From A Friend

The following is used with permission by a dear friend of mine.

She wrote it, I read it and have to share it.  Good Stuff.

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   Sooo… on the way to church this morning with windows down, hair flying, and praise and worship music blaring, it occurred to me that I am not only stubborn in most areas of my life I am also stubborn when it comes to being obedient to God.

When I go to Him and ask for clarity in a situation and He gives it to me I do the whole

“Ok but what about this?”

and finally He will just make it SO obvious and in a way that I can never forget that it causes pain for me.

Am I mad at God? Absolutely not! At myself? You bet!

So much pain in my life could of and should of  been avoided if I would have only listened the first 4 or 5 times, or however many.   He tries to spare me but I won’t let Him. I am the one keeping myself from what He wants me to have and who He wants me to be.

     Then when I get to church the sermon is on John 15:1

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”  John 15:1-8

Which branch of the vine am I? Uhmmmm….. WOW is right! As I listen with tears rolling I realize I am not the throw away branch, the fruitful branch, or the totally connected one, but I am the “pruned one more time” branch. He has cut me back and made it to where even though I didn’t want to give up some things I have to! So He can get me to the fruit bearing and connected stage for Him and His work. So I can receive all that He wants me to !  I will not be the throw away branch!

     Then on the way home Casting Crowns “Somewhere In The Middle” came on!  I am the problem so my eyes are wide open, my ears are going to hear the FIRST time, and I will get what He promised me in Jeremiah 29:11!

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

     This is for me,  if it touches you in some way great, if it offends you sorry not my problem take it up with who you need to.

“Somewhere In The Middle” by Casting Crowns