Who am I?

I was just reading an email from a dear friend of mine who was in Ethiopia on a mission trip. While there she visited lepers, AIDS affected communities, schools and church plants. Of course I read this after I spent the morning whining about how my shoulder hurting and how I was frustrated with certain people in my life. As I read her email it was like a knife had been thrust into my heart. What gives me the right to complain or whine about anything? I may be having a flare up of arthritis, but at least I have joints to flare. When did I become a judge of my circumstances as well as of others. Did God decide when he created me that one day I would take over His job? No way!

I am judged a lot by others. I know this. Sometimes their judgements are correct and sometime not so correct. In the times they are not correct I get upset and hurt and I want to lash out at them. Isn't that how God feels? When I judge HIS children don't you think He might get a little defensive. Who am I to question my Creator as to what He Created in me or others? I screw up - a lot. I lie, I cheat, I steal, I have probably committed murder in my mind by hate and vengeance, I defraud God, I do all the things I am not supposed to. But hear this - God pardoned me. He gave me a free pass to freedom. I just have to chose to continue to take it. For a long time my husband and I didn't tithe God's money. We definitely felt the implications of this. After awhile we got the hints. We changed our whole beliefs and spending. We re-started our budget, we follow the budget, and yet we still have fun and have a life. We just do things that dont cost money. Games, movie nights, outdoors, singing, dancing, hanging out. Our little ones love it!

God isn't a killjoy when He asks is to obey. He loves to bless us when we do. We just need to be able to see the blessing for whatever God gives. So today remember who you are - a child of God. A child to be loved and cared for - every day of your life! Remember that you are held by His boundless grace no matter where you come from