Friday, February 12, 2010

Thin Places

This post below is my entry to win a Kindle based upon Mary DeMuth's newest book, "Thin Places." To enter you have to write a 259 word essay (the cost of a Kindle) on a thin place in your life. You can enter too if you're interested.

What is a Thin Place? "those times where the division between this world and the eternal fades; they are snatches of holy ground, tucked into the corners of our world, where we might just catch a glimpse of eternity."

I experienced a thin place this week. I had been disobedient to God, not intentionally at first, but over time, 6 months time, it became true disobedience and I suffered the repercussions. The fallout from my disobedience was escalating all around me. I refused to do the one thing that would fix it, and that was to tell someone that they had said something that had hurt me. Our words are the most powerful weapon that we have in our arsenal. Satan had used someone words to wound me and God was aware and had given me the weapons to fight what Satan was doing, but I would not follow God’s instruction. I was going to do it my way, the way the world said, and just “get over it” but the wound would not heal. It festered and spread, and poisoned, first the relationship with my friend, and then those around us.

This week the band-aid was ripped off, the wound exposed, and the poison removed. My precious friend had no idea that Satan had gotten a foothold that grew into a stronghold. By my being honest God destroyed the stronghold. Looking into my friend’s eyes and hearing her laughter and feeling her hand in mine God healed the wound and even rewarded my obedience (finally) by replacing all that hurt and pain with joy, and love, and gratefulness, and forgiveness of my disobedience.


When we walk as God instructs us, we are allowed the thin places, glimpses of glory, to cling to when the world gets hard.

4 comments:

Jessica Kirkland said...

I needed to hear this today. I find myself "here" a lot. I have two relationships that no matter how hard I try to do right, they criticize and belittle me. The wound is there and raw. I just today was crying out to God to show me what to do about the situation. Sounds like you might have just given me some pretty good advice. Thanks!

Leigh said...

Jessica,

Thank you so much for sharing your heart. It is hard but God does give us the tools that we need in order to address the situation. Fortunately, the friend I had was also a woman that was mightly in love with God, so together we were able to push through to the other side and she was wonderful. Check out Matthew 18:15-17. Simple instructions that God has given His children in how to deal with hurt feelings or offense, simple yes, but not easy.

Jessica I would love to talk more about this with you and I will be praying. Do not let it takes months like it did me. Satan just loves to keep us bogged down in something that God's grace will get us through.

Leigh

Mary DeMuth said...

That's such an important post. We tend to fester when we disobey the Lord. Thanks for sharing your story.

Kim said...

Great post! You are truly awesome to share your personel struggles. God has given you a awesome gift, and I know you will do great thing with this. Love Ya!