Don’t Get Burned!

“I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being.” Ephesians 3:16

I have been continuing to sort through some old papers. I found some of the notes I made when Floyd was so sick, which included two quotes that particularly had an impact on me. I think I shared them back at the time, but I wanted to share them again because the Lord brought them to my attention a few days ago.

“Nothing that comes to us can injure us unless it causes us to have a wrong attitude. It is one’s response that blesses or burns.” Paul Billheimer

I remember praying over that quote more than once and asking God to help me to have a “good” attitude in all that was happening in our lives. I wanted to come through it all without getting burned. When I struggled with something, didn’t understand something, I learned to immediately take it to the Lord. I didn’t always get understanding, but the Lord helped me give things to Him. He protected my heart from a “wrong” attitude.

“The eternal essence of a thing is not in the thing itself, but in one’s reaction to it. The distressing situation will pass, but one’s reaction toward it will leave a moral and spiritual deposit in his character that is eternal.” Amy Carmichael

Wow—that’s a pretty big statement! And it’s so true. Most of the hard things I go through will pass, but I want my heart to remain right. I want to “react” in a godly way. I asked the Lord many times in the years past with all we were going through to help me respond the right way. There were some big ministry things as well as Floyd’s illness and my cancer, and some other hard things happening in our extended family. Sometimes it felt like a tsunami hitting me—things from all sides. I thank the Lord for carrying me through it all.

I was glad I came across these quotes because I’m praying them afresh with things I’m walking through now. I find them a good guideline for normal life, as well as when going through hard times. Christ in us/me is greater than the pressure of anything around us! Our inner strength in Him protects us when blows and burdens press upon us.

Continually speaking out praise, worship, trust and thankfulness to the Lord has protected my heart and kept me focused on God’s goodness. It also allowed me to see the “blessings” in the midst of the hard times. It kept me from being “burned.” And there were many blessings! I’m so grateful that God helped me see them.

Lord, keep our hearts in the right place when we encounter various trials. Help us react in a godly way to the hard things. May our reactions be godly. Amen.