Think before you speak

Recently on Facebook I saw a post about 5 Things I Think Christians Shouldn't Say

5) “That’s not Christian . . .”

4) “I love the sinner but I hate the sin . . .”

3) “You need to surround yourself with some good Christian people . . .”

2) “You just have to do God’s will . . .”

1) “It’s all in God’s plan . . .”

I have a sixth item I would like to add to this list and it is regarding to my illness and something that a couple of people have said to me “If my faith were stronger I would not be sick” one even said that “It is because I am a sinner that I am still sick”.

I cannot tell you the amount of times that I have thought back to that statement “If my faith were stronger I would not be sick”.  This has hurt me deeply to have been told this – more than once – and I wonder if the ones who said it truly believe it?  How would they feel if somebody said those words to them?  Would they feel the support that they are looking for or would they feel slapped and knocked down?

When I was told this I felt slapped and knocked down.  I would pick myself up and dust myself off, but something later on would remind me of those words again and I would feel myself getting knocked down again. 

Matthew 17:20 says “Because of your little faith,” Jesus told them. “For if you had faith even as small as a tiny mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move!’ and it would go far away. Nothing would be impossible.” (Living Bible)

Matthew 19:26 says “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (New International Version)

No, my faith is not as small as a tiny mustard seed because I have never moved a mountain, but with God ALL things are possible!  It does not say that some things are possible.  It does not say it will be possible when I say for it to.  It says with God all things are possible.

Now here comes the tricky part – here comes the part that stumps me because I am very impatient.  When I say I want something now – that is what I mean, I want it now, but you see there is somebody who has a plan much, much better than anything I could ever come up with. 

Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Living Bible)

Who am I to argue with God’s plan?  Who am I to say that I should be healed because this is making my life uncomfortable and I no longer want to deal with it?  Who am I to say that I know better than God does?  Who does somebody else think they are to say that it is my faith that is keeping me sick and not God’s plan?

A woman at church has told me that I inspire her.  She said because I keep trying to live and do things that it encourages her to try and do things.  Maybe that is God’s plan for me is just to encourage this one woman!  Maybe God’s plan is for me to encourage others with health problems! I don’t know his plans, but I know that I have to wait and be patient on the Lord!

Isaiah 40:31 says “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Living Bible)

It says to “wait upon the Lord”!!  Waiting is one of the hardest things for me.  I am a very impatient person!  But what a reward I have for waiting – they shall mount up on wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.  With my health I could never imagine running and not being weary or walking and not fainting, or in my case staggering.  God is not telling me this might happen, he is saying it WILL happen!! 

God has a plan and I have no idea what it is, but I have to be patient and wait on Him.  I am trying to wait; I am trying to be patient.  I am trying to not lie in the floor kicking and screaming and saying I want it my way and I am tired of waiting.  It would be so easy to do that, but then the perfect plan would not come to fruition! 

To read the article about 5 things I don’t Think Christians Should say please follow this link:  (http://reluctantxtian.wordpress.com/2012/05/17/5-phrases-i-think-christians-shouldnt-say/)