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advice on how to hug a porcupine

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lostANDfound:
thank-you for your encouraging words and prayers Arc. 
thank-you too Nan for your prayers.

John from Kentucky: i'm trying to understand your tone, perhaps i have it wrong.  i don't want to control her, i want to rest knowing that i have done as i should towards her.  if she dies tomorrow, or if she finds truth in this life and repents, or if she goes on a 10 year in-the-gutter on-the-news bender, it is part of our Fathers plan.  i know that.  it's more that my desire to "do the right thing" is frustrated by the fact that i don't know exactly what the right thing is in this situation.  i don't believe we're called to just kick back and watch the show- we're IN the show.  and i feel as though you might not have thought through the statement "let Jesus save her."  none of us are in any position to "let", "allow", "authorize" or "enable" the creator of the universe to do or not do anything.  so we drop the "let" part.  Jesus will save her.  i want to be a useful tool in the masters hand in this process of saving her.  despite our unworthiness, it pleases Him to use us to achieve His work.   yes i'll be useful IF God intends me to and i won't if He doesn't.  i get that too.  i feel like i might be stepping off of solid ground here so correct me if i'm wrong, but (part of) how he gets us to do His will is by motivating us to, and i'm motivated.  but now what?   
i suppose to answer my own question, i look to Him for guidance.       

despite my confusion or maybe difference of opinion, thank-you too for your response, John from Kentucky.  i pray that this is received in the spirit it was given.

GaryK:

--- Quote ---  i don't know exactly what the right thing is in this situation.    i want to be a useful tool in the masters hand in this process of saving her.  POSTED BY LOST AND FOUND
--- End quote ---

Not that it matters to the pricing of tea in china, but it appears to me that you and John are 'talking past each other'.....as John put it the other day in another topic.

You have the right attitude, and your love and compassion for another human being is showing itself.  Sometimes that may be all you CAN do.   Rest assured, and I believe everyone will agree, if he, Christ, wants to use you as a tool in the process, any process he has in his plan, that is what you will do.

   

--- Quote ---the best thing most men can do is to just shut up. POSTED BY JOHN IN KENTUCKY
--- End quote ---

John, I too, so often speak rather bluntly and to the point, not so much when I write in a forum presence, but in person.   And most times I don't mean it to come out exactly the way it sounds....but it does....and my wife is all too often begging me to 'soften up a bit'.  All that is to say that I believe your point, and your words were not so much tough, but direct.  And there's nothing wrong with that in my book.   Some could say it's a bit of tough love.  And sometimes standing back IS tough love, but, is also what is needed in some instances.  Tough love is like common sense in this world now, very little of it.

But the part I really understand,as I too get older in age, is the 'shut the mouth' part.  And now, I too, will do just that.

gk

PS: If anyone is offended by this post, please re-read the 'tough love' part.     ;D ;D ;D

lostANDfound:
John from Kentucky: no harm done my friend!  i really was just trying to understand what you meant, and make what i meant more clear.  thank-you again for your advice, which i think i understand a bit better now. 

GaryK:  you are a peacekeeper at heart, aren't you?  thanks.

and for the record, "bluntness" might be something we 3 have in common.  blessing or curse?  i suppose it's how you wield it.  either way, i'm very thankful for the backspace button as it is WELL used.  just need one for my mouth. 

 

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