Transparency…

Zodiacal Light Seen from Paranal. ESO/Y.Beletsky

Good morning, beloved,

Ever have a day with the best of intentions and what you hope and what actually occurs are miles apart? I finished my study in the morning and was refreshed and encouraged and ready to face the day. And the little “sinners“who live in my house began their arguments, declaring their innocence in said arguments, shocked that anyone would insist that they were culpable. Each child had been robbed of their rights and needed me to know of the injustice that was occurring right in my home. First couple of occurrences, my head was level and I was controlled.

I want you to hear I lost it. I sinned. I yelled. I cried. I asserted my rights when my kids were just plain disobedient. I wasn’t asking the Lord to intervene. I had taken the wheel and whoa, my course gave me a chance to see my flesh in a whole new light. It crushed me.

This morning, I talked through the day with my hubby. I confessed my faults, my sins to Joshua and I knew my heart was healing. I was being restored to a spiritual tone of mind and heart. I pray for tremendous power only found in Him.  ¹⁶ Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. (James 5 AMP)

James had it right. Speak what swirls in your mind to a trusted friend or confidant. Don’t hide your sin. Don’t be ashamed of the fact, yes, fact that you are NOT perfect. We need people in our lives who are willing to be transparent. Asking for prayer for the deep things, the painful things, the things that are not solved with one conversation but with joined years of prayer. Jesus said, ⁴⁸ You, therefore, must be perfect [growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity], as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5 AMP)  We grow. We mature in godliness. Not in ourselves, but as we are transformed by the perfection of our heavenly Father. The question we should be asking is not what would Jesus do but what is Jesus doing here? (Scotty Smith)

“For the grace of God (His unmerited favor and blessing) has come forward (appeared) for the deliverance from sin and the eternal salvation for all mankind.  It has trained us to reject and renounce all ungodliness (irreligion) and worldly (passionate) desires, to live discreet (temperate, self-controlled), upright, devout (spiritually whole) lives in this present world,”        Titus 2:11-12 AMP

My thankfuls today:

88. I’m thankful for the blessing of confession.

89. I’m thankful for music that touches my heart and sings my heart.

90. I’m thankful for friends who love me and my family just they way we are.

Can I just ask one more thing? If you are on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest, and you enjoy my meandering on this blog,  would you consider sharing my blog with your friends? Thank you so much. Pray on. Pray on.