Temporary Happiness

I am stealing Tanna's title for today as my own. God had a lesson for me today and when He wants you to learn something it comes at you from all directions and I wanted to share.

As the months have passed the pain has not, I still cry daily. As I focus inward and ask myself why I am crying the answer is this: I am grieving, not for Daniel, not for my marriage, but for me...the old me. The old me wants to get even, be angry and yell, and go find someone I "deserve". But that is not of Christ and so I must die to those desires. A wise friend told me there will be lots of deaths on this journey and she is so right! And as I die to myself everyday it is so painful.

Romans 6:16
Don't you know you are slaves to anyone you obey? You can be slaves of sin and die, or you can be obedient slaves of God and be acceptable to Him.

For 30 years I was the slave to my selfish desires, and now to totally throw that out the window is hard. I have to form a new habit! My desire for temporary happiness is almost overwhelming at times, but as Tanna's blog quotes "Don't trade in what you want most for what you want at the moment!" My heart's desire is to please God and bless others and I will strive to accomplish that daily and by giving in to temptation to act in any other way will only bring a moment of happiness.

I also received this passage of text from a friend out a book she is reading which hits on the same topic I think.

"One of the growing believer's most difficult tests is to endure suffering while a reversionist (a believer who is running so fast from God that his lifestyle is not distinguishable from an unbeliever) prospers. The reversionist's prosperity may be blessing by association: it may be pseudoblessing from Satan's resources as the ruler of the world. Or, it may be designed specifically by God to test the growing believer. Will he get his eyes on the reversionist and become jealous? Will antagonism or bitterness neutralize his own spiritual dynamics? Will pressure cause him to seek overt prosperity rather than continue spiritual advance? Or will he say with Job, "Though he slay me, yet I will trust in Him" (Job 13:15, KJV)? Satan is keenly interested in the outcome of this testing. God, too, is certainly interested, but the believer is the winner. He develops an application of doctrine that binds him to the mast more securely than ever before!.........no matter what the source of the reversionist's prosperity, his lack of capacity destroys any possibility of enjoying what he has.......the reversionist is certainly no one to envy."

I think this poses a question of what am I going to do? How am I going to handle it? Will I give in for temporary happiness...

No!!