Division

Praise the Lord, I was just convicted to NOT send an email. I had spent the entire evening drafting out emails to several people with whom I have had conflicts in the last 2 weeks. I have a habit of reading and re-reading emails excessively, and then I finally pray over them before I hit send. This pretty much goes for all emails.

Well, I've been struggling with some stuff and the emails were sharing my point of view. My point of view is important to me, but really gets in the way of ministry, at least that was the conviction that I felt when reading over my drafted emails. The last thing I want to do is cause division amongst the people of God, and I fear that those emails would have done just that.

I start by saying praise the Lord because that's really what I have grown accustomed to doing when I feel conviction and also in times of trials. Just saying it helps me to transfer ownership of the problem to God. God kept those emails from hitting target, and helped me realize the err of my ways. It's selfish to have a point of view contrary to that of my leaders because I'm putting the wrong thing first.

Lord, thank you for the conviction that you place in our hearts, and thank you for guiding us through that conviction. Please forgive me for harboring selfish thoughts, and also for typing out thoughts that might have caused division. Thank you for the wisdom of my wife who has frequently reminded me that the send button is a one way ticket that can't be reversed. God, you have all things in Your control, and I want to transfer ownership of these trials to You because I cannot handle them on my own. For your glory, in all humility, -obed.