| Sometimes I need slapped! |
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Last week I had a rare monday night off from work and I wasn't sure what I was going to do. I had just gotten home from spending 2 days in southern California for Fishfest, and I was pretty tired. About 6:30 p.m., I got a call from my friend Jeff (aka Starsky) inviting me to Sacred Revolution at the church, where his roommate Dave was doing the speaking.
My first reaction was not to go because I'm 40 years old and this was a college crowd. I didn't want to feel out of place. Then I decided to get over myself and go hear the message. I'm glad I did. Dave gave me the slap in the face I needed (not literally) that night.
The whole message was great, but he made one point that really stuck with me. He asked all the guys to think back to all the times we've ever been rejected or dumped by women in the past. Remember the feeling that left with you. That's the same feeling we're giving God every time we don't put Him first in our lives! Ouch!
I thought back to 2 particular women from my past, Beth and Susan. I was deeply in love with them ( at different times), and they both dumped me in favor of other men. Those were the lowest points in my life. I remember the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that wouldn't go away. I felt worthless. When I think of leaving God with that feeling, it crushes me.
In recent weeks, I've been making a conscious effort to make sure God is first in all areas of my life. But when I think of all the times in the past when He wasn't first in my life, I feel terrible remorse.
Every time I skipped church to watch the Steelers......
Every time I cut my bible and prayer time short to call that certain girl I liked.....
Every time I chose to read that Stephen King book instead of the bible.....
Every time I made a bad decision without praying about it first......
Every time I have bad thoughts about other Christians.....
etc. etc.
I'm hurting God's feelings every time I do these things. In the future, I'm going to try to remember this every time I have a decision to make. I have to put God first.
Thanks Dave for the slap in the face I needed!
Take care and God Bless!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jeff H aka Hutch |
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