to write it. Yesterday, I received a message from one of my dearest friends who I had shared this calling with . I missed his call but he went ahead and left a message to "spur" me. I popped into his mind and he just wanted to see how things were going and particular how the book was going. I am grateful for my friend. I thank God for you.
That is Hebrews 10 stuff. That is everyday living in relationship with God. Following his leading, living his love, spurring one another along towards love and good deeds. I thank God for friends who will go on the journey with me. I pray that I too may be one who spurs others along towards love and good deeds. That I can be one who helps others live in and grow in relationship with God.
Greater is he who is within us then he who is in the world. Be encouraged today. Lets do this together.
In Christ's love and mine,
Doug
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