Hooker....
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As I read the book of Numbers, I am fascinated by the detail in God's Word. Oh.My.Gosh.
For a girl who is not big on details, just give me the big picture please, I am blown away by the intricacy woven into the pages of God's Word. I never cease to be amazed. My mind cannot comprehend His Magnitude.
Along with reading the book of Numbers here with you all on SHINE, I am doing another bible study with some friends. I wasn't thrilled with the book we chose to study this go around, but I bought it anyway. You know, why not.
However, a few weeks ago, I fell onto some words in this bible study that rocked my little world.
The author encouraged us to "let the world, the people we love, and ourselves off the hook."
Let me repeat this again: "Let people off the hook."
When I read those words, immediately I thought of my husband. Conviction washed over me as I thought of the many times I blamed him for circumstances around us.
For example: The behavior of our children. You know, specifically when they don't mind. Somehow I have convinced myself that it is my husband's fault. If he were around more, helped me more, or read the Bible more--our kids would be so much better. On the hook he goes.
OR, when we are crunching numbers on a budget. I somehow think it is because of his poor choices, or not managing our money well that made us be in this situation. Again, I put him right back on that hook.
OR, when I am in a funk. I blame him for not praying for me enough. Or not being what I need him to be for me. I compare him to other fellas who seem to be doing it better. Even if I don't verbalize the comparisons, you can bet that I compare in my head. If only he were like so-and-so. So-and-so seems to pray for their wife and lead his wife in bible reading on the back porch as they sip their morning coffee out of a perfect Christian bookstore mug!
Why do I make everything Lem's fault and keep him hanging on this imaginary hook?
I immediately prayed for God to forgive me for ever putting Lem on that hook. I also prayed that Lem would forgive me for being a "hooker". [giggle giggle]
Lem is not the only person I have left high and dangling on that big silver hook.
There have been friends that I thought didn't support me enough in things that I was going through. Or they didn't seem to encourage me enough, or show up enough, or were not thoughtful enough.
I would keep them on the hook until I felt the punishment had been long enough. Or, I would just keep them on the hook and move on. They just weren't able to meet my high expectations. I deserved to be treated better than that. So, I would just move on along. Pride in tact. Never looking back.
Along with putting others on a hook, I have put myself on a hook too many times to count. I have had severe bouts of self-condemnation, which lead to low self-worth and low self-esteem. When I could not live up to the expectations that I had for myself, I would plunge into a pit of self-loathing. Falling right down onto that hook. Perhaps this hook is the one I have used the most. I would keep it polished and ready. Waiting for the next plunge.
Here is the problem..
Our husbands are not meant to be our saviors.
Our friends are not meant to be our saviors.
And...
We cannot save ourselves.
So, who does that leave to save us?
"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12
"We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world." 1 John 4:14
Most of the time, we are so busy licking our wounds that we forget to look to Him, our one true Savior. The Savior that is able to save us....Jesus Christ.
When we are looking to Him, our vision is restored. Our perspective is made crystal clear.
When our faith and trust is in Him, we let others off the hook. HE is the One we need. He is the One our hearts truly crave.
No person or thing will ever be enough for us. He is the only Perfect One to meet our every need.
"I will proclaim the name of the Lord. Oh, praise the greatness of our God He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he" Deuteronomy 32:3-4
"Let people off the hook". Yeah, I need this tattooed on my wrist. Both wrists, actually.
Friend, if we want to live in God's will for our lives, we have to look to Him alone to fulfill us. He is the only One that can live up to Perfection. Because, He is Perfect.
"His Way is Perfect" Psalm 18:30
Jesus took us off the hook when He died on the cross for us. All of our sins, every last one of them, nailed to that cross. Gone.
Since we have been freed from the hook, we must do the same for others.
Fill in this blank today. Pray it until you feel the release. Oh, the freedom from setting another free.
"Father God, today I am letting __________ off the hook. I release them, and I ask that You forgive me for putting them on that hook, Lord."
Praying, breathing, exhaling, and releasing,
jill
New to SHINE? Start here.
