Reason #613
Aaron and I spent our evening at the fair tonight. I volunteered to help out at the corn dog booth for work, so I got there at 3:00. After frying corn dogs for 3 hours, I smelt like one myself. Aaron met me after he got off work and we walked around to look at the exhibits, watched a tiger show and a monkey show (which was adorable), and stuffed our faces with all sorts of fair food. We did take a stroll through the rides, but we didn't dare get on one. I don't trust those things, and I would have definitely lost my dinner on the first spin. Anyway, it was a fun night. And today was definitely one of those days I needed.
I try to read the Proverbs 31 devotional every morning. It really is amazing how often the devotionals speak to my current state. It's when little things like that happen that my heart is just overwhelmed by God's goodness and love. This morning's devotional talked about how God turns our mess into a message. How clever is that? Our mess give us something to talk about. A message to share. And because of our mess, we can tell others the message about how God changed our lives. Turning our mess into a message. I love that, and I needed to hear that today.
You know, a lot of times I refer to the things that have happened and keep happening in my life as my story. Something that is being written and won't be over anytime soon. But I thought about messages and what's the different between the two. Messages get your attention, right? They rely really important and vital information for the listener, usually giving specific instructions. There are convicting messages, encouraging messages, and inspirational messages. But when we get a message, we make sure to read it. We don't want to miss out on anything, and we want to be up to date. Stories, well sometimes we lose interest in those causing us to take our time getting through them. And although both are important, sometimes I think we need to focus more on the point we are trying to get across than all of the details.
This is where I'll admit I struggle. I am so detailed oriented it's pathetic. I always give overly detailed recaps of every situation and scenario. I make sure I never leave information out, as I view it all important. But sometimes I realize that I just need to get the message across more than anything. I don't want to lose people in the details, I just want them to get the main point. And so I've never really looked at turning a mess into a message. We don't have to share the details. We don't have to thoroughly explain everything. We just have to state the fact and make sure the thing that is highlight is the message. For me, that message is the Lord. In one way or another, He is the one who makes the difference in all the twists and turns in my story. He is the one that I am wanting people to know about. I don't really want them to know about me or the characters that have been woven in and out of my story, I want them to see the Lord in it all. I want them to understand the important stuff like the fact that He is a God who restores. That God redeems. That God is good and loving and provides to meet our needs. That He is hope and healing, and that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. That's really what I want people to hear, and that's my prayer now and forever.
And so I praise God that He takes our mess and turns each one into a message. An opportunity to tell of His greatness. A chance to spread salt and light to those who have yet to taste of His goodness. A chance to give Him the glory and in return, to be used in really incredible ways. Because there is no mess that God can't use if we'll just let Him. And when we do, we usually look back as we are giving our message, and we realize how God always turns those very things we wish we could change into strangely beautiful messes.
#613 - Because He will turn our mess into a message.
"You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me." - John 15:3-4
I try to read the Proverbs 31 devotional every morning. It really is amazing how often the devotionals speak to my current state. It's when little things like that happen that my heart is just overwhelmed by God's goodness and love. This morning's devotional talked about how God turns our mess into a message. How clever is that? Our mess give us something to talk about. A message to share. And because of our mess, we can tell others the message about how God changed our lives. Turning our mess into a message. I love that, and I needed to hear that today.
You know, a lot of times I refer to the things that have happened and keep happening in my life as my story. Something that is being written and won't be over anytime soon. But I thought about messages and what's the different between the two. Messages get your attention, right? They rely really important and vital information for the listener, usually giving specific instructions. There are convicting messages, encouraging messages, and inspirational messages. But when we get a message, we make sure to read it. We don't want to miss out on anything, and we want to be up to date. Stories, well sometimes we lose interest in those causing us to take our time getting through them. And although both are important, sometimes I think we need to focus more on the point we are trying to get across than all of the details.
This is where I'll admit I struggle. I am so detailed oriented it's pathetic. I always give overly detailed recaps of every situation and scenario. I make sure I never leave information out, as I view it all important. But sometimes I realize that I just need to get the message across more than anything. I don't want to lose people in the details, I just want them to get the main point. And so I've never really looked at turning a mess into a message. We don't have to share the details. We don't have to thoroughly explain everything. We just have to state the fact and make sure the thing that is highlight is the message. For me, that message is the Lord. In one way or another, He is the one who makes the difference in all the twists and turns in my story. He is the one that I am wanting people to know about. I don't really want them to know about me or the characters that have been woven in and out of my story, I want them to see the Lord in it all. I want them to understand the important stuff like the fact that He is a God who restores. That God redeems. That God is good and loving and provides to meet our needs. That He is hope and healing, and that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. That's really what I want people to hear, and that's my prayer now and forever.
And so I praise God that He takes our mess and turns each one into a message. An opportunity to tell of His greatness. A chance to spread salt and light to those who have yet to taste of His goodness. A chance to give Him the glory and in return, to be used in really incredible ways. Because there is no mess that God can't use if we'll just let Him. And when we do, we usually look back as we are giving our message, and we realize how God always turns those very things we wish we could change into strangely beautiful messes.
#613 - Because He will turn our mess into a message.
"You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me." - John 15:3-4