Some days can be described as
"Bitter-Sweet"
Not-so-good and Wonderful
all wrapped into one.
Oh how my flesh wishes it could always be sweet, sweet, sweet with no bitter. But life isn't like that, is it?
I'm learning that my job in this world is not to make everything seem "sweet." And I'm finding that sometimes I have to step back from what I perceive as the "bitter" and ask God for His perspective.
There's always contrast, opposition, differences of opinion, incongruity and conflict.
It was wonderful meeting up with two of my aunties today. I haven't seen them for over thirty years. Living in America most of my life, I grew up with just my immediate family around me. On a few occasions, when I was quite young, I was sent during school vacation to stay with my Granny or one of these aunties.
Later that afternoon, we walked along the cobblestone street to the local pub for a Scottish dinner. I linked in to one of my auntie's arms, squeezed tight and told her how much I'd missed her. I rested my head on her shoulder and soaked in the love. At dinner we all laughed and smiled, told stories and reminisced. How wonderful it all seemed!
Later that evening, we returned to one of their homes to chat some more over a cup of tea. As I scanned the room, I noticed that my auntie collected witches. One hung in the corner of the living room from the ceiling. Another was situated by the fireplace. Still another sat by the door looking into a makeshift crystal ball. "What's with all the witches?" I thought. It wasn't like her decore was Gothic, by any means. It was more on the cute an playful side. But there, on a side table, next to a bed, sat a very thick, black book entitled, Witches. Interesting bedtime reading?
As the evening progressed, the conversation changed to the topic of Tea Leaf Reading and Ouija Boards. Long story short, at our next visit, they were considering a little "spirited fun". I made it clear that I didn't like that kind of stuff and that I wasn't going to participate. Even still, they were planning to do a little fortune telling with the tea leaves. It was suggested that I could go in the other room.
So, let me give you a little background. My grandmother was a Spiritist and used to read tea leaves. And it wasn't that unusual for the family, on occasion, to pull out "the board" and have a little go at it. Personally, I never got into any of that, and didn't participate. I was always a little creeped out by the whole thing and just decided to stay far away from "spiritual" matters of that sort. My sister, however, thinks it's a bit of a joke. She just sees it as a game and is convinced that someone in the group is the one moving the glass that points to the individual letters leaving a mysterious message. I think she even admitted to moving the glass herself one time to spell out a word.
So remember Sozo? I spent quite some time, during those prayer and deliverance sessions, specifically renouncing the effects of generational involvement in witchcraft and the occult. There was no way that I was going to open the door and invite it all back in! I made it clear to my sis that if they were going to be doing that, I would find something else to do that night. She thought it ridiculous that I would make such a fuss, but assured me that we wouldn't get into it.
She's the older sister. My voice is very small in her world. I get that she doesn't get it. And so I tried to explain that I've done some serious study in this area. I've seen and know people who have been demon possessed. I've prayed for people who have had demons. But she casually blew it off as just "my way" of looking at things. I just wanted to grab a hold of her, look her in the eyes and shake her. I wanted to shout out, "Will you listen to me! I know what I'm talking about here and you don't want to be messing around with these spirits! In fact, I did just that, in a bit more of a collected manner, of course. What can I say? Sometimes people are just blind and closed. You can ask a blind person over and over again, what color your sweater is... but they can't see it! It's a useless endeavor.
One time, while on a Christian women's retreat, I met a young woman who told me that for decades she had been experiencing bothersome spirits in her home. They would shake and rattle in her closet, night after night, often keeping her fearfully awake for hours. She just learned to put up with it. As we talked, we traced it back to a time when she was a child, on a family camp out. Her and some other children found a Ouija board and decided to try it out. When it was over, the kids all returned to their respective homes. The spirits, though not invited, decided to follow her home and take up residence. We prayed right then and there. She renounced her involvement in such things, in Jesus Name, and boldly proclaimed she was "shutting the door." Months later, she testified that the spirits had left. The chaos was gone for good. Her home was now filled with Peace.
Years ago I almost lost my son to drugs. Two months prior, while in prayer, I had a vision from God of a Strongman kicking my son around like he was a slave in chains. I didn't understand the vision at the time. Later, I came to realize that Strongman was a demon of drug addiction.
You've heard me say many times... "Nothing is wasted!" Last summer, while I was in deep prayer and intercession, God reminded me of that same vision. He told me that a day would come when I'd be speaking to groups of people and that He'd bring back to my mind that same picture of the ugly Strongman. He noted that it would be a clear sign to me of demonic involvement in that person's life. Then He told me that I was to call out the spirits, in Jesus Name, and proclaim freedom over their lives. He then assured me that He'd take it from there.
"Me? He wanted me to do that? Yikes! Remember God, it's Me we're talking about. I don't have any ability to set people free."
He reminded me...
"The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in You!"
Romans 8:11
I'm not able to set people free, but the Holy Spirit that lives in me is more than able to do just that! It's His job! And He works in partnership with Christians, like me and you, to do accomplish that!
So time will tell how things all turn out. Today was a day of pushing the heals of my RED shoes into the ground and taking a stand on what I know to be true, even when I'm out-numbered. There was no huge Victory per say, but there was no lost ground either and that is a victory of another sort.
Today was a seed planting day. And I'm trusting that those seeds will be watered, and in time, God will work out His perfect plan. Oh how I wish for a harvest! In due time, harvest season will come. In the meantime, I am recognizing that in my life... where things are so often perceived as Black and White, there's another option... RED. My RED shoes remind me to, not only look for God, but to be an example of His love. Without love, it doesn't happen. I must train myself to become a lover of the people God has in my life.
Patiently waiting in RED shoes.
Gail
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