Godly Gals ~ Ronel Sidney
By: Ronel Sidney
Just as a person’s body that does not have a spirit is dead, so faith that does nothing is dead! James 2:26 (NCV)
Or is it actions?
Recently I have come to realize that words mean nothing compared to actions. Someone can tell you how much they love you but if their actions don’t show love you are forced to believe the action over the words. Same goes with people who claim to be Christian in the words yet in their actions they are living a worldly life.
We aren’t truly submitting our lives to Christ until we die to our natural reactions and instead allow His love to flow through us. Recently I have been struggling with my relationship with my mother and I have felt the urge to write her a letter to tell her how her actions are making me feel.
When I actually sat down and wrote the letter it was so harsh and in your face that I decided it wouldn’t be right to send it to her. So, instead I have to let it go, accept who she is and love with His love (maybe just from a little farther away).
Hatred stirs up trouble, but love forgives all wrongs. Proverbs 10:12 (NCV)
What the devil wants most is for us to be isolated and filled with hurt, anger and sadness. He wins if we choose to wallow in our own self pity and resentments. I don’t know about you but I want to wake every morning happy to be alive and blessed to be His child.
It can be so easy to be filled with raw emotion that we begin to allow it to consume us from the inside out yet; we need to cry out to God and allow Him to fill us with His love so that we may pour it out onto everyone especially the ones who have hurt us.
We have troubles all around us, but we are not defeated. We do not know what to do, but we do not give up the hope of living. We are persecuted, but God does not leave us. We are hurt sometimes, but we are not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
Sometimes we might have to love from a far while we regain our bearings and allow God to put up safe guards to guard our hearts from further hurt. I know in my situation I am no longer going to have any expectations on my mom instead I am going to be loving and accepting of who she is and most importantly recognize that “hurting people hurt people”.
I am going to pray for my mom and encourage her when I have the opportunity however; I am going to be careful when allowing her into my life. I am going to pour my heart out to God so that he can begin to change my opinions of her and he will help me she her in a different light. I want to see her with His light and not my own because the reality is that I am not perfect either.
May God help us all to let go of our hurt, anger, sadness and resentment towards any and all people. May he help us to see these people in His light and not our own. Lord guide us to be good examples of your love through our actions and NOT just our words. We thank you that you love us unconditionally and that you forgive us when we make mistakes. Lord help us to be like you in all we do and say. In your name we pray, Amen.
A little bit about Ronel:
She is a working wife and mom trying to find a balance in this crazy world and resides in San Diego, CA. She spent the majority of her 20’s searching for happiness and has now realized true happiness will only come when she is “home” with our heavenly father. So, now she is on a quest to become a better woman with the one who knows all.
