A New Thought for the New Year

"Clip art licensed from the Clip Art Gallery on DiscoverySchool.com"

Warning: This is a long one folks, hope you're up for it,

because I believe strongly there will be a blessing from it!!

I'm tired of the old adage, "New Year's Resolutions"

quickly followed by the "shoulda, coulda, woulda's"

that's not all, then the "I'm gonna', and I will's"

but never do's!" (for all those grammar

enthusiasts, this sentence was deliberate)

How about a new thought for the new year!

Is anybody game for this?

I was reading some devotions this morning and one quote in

particular really struck me. It says, "Being deprived of something

you desire is better than having something you despise."

This quote is my running theme of this message by the way.

First thought... Ah! WHAT? That's from a selfish perspective of course.

But seriously, read that again and then again. Does this make sense

to anybody? My guess... not a first sight!

But then, after re-reading it, it occurred to me that it makes

total sense but can be quite a challenge to admit and here's

the kicker... accept it!

As far as my personal desires... gee, where do I start? I have probably

too many of them, some justified, realistic... others, I could still

live without. God knows em, in fact, He knows everyone's desires,

which is where this story gets more interesting... or at least, I think

so!

"Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires

of your heart" Ps. 37:4.

After remembering and reading this scripture verse, I'm

thinking, but why God, why do you take SO LONG to

answer them??? Does anybody else go through this?

Then, His spirit tugs on me again, Nichole, 'have you

really been delighting yourself in (Me) the Lord?" OR

are you relying too much on others to satisfy? Ouch!

Sometimes, I really dislike the truth, because it hurts.

Now that first quote is really making sense isn't it?

But its that dreadful word: DEPRIVED that

saddens me and even, some may agree, disappoints

honestly. I can't help but think about this verse

when I hear that word, DEPRIVED."1 Corinthians 13:1-3,

something like, ...but do not have LOVE, it profits me

nothing.

The crux of the matter:

The bible speaks about this subject more deeply in

1 Corinthians 7:5 -

Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time,

so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together

again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack

of self-control.

I believe, this quote applies to every part of our lives, not

just intimately.

In closing...

Here's the NEW THOUGHT for you and me:

Let's STOP depriving one another and challenge

this quote to its limit! Then, when you do, and still

nothing changes around you (lest you begin to

despise others), remember, God has your back

and will commit and fulfill His promises for your life

no matter how difficult it can be to live without.

Just LOVE, when people fail us, Just LOVE

when husbands won't understand and seem

angry all the time, Just LOVE

when wives are emotional and you can't figure

her out, Just LOVE, when parents

push our nerves, Just LOVE, when children make

mistakes, Just LOVE, when your friend forgets

something special, Just LOVE, when churches

fall away or apart, Just LOVE, when presidents follow

their hearts instead of God, Just LOVE, when a co-worker

refuses to cooperate, Just LOVE, when neighbors aren't

there for you, Just LOVE, when relationships don't seem

to ever look up or are unwilling to change, Just LOVE,

when landlords are greedy, Just LOVE,

when you are misunderstood, Just LOVE,

when someone gossips about you, Just LOVE,

when dreams are unfulfilled, Just LOVE,

when a loved one devastates you, Just LOVE,

when you are out of money and a ton of bills,

Just LOVE, when you

get what you want and find out its not what

you need, Just LOVE, when

your self-esteem is low, Just LOVE, when

promises are broken, Just LOVE.

LOVE... what does it really mean?

Seek Jesus Christ, He'll give you the strength to

even LOVE the unlovable.

We all have desires,

so why not BE the vessel God wants, to fulfill it for

others? Otherwise, you may very well end up

looking like the clipart image above if you don't act now...

Life is too short, lets start

loving through our actions, not just with our

thinking caps!