Joel

I thought that this was a pretty good read and at a great timing for me. Especially when God tells the people to repent for what the people have done and instead of tearing their clothes to tear their hearts. How are we supposed to grow if we don't tear our hearts. Joel talks about how God will pour out his blessings on the people of Jerusalem when they do what he asks. When you do what asks he will bless you in whatever it is HE wants to bless you with.

   I feel as though sometimes we overlook things that God has blessed us with and then we don't realize it until later. Submitting to what God wants I have learned is so hard times. I think the struggle we have is that we are afraid for someone else to control what happens in our life. When you give God control, we lose control. I think of it as if I were in the driver's seat in a car and asking the person in the passenger seat to steer. You have to have a great trust in order to make sure that person is not going to crash the car. Or you could think of it like someone driving your car with you in it. If we can't trust in God to steer our car he will let you know. You will crash at some point. I thought I was giving God things recently and he showed me otherwise. In a way it can break you. There is always joy in the building process though. As something gets built you can see the beauty in it.
   You start to see what it is being built and the you can see the development in whatever it is. You really see that in people's characters and attitudes when they start letting God work in them. One thing I have learned from being a Christian and just life in general. If you realize you need to deal with something to make your life better, DO NOT WAIT. People talk about not having enough time or just say that they'll deal with it. The sooner you deal with it, the sooner you can leave it in the past. Make the time to deal with your issues. He will just bring it up another time that will be inconvenient as well. Let God work in you. It's not supposed to be convenient for us. Sacrifice and serving is not convenient. These things are what makes us humble in the Lord and his will. We must submit to him as a believer. There's pain in the night, but the joy omes in the morning (I love that song). Embrace his love to embrace others.