If I may, I'd like to digress a bit. I promise it will all make sense! I am a seamstress. If ever I needed to do so, I could make my own clothes. In fact, I made most of my clothes in high school even my pants. I was very proud of the fact that I could make my own clothes and I enjoyed every aspect of the process; from choosing the pattern to choosing the fabrics and accessories, like buttons and zippers. I used to buy corduroy for my pants and denim too, these fabrics have what is called a "nap." These types of fabrics have texture to them, and depending on the light or the direction the fabric is turned, will make it look like it is a different color. I have also bought many pieces of patterned fabrics for skirts and blouses. When I would shop for fabric, it was necessary to choose the correct one for the article of clothing I planned to make. If I were to use a patterned or floral or striped fabric, I needed more yardage, so that I could match the nap/design to each piece of my pattern. After all, you wouldn't want the stripe to be horizontal on the back of your blouse, while the front was vertical! There were times that I would spy a bolt of fabric on a shelf, but only see a small portion of the fabric's design. I would need to remove the bolt from the shelf, and let it "unroll" a bit, so that I could see the full picture of the design. There were times that I would need to flatten out the fabric with my hands, because it had large folds or wrinkles in it too. These folds and wrinkles would distort the pattern on the fabric.
Now, back to the topic at hand. Wrinkles and folds on my skin can "distort" how I desire to look! I know, these are apart of growing older, but don't we all try so hard to not let them show? I know that I do!!
Cosmetic companies spend millions of dollars on advertising telling women that a good foundation will "fill-in" those little wrinkles (some of mine aren't so little anymore!) around our eyes and mouth; making them appear smaller than they truly are. They will even go so far as to say that if you use their products, you won't even get wrinkles.
The Lord tells us, in the word, that trials and tests will come; and even if they didn't, just daily living can be a trial sometimes! We have families to care for, homes to manage, maybe even a job outside of our homes. We have ministries to do, a husband to serve, and a God who desires our ALL!!
I have learned that if I don't take my every thought captive, I will at some point, see my problem or trial in an ungodly light. If I am not careful to apply the words of God to my situation, my view/perception of it will become distorted.
Lately, during my quiet time, I have been reading the book of Numbers. I just finished reading something today that was the prompt to write this post.
Numbers 8:1–4 The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to Aaron and say to him, ‘When you set up the seven lamps, they are to light the area in front of the lampstand.’ ” Aaron did so; he set up the lamps so that they faced forward on the lampstand, just as the Lord commanded Moses. This is how the lampstand was made: It was made of hammered gold—from its base to its blossoms. The lampstand was made exactly like the pattern the Lord had shown Moses.
The Tabernacle lampstands are a picture of the Holy Spirit. They were a "visual" given to the priests of Israel, to guide them into understanding the importance of not doing their priestly duties "in the dark." Notice how the lampstands lights were to be facing forward! These lights were given to light the way to the Most Holy Place. It was to show the priests, the children of Israel, and us, that one of the Holy Spirit's works in our lives is to light the way! The way to where? The most Holy Place, where the ark of the covenant was. And on this ark was the Mercy Seat. So often when I am going through a difficulty or a trial, or I'm just living my life, I find that I can see things in such a distorted way. I find myself attributing to God characteristics that are not true about Him. I can think that He doesn't care, that He doesn't see what is happening. I find that I forget about MERCY and GRACE and TRUTH!! I find that as I "look" at God through my distorted view, the way becomes unclear and dark. I also do this to people. I find that if I don't turn to the Lord in every encounter with people, I will wind up seeing them in a "wrinkled" way. Just like the bolts of fabric, it takes removing them from the shelf and allowing them to unroll, smoothing out the wrinkles and folds with my hands, to see the "true" pattern of the fabric, and not the one that was distorted by those folds and wrinkles. I must apply this same principal in my dealings with others. I need to ask the Holy Spirit to give me a clear view of the person's heart and motives, for He alone knows this. I need to ask Him to show me portions of the word that might apply to the situation. For if I continue to look at people or my trials, with all their "folds and wrinkles," I can be assured that my view of them will be wrong, and ungodly.
Being a pastor's wife entails living under the scrutiny of others, we live in a "glass house" so to speak. Sometimes people will want us to meet their needs, to be their all in all. In place of turning to the Lord, they will want us to be there for them whenever they need us. There is no way to get around this, I believe that it will always be so. I have found that there are times when this doesn't bother me much; but then, there are times when it bothers me a great deal!
I have a "people-pleaser" type of personality. This type of personality can be a blessing, but it can also be a curse! The blessing side of it brings a heart that wants to help, and it brings an ability to "see" on peoples' faces their need for a hug or a good word. The cursed side of it is that if I am not careful, I will take to heart what people think of me or say of me, instead of the listening to the Holy Spirit. As I have said in previous posts, the "words" or the "person," can become an idol to me. If I don't allow the Holy Spirit to "light the way," I find that people's words or actions will motivate me; and only the Holy Spirit of God is to be obeyed.
Another way that it can be a "curse" is when someone has a real need. If I am not careful, I can step in rashly before speaking to the Lord about it, and that is not good for anyone! I must remember that God loves that person more than I do and He alone can meet their deepest needs. Yes, sometimes He will use me, but I need to stop and ask Him first! I don't ever want to take the place of God in someones' life.
Each day as I am applying the foundation to my face, I ask the Lord to help me to see the world and the people around me through the light of His Holy Spirit. I truly want to have eyes that have a clear view of life. I want a mind that will meditate on the word's of God, and not on my circumstances or the words of another. Unlike the cosmetic manufacturers, God can promise and deliver a view of life that is "wrinkle-free!"
Psalm 26:3 For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, And I have walked in Your truth.
(This is the fourth post of a series titled, Incorruptible Beauty. Please ask permission before you copy or use any portion of this series. Thank you)
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