Connect with us on Facebook.
As I read the book of Numbers, I am fascinated by the detail in God's Word. Oh.My.Gosh.
For a girl who is not big on details, just give me the big picture please, I am blown away by the intricacy woven into the pages of God's Word. I never cease to be amazed. My mind cannot comprehend His Magnitude.
Along with reading the book of Numbers here with you all on SHINE, I am doing another bible study with some friends. I wasn't thrilled with the book we chose to study this go around, but I bought it anyway. You know, why not.
However, a few weeks ago, I fell onto some words in this bible study that rocked my little world.
The author encouraged us to "let the world, the people we love, and ourselves off the hook."
Let me repeat this again: "Let people off the hook."
When I read those words, immediately I thought of my husband. Conviction washed over me as I thought of the many times I blamed him for circumstances around us.
For example: The behavior of our children. You know, specifically when they don't mind. Somehow I have convinced myself that it is my husband's fault. If he were around more, helped me more, or read the Bible more--our kids would be so much better. On the hook he goes.
OR, when we are crunching numbers on a budget. I somehow think it is because of his poor choices, or not managing our money well that made us be in this situation. Again, I put him right back on that hook.
OR, when I am in a funk. I blame him for not praying for me enough. Or not being what I need him to be for me. I compare him to other fellas who seem to be doing it better. Even if I don't verbalize the comparisons, you can bet that I compare in my head. If only he were like so-and-so. So-and-so seems to pray for their wife and lead his wife in bible reading on the back porch as they sip their morning coffee out of a perfect Christian bookstore mug!
Why do I make everything Lem's fault and keep him hanging on this imaginary hook?
I immediately prayed for God to forgive me for ever putting Lem on that hook. I also prayed that Lem would forgive me for being a "hooker". [giggle giggle]
Lem is not the only person I have left high and dangling on that big silver hook.
There have been friends that I thought didn't support me enough in things that I was going through. Or they didn't seem to encourage me enough, or show up enough, or were not thoughtful enough.
I would keep them on the hook until I felt the punishment had been long enough. Or, I would just keep them on the hook and move on. They just weren't able to meet my high expectations. I deserved to be treated better than that. So, I would just move on along. Pride in tact. Never looking back.
Along with putting others on a hook, I have put myself on a hook too many times to count. I have had severe bouts of self-condemnation, which lead to low self-worth and low self-esteem. When I could not live up to the expectations that I had for myself, I would plunge into a pit of self-loathing. Falling right down onto that hook. Perhaps this hook is the one I have used the most. I would keep it polished and ready. Waiting for the next plunge.
Here is the problem..
Our husbands are not meant to be our saviors.
Our friends are not meant to be our saviors.
And...
We cannot save ourselves.
So, who does that leave to save us?
"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12
"We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world." 1 John 4:14
Most of the time, we are so busy licking our wounds that we forget to look to Him, our one true Savior. The Savior that is able to save us....Jesus Christ.
When we are looking to Him, our vision is restored. Our perspective is made crystal clear.
When our faith and trust is in Him, we let others off the hook. HE is the One we need. He is the One our hearts truly crave.
No person or thing will ever be enough for us. He is the only Perfect One to meet our every need.
"I will proclaim the name of the Lord. Oh, praise the greatness of our God He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he" Deuteronomy 32:3-4
"Let people off the hook". Yeah, I need this tattooed on my wrist. Both wrists, actually.
Friend, if we want to live in God's will for our lives, we have to look to Him alone to fulfill us. He is the only One that can live up to Perfection. Because, He is Perfect.
"His Way is Perfect" Psalm 18:30
Jesus took us off the hook when He died on the cross for us. All of our sins, every last one of them, nailed to that cross. Gone.
Since we have been freed from the hook, we must do the same for others.
Fill in this blank today. Pray it until you feel the release. Oh, the freedom from setting another free.
"Father God, today I am letting __________ off the hook. I release them, and I ask that You forgive me for putting them on that hook, Lord."
Praying, breathing, exhaling, and releasing,
jill
