Quiet Time...

*This is a journal type post today. I have a lot on my heart right now and this is the best way to deal with it. I have been praying without ceasing all week and I feel like I have come to a break through. I hope this helps someone and that is why I feel that I must share it.

I don't know what God is trying to tell me but every time I open my Bible right now it falls to some passage about worshipping idols. So, I am trying to focus and really get what He is telling me. And, I am sharing it with you. Maybe it can help you in some way. So, please read along and focus on what He is saying in these verses:

Warning from the History of God’s People

1Brothers and sisters, I want you to know what happened to our ancestors F62 {that followed Moses F63 }. They were all under the cloud, and they all walked through the sea. 2Those people were all baptized F64 into Moses in the cloud F65 and in the sea. 3They all ate the same spiritual food. 4And they all drank the same spiritual drink. They drank from that spiritual rock that was with them. That rock was Christ. 5But God was not pleased with most of those people. They were killed in the desert.

6And these things that happened are examples for us. These examples should stop us from wanting evil things like those people did. 7Don’t worship idols F66 like some of those people did. Like the Scriptures F67 say, “The people sat down to eat and drink. The people stood up to dance.” F68 8We should not do sexual sins like some of those people did. In one day 23,000 of them died {because of their sin}. 9We should not test the Lord like some of those people did. They were killed by snakes {because they tested the Lord}. 10And don’t complain like some of those people did. Those people were killed by the angel that destroys.

11The things that happened to those people are examples. And those things were written to be warnings for us. We live in the time that all those past histories were pointing to. 12So the person that thinks he is standing strong should be careful that he doesn’t fall. 13The only temptations that you have are the same temptations that all people have. But you can trust God. He will not let you be tempted more than you can bear. But when you are tempted, God will also give you a way to escape that temptation. Then you will be able to endure it.

14So, my dear friends, stay away from worshiping idols. F69 15I am speaking to you like you are intelligent people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16The cup of blessing F70 that we give thanks for is a sharing in the blood (death) of Christ, isn’t it? And the bread that we break is a sharing in the body of Christ, isn’t it? 17(There is one loaf of bread. And we are many people. But we all share from that one loaf. So we are really one body.)
18And think about what happens when the people of Israel (the Jews) offer sacrifices. F71 When they eat the meat that is sacrificed, they are sharing their meal with {God at} the altar, F72 aren’t they? 19{So, what about food that is sacrificed to idols F73 ?} Am I saying that sacrifices to idols are the same as those Jewish sacrifices? No, because an idol is nothing, and the things offered to idols are worth nothing. 20But I am saying that when food is sacrificed to idols, it is an offering to demons, F74 not to God. And I don’t want you to share anything with demons. 21You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and then go drink a cup with demons. You cannot share {a meal at} the Lord’s table and then go share a meal with demons. 22Doing that would make the Lord jealous F75 ! And we don’t want to do that, do we? No, because he is much stronger than we are.

Use Your Freedom for God’s Glory

23“All things are allowed.” Yes. But not all things are good. “All things are allowed.” Yes. But some things don’t help {others} grow stronger. 24No person should try to do the things that will help {only} himself. He should try to do what is good for other people.

25Eat any meat that is sold in the meat market. Don’t ask questions {about the meat} to see if it is something you think is wrong to eat. 26{You can eat it}, “because the earth and everything in it belong to the Lord.” F76
27A person that is not a believer might invite you to eat with him. If you want to go, then eat anything that is put before you. Don’t ask questions to see if it is something you think is wrong to eat. 28But if a person tells you, “That food was offered to idols, F77 ” then don’t eat it. Why? Because some people think it is wrong, and it might cause a problem for the person who told you that. 29I don’t mean that you think it is wrong. But the other person might think it is wrong. {That is the only reason I would not eat the meat.} My own freedom should not be judged by what another person thinks. 30I eat the meal with thankfulness. So I don’t want to be criticized because of something I thank God for.

*Right now I am working my way through a lot of hurt in my life. I am very sad and heavily burdened. I also worry about even posting that because I don't want anyone to be mad at me. But, that's just the truth. That's how I feel right now. I sometimes feel very overwhelmed with the pain in my life and with worrying about everyone else's pain. Sometimes I feel like it is choking me. Maybe that is what God is trying to show me. Maybe I am turning this pain into an idol. Maybe I am letting it control my life. After all, I can feel someone's pain without it shutting me down. Why do I let it cut me so deep? Because I love these people. But, do I love them more than God? That is the question I am asking myself today. Why do I not trust God to take care of these people; pain, issues & all? God loves them just as He loves me and it is time I let God handle the hurt and the anger that I feel. It is time that I give them up to Him completely and just pray. Stop dwelling. Just pray.

I am sorry if this makes absolutely no sense to you or if it offends you in some way. I do not intend for it to. I am just dealing with a lot right now and sometimes I just have to get it out and let it go. This is about some things that have happened this past week in my family and I am just having a hard time with processing it the way I need to right now. So, please pray for us.

I hope that this can help you in some way.

Love you all,
Julie