I've been having to learn an important lesson in life. It's called standing up for myself. I was taught when I was young that I have no say in pretty much anything about me. I was told what I'd do for fun, when I'd do it, and how I'd do it. I remember I'd find something fun to do (that was not in any way dangerous) only to be forbidden from it because of pointless reasons. I was taught that I must obey my parents but I don't really think anyone taught that parents shouldn't crush my spirit. I partially attribute this to why people say I act far older than I look. I was also taught that I respected all older than me. I remember getting to know a man at church one time and I kept saying yes sir to him and he had worked so hard on getting me to stop that. In fact, I think I called him sir today. The fact is that Donnie is probably only ten years older than I am. It's something that has been drilled into me to the point that if McDonnalds was to short change me by five dollars I'd hesitate about going to get things straightened out.

I've began to realize (however slowly) that I need to stand up for myself but in a Christian way. Today I stood up for myself against someone who regulary tries to run people over (sadly true). I may had done it in the wrong way by doing the opposite of what I was asked but I had had enough of being oppressed by this person. I do think it may have driven the point across, however, that I'm done being passive when it comes to this individual and I will stand my ground. God has called us all to be unified but when He has a will he expects for me to follow His will because I'm not the one causing a break in unity but the one who follows not His will but their own. This has come after a lesson through the last message to the youth where the Lord revealed to me that I also need to take a harder stand against Satan. Satan likes to discourage me and I'll honestly tell you he does a good job at it. Many times it's through this individual who I stood against today. I think about when Jesus said "Satan get behind me" when Satan was using Peter. I think sometimes Satan uses people to run us over. Let's set the record straight: Not all Christians are named Matt, they aren't flat and don't lay in front of the door with welcome written on their foreheads. I've felt bad all day for just hitting those drums harder but I've realized that Jesus probably would have done the same thing. You may say, "Well maybe you are being a bit too loud". That is the same thing I told myself for sometime. Satan will try to tell you lies like that too! I got to where I hit those drums so lightly my hands and feet went to sleep and yet I was still "too loud". People were telling me they could barely hear me over the piano anymore. I realized I was listening to a lie from Satan that had me so discouraged. I decided that I'm going to play as the Lord has told me to play it, for Him. The day I switched and played normally again I saw people clapping to the beat and actually lifting their voices to the Lord. 

What I'm trying to say is that you need to stand up for yourself. Satan will try and lie to you. He is the father of lies! The Lord is truth. Study the Bible and find the truth. Then stand up against lies. When it comes to another person, especially another in Christ, remember Ephesians  4:26 says Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath. I'll leave that to your personal interpretation.