Doug E. Pudge

A Few Things I Am Learning

You know, I was thinking. It is no surprise to anyone who knows me and reads this blog on a regular basis that I have been in the valley of battle lately. One of the joys of the valley is understanding that there is something to learn along the way. Over the past couple of days my situations in life haven't improved but have even become more stressful. But, my joy has once again returned (at least on some level) and I can feel and hear God again! It is normal for me to challenge myself regularly to become the best me that I can become for God. In doing that sometimes I seem to develop some unrealistic expectations. I was convinced that I had shared my struggles one night at our mens group meeting and was wondering why it felt like I was still carrying this burden all by myself. I have learned this week that what I shared that night did not even remotely touch the hem of what was really going on with me. This is one of the battles that I have had with the deceiver! Upon further review, I realized that I had started to internalize the hurt and pain that I was feeling because I wasn't able to feel and hear God while I was fighting this battle. I can't tell you how many times that I would recite or read Romans chapter 8 and know without a doubt that God loved me and would never abandon me! But something was missing so what conclusion did I come to? Well I must be doing something wrong. There must be some sin there that is preventing you from hearing the Father! Wrong! You see, although there is always going to be sin, God has forgiven me before it even happens! God will not prevent me from hearing His voice when I am really seeking Him. So why is it that my peace has been gone? Why haven't I heard God? Simple, the voice that I have been listening to has either been mine or that of the deceiver! I was looking in the valley for the answers to making it through the valley! I was stumbling around in the darkness looking for the light switch! I was led to believe that I could see the answers right where I was. Wrong again! After sharing some specifics with Peter, James and John (read yesterday's post if you don't understand) I began to gain perspective! I began to feel and hear the father again. Although I believed fully that I had done this step to a certain degree, I discovered that once again I had been deceived!
So let me bottom line this for you. If you are in the valley engaged in battle, the deceiver is right there working hard to prevent you from making it through and growing as God would have you to grow. He does not want you to leave! He does not want you to grow! He wants you to get used to and accept the circumstances that you are in. He want you to think of you situation as being normal and acceptable! He wants you to become ill tempered and ineffective as a warrior for Christ. I rebuke that spirit in the name of Jesus right now! Satan has no power here, he has no authority here and if for one minute you believe he does then he has that foothold that he so deparately wants. Don't give in, don't loose faith and don't ever think that God doesn't care. HE WILL BRING YOU THROUGH THE VALLEY. Be blessed beyond belief today.

posted by Doug E. Pudge @ 8:08 AM