BETTER NOT BITTER

AS I REFLECT OVER GOD'S SOVEREIGN HAND IN MY LIFE, I CAN HONESTLY SAY I AM BETTER NOT BITTER. SOMETIMES WHEN YOU SHARE WHAT GOD HAS TAKEN YOU THROUGH, IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL YOU CAN SOUND ANGRY. I APOLOGIZE IF THIS IS THE WAY IT SEEMED AS I TRIED TO SHARE MY RECENT EXPERIENCES. I AM NOT BITTER I AM BETTER. I BELIEVE THE BIBLE AND I BELIEVE ROMANS 8:28, NOT SOMETHINGS BUT ALL THINGS ARE WORKING FOR MY GOOD. DO I ALWAYS LIVE IN THE REALITY OF THIS TRUTH? NO. I AM A SINNER SAVED BY GRACE. AS A BORN-AGAIN BELIEVER IN CHRIST, WE STILL SIN. BEING A SAVED MAN I AM NOT STOIC, NOR DO I THINK WE SHOULD ADOPT THEIR TEACHING. WHEN WE KNOW WE HAVE BEEN TREATED UNJUST IT IS OFTEN DIFFICULT TO MAKE DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN THE ACTS AND THE ACTORS. WHEN THESE THINGS OCCUR, WE DON'T NATURALLY RESPOND BY SAYING, "I HATE THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DESTROY MY LIFE, BUT I LOVE YOU. IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEPARATE THE ACT AND THE ACTOR AT THAT TIME. GOD SUPPLIES THE GRACE NEEDED AS WE GROW IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. HOWEVER, TODAY MY HEART IS FREE OF GRUDGES AND RETALIATION. THE BIBLE SAYS, GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT. I BELIEVE BITTERNESS IS A VERY DANGEROUS THING. IF BITTERNESS SETS UP ROOT IT WILL CONTAMINATE YOUR FRUIT. I DO WISH GOD'S RICHES BLESSINGS UPON ALL OF HIS PEOPLE. LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO SPEND TIME WISH BAD ON OTHERS. THE BIBLE TELLS ME NOT TO GLORY IN THE FAILURE OR WEAKNESSES OF OTHER. I MADE A STATEMENT ON MY BLOG SAYING, "I AM BACK". I DID MEAN THAT IN ANY ARROGANCE OR CONCEIT, I SIMPLY MEANT, THAT I AM FINDING TIME TO BLOG MORE. TRIALS AND TROUBLES WILL ALWAYS COME, HOW WILL WE HANDLE THEM? WILL THEY MAKE US BITTER OR BETTER. WHEN CONFLICT ARISES THE FIRST PLACE TO EXAMINE IS ONES SELF. MUCH OF MY TIME THESE DAYS IS BEING USED FOR SELF EXAMINATION IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE LORD. PRAYING AND ASKING HIM TO MAKE ME A PASTOR WHO LOVES HIM AND HIS PEOPLE, AND THE EVIDENCE OF THIS IS A LIFE OF OBEDIENCE. I AM BETTER NOT BITTER. PLEASE PRAY FOR MY GROWTH AND MATURITY IN CHRIST.

FOR HIS GLORY ALONE!