I Could Choke Somebody

How do you feel when you know someone is not living in God's will or is deliberately doing his or her own thing? What if you know that thing is morally, spiritually, and physically wrong and those circumstances have wrecked and laid havoc on so many peoples' lives?

I want to grab that person by the shoulders and say, "WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!?!"

{Sigh.} {Big Sigh.}

Tonight I read about Paul's testimony in King Agrippa's court. Paul told the king how he had persecuted the Jews and about his conversion on the road to Damascus. He reminded the king about the things that Moses had taught and then asked, "King Agrippa? Do you believe the prophets? I know you do." And King Agrippa replied, "Paul, surely you do not plan to make me a Christian so soon." Discouragement. Sheer discouragment. And the ironic thing was that Paul was already in chains.

My friend ticks me off! I want to yell and scream at her. But when I prayed about it tonight, I heard God say, "Pray. Pray without ceasing." And, so. I continue to pray. I pray inspite of my friend's actions. I pray inspite of my own disappointment and lack of faith (somewhat) that anything good could actually become of these prayers. It's hard to imagine a changed life....a new road and a fresh start for her. But then again, that's exactly what God did for me.

It just hit me just now that I am limiting God. Limiting Him by the way I want things "fixed" and how I want so-and so's life cleaned up. I want to witness a "miracle story" and yet God is capable of so abundantly more. My new prayer will be for God to do so abundantly more than I could ever hope He could in my friend's life.