J
I feel led to lead Christian Chat for a while. I don't know for how long. It could be a week. It could be a year, but I feel like my asking for prayer hear is only stirring up frustrations for people. I have tried my best not respond defensively to posts, though I'm sure I've been unsuccessful occassionally.
Some you realize that while I have been in a very difficult season of my life this past year, God is doing something in me. Thank you for those of you who recognize that. Some of you however aree only frustrated by me. I mean no one frustration. But I will say this. I do not wish to offend. I mean this in the utmost of love because I too understand what it's like to feel like someone is just not getting it.
1) You never know what God is doing in a person. They may not understand. They may not be able to articulate it. But God is always at work.
2) You cannot judge a person's heart, especially across a chat site. You do not know their motivations. We look at their messages. We see their desperate cries that are peppered with drama and strife. God see's their heart. Remember that David was a pretty pitiful man during many parts of his life.
3) First rule of communication: validate the other person's feelings. Even if you can only understand a very small part, validate it. Tell them that they're experience is normal.
4) Do not impulsively send messages. If you are ready to tell a person how pitiful they are (even nicely) do not. Take a break. Do something else. If the Lord keeps reminding you, then thoughfully formulate a message using the sandwhich method. Do not vomit emotional frenzy in a reply to someone.
5) There are deep wounds that few can understand. If you do not have those deep wounds, or feel like you are above your deep wounds, then BE VERY CAREFUL how you respond. Your messages could very well be judgemental.
I hope that during my time here I have given hope to some people and spoke truth to them. I do know that God is doing something in me. Though many of you think I've fallen off the deep end, I am faithful. I will not leave the Lord. Sometimes I dig myself in because I feel like I'm bout to be sucked away by a whirlwind, but I WILL NOT leave the Lord.
May God bless you and keep you. May He show you the depth of His grace. May He surround you with his lovingkindness and cover you in His banner of love. May you always know who He is and who you are, and be surrounded by people who will remind you of those truths no matter how many times you don't believe them. I pray that you will be deeply rooted and established in His love for you, that you will know how wide and long and deep and high it is for you. I pray you will extend the love and grace that you have received freely to others, and without repayment. May the Lord, who was and is and forever will be, continue the work He began in you until it is perfected; and may we all have the eyes to see that work being done in others no matter how different it looks from the work in our lives.
Some you realize that while I have been in a very difficult season of my life this past year, God is doing something in me. Thank you for those of you who recognize that. Some of you however aree only frustrated by me. I mean no one frustration. But I will say this. I do not wish to offend. I mean this in the utmost of love because I too understand what it's like to feel like someone is just not getting it.
1) You never know what God is doing in a person. They may not understand. They may not be able to articulate it. But God is always at work.
2) You cannot judge a person's heart, especially across a chat site. You do not know their motivations. We look at their messages. We see their desperate cries that are peppered with drama and strife. God see's their heart. Remember that David was a pretty pitiful man during many parts of his life.
3) First rule of communication: validate the other person's feelings. Even if you can only understand a very small part, validate it. Tell them that they're experience is normal.
4) Do not impulsively send messages. If you are ready to tell a person how pitiful they are (even nicely) do not. Take a break. Do something else. If the Lord keeps reminding you, then thoughfully formulate a message using the sandwhich method. Do not vomit emotional frenzy in a reply to someone.
5) There are deep wounds that few can understand. If you do not have those deep wounds, or feel like you are above your deep wounds, then BE VERY CAREFUL how you respond. Your messages could very well be judgemental.
I hope that during my time here I have given hope to some people and spoke truth to them. I do know that God is doing something in me. Though many of you think I've fallen off the deep end, I am faithful. I will not leave the Lord. Sometimes I dig myself in because I feel like I'm bout to be sucked away by a whirlwind, but I WILL NOT leave the Lord.
May God bless you and keep you. May He show you the depth of His grace. May He surround you with his lovingkindness and cover you in His banner of love. May you always know who He is and who you are, and be surrounded by people who will remind you of those truths no matter how many times you don't believe them. I pray that you will be deeply rooted and established in His love for you, that you will know how wide and long and deep and high it is for you. I pray you will extend the love and grace that you have received freely to others, and without repayment. May the Lord, who was and is and forever will be, continue the work He began in you until it is perfected; and may we all have the eyes to see that work being done in others no matter how different it looks from the work in our lives.
