daily IMPACT by selahV

SMOOTH WORDS...heart of war

He came to me in the darkest hour of my life. I'd just lost my son. He told me this and told me that. His words were smooth and seemingly sincere. How could I know they were meant to deceive? How could I know they were covered in guile? I didn't. And I didn't find out for weeks afterwards. Imagine the broken trust, the crushed spirit, the wounded heart I had. He extended a hand of friendship and I accepted it with deep appreciation and gratitude and it was for naught.

"The words of his mouth were smoother than cream or butter, but war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords." Psalm 55:21.

It was so sad to discover his insincerity. The true motives behind the words meant to gain my trust and appease my grief were empty--void and without compassion or love. YET...

God never left me. He never let me down. His right hand held me and sustained me when the knowledge of the worthless words were brought to light. I threw myself upon the Lord. I buried my heart in His bosom and poured out the depth of my soul's weight.

"Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail). But You, O God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of destruction, men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in, lean on, and confidently rely on You." Psalm 55:22-23.

I admit I leaned too much on the words of this person. I trusted amiss. I misjudged and was deceived so he could cover his own iniquity and the iniquity of others. Yet, as I cast my burden upon the Lord--releasing the weight of it--I also released the bitterness and anger I felt at the same time. Only in releasing the pain of betrayal with forgiveness in my heart, was I able to truly receive the peace God offers in His sustaining grace. People let us down. People betray us. Harboring ill feelings hurts no one but ourselves. Today I can only pray for this young man--that God's mercy and grace be upon him and that God will not deliver justice deserved. selahV

[copyrighted, SelahV Today, 2008]

MOMENTS OF DISCONTENT

Sometimes we must look our discontent in the eye and ask ourselves why? Why am I discontented? What factors in my life brought this about? Could I have done something to avoid the place in which I now find myself? Why am I filled with such discouragement, distress, and concern?

“The backslider in heart [from God and from fearing God] shall be filled with [the fruit of] his own ways, and a good man shall be satisfied with [the fruit of] his ways [with the holy thoughts and actions which his heart prompts and in which he delights].” Proverbs 14:14. Amplified.

SATISFIED. When I read this verse I zeroed in on the word “satisfied”. The backslider is filled with the fruit of his own ways. But the good man is satisfied with the fruit of his own ways.

I’m satisfied when I am in God’s will; I feel contented. I never feel satisfied unless I am certain I am in God’s will. My spirit longs to be in His will and to follow His way. It is when I seek after my own way I find myself unfulfilled–dissatisfied.

“Do they not err who devise evil and wander from the way of life? But loving-kindness and mercy, loyalty and faithfulness, shall be to those who devise good.” Prov.14:22.

It doesn’t take much to backslide–to take our eyes off the Most High God. Satan prowls about and seeks to entice us, play to our weaknesses and bait us with our own pride-filled desires. It is imperative we surround ourselves with Christian brothers and sisters to help us stay on track. It is important to seek God’s face the second we sense we’re on the wrong path. Discontentment can signal a slip in our walk and a wedge between us and our Lord. Should it meet us in the day, we must stop, fall on our spiritual knees and seek God’s face and praise Him for His greatness in our lives. And He will guide us back and bring us satisfaction that only He can give. selahV

[copyrighted, SelahV Today, 2008]

YESTERDAY'S GONE

Today is nearly over and I’m just getting around to posting this devotional that should have been in the hopper to publish just after midnight by my standards. My procrastination serves as a reminder of one of the things I must do this evening. Let go of yesterday. Apologize for neglect. Forgive others for any neglect I may have had due to their own procrastination or forgetfulness.

Many folks are watching us. What are they seeing?

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us.” Hebrews 12:1.

Lay aside failures. Put to death the sin that entangles and presents a stumbling block for others. That is what I must do today, this minute before the clock strikes twelve and midnight turns to morning.

Then I’ll be prepared to RUN with patience, endurance and persistence, the race set before me that the Lord has in mind for my life. selahV

[copyrighted, SelahV Today, 2008]