When is the last time you have been provoked?
All of those who have kids probably could say, "A few minutes ago".
A few years ago a prophet spoke a word over my life. He said,
"You are a provoker and God will teach you by provoking you. Let Him provoke you."
Hmmmm, it is not something I was looking forward to as an enjoyable experience. Kind of like having sandpaper rubbed on your skin, with no clue of why it is happening at the beginning. you Been there?
Sometimes God brings an individual or incidents into our lives to provoke us.
Here is the definition of provoke.
pro·voke
In the last two years I have had quite bit of number one. People and circumstances that treid to push me over the edge. That was not there pupose though in the mid of God.
This I would say, was the rough grade sandpaper in process. The roughness of these things made me angry or vexed me. (to torment; trouble; distress; plague; worry:)
Usually, if honest, I probably vexed whoever or whatever right back.
I don't guess I often clapped my hands in glee when I recognized that I was being provoked.
If I had believed the word of the prophet I guess I should have.
There is a verse from my morning devotion that hit me--Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets. - Amos 3:7
How many prophets have you had speak into your life about what God is planning?
Would you recognize them if they spoke to you? Of course we should always take there words to the Bible and to God for affirmation.
I know in the past that I have tendency to run from those who provoke me.
I don't like feeling uncomfortable and edgy.
When the provoking comes it arouses and pulls forth what God has planted in us--if we let it.
Yesterday, my pastor told me that the circumstances in my life have been planned by God to teach me how to use my spiritual gift. Maybe part of my frustration has been because I have refused to use my gift in my everyday life. He said that I am to open my mouth and speak the truth.
Sounds like a "duh" statement I guess--but it is true for all of us.
Have you ever thought that possibly the reason we go through such times of frustration and aggravation, might be because we are trying to handle things in the flesh instead of with the gift God has given us. I guess it would really be compared to hold back the rushing river that is flowing up from deep inside--- by simply closing our lips. You can feel the pressure building. And instead of opening our mouth and speaking the TRUTH---we explode in the flesh.
My goal this week----open my mouth (in love) and speak the truth.
All of those who have kids probably could say, "A few minutes ago".
A few years ago a prophet spoke a word over my life. He said,
"You are a provoker and God will teach you by provoking you. Let Him provoke you."
Hmmmm, it is not something I was looking forward to as an enjoyable experience. Kind of like having sandpaper rubbed on your skin, with no clue of why it is happening at the beginning. you Been there?
Sometimes God brings an individual or incidents into our lives to provoke us.
Here is the definition of provoke.
pro·voke
| 1. | to anger, enrage, exasperate, or vex. |
| 2. | to stir up, arouse, or call forth (feelings, desires, or activity): The mishap provoked a hearty laugh. |
| 3. | to incite or stimulate (a person, animal, etc.) to action. |
| 4. | to give rise to, induce, or bring about: What could have provoked such an incident? |
| 5. | Obsolete. to summon. |
In the last two years I have had quite bit of number one. People and circumstances that treid to push me over the edge. That was not there pupose though in the mid of God.
This I would say, was the rough grade sandpaper in process. The roughness of these things made me angry or vexed me. (to torment; trouble; distress; plague; worry:)
Usually, if honest, I probably vexed whoever or whatever right back.
I don't guess I often clapped my hands in glee when I recognized that I was being provoked.
If I had believed the word of the prophet I guess I should have.
There is a verse from my morning devotion that hit me--Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets. - Amos 3:7
How many prophets have you had speak into your life about what God is planning?
Would you recognize them if they spoke to you? Of course we should always take there words to the Bible and to God for affirmation.
I know in the past that I have tendency to run from those who provoke me.
I don't like feeling uncomfortable and edgy.
When the provoking comes it arouses and pulls forth what God has planted in us--if we let it.
Yesterday, my pastor told me that the circumstances in my life have been planned by God to teach me how to use my spiritual gift. Maybe part of my frustration has been because I have refused to use my gift in my everyday life. He said that I am to open my mouth and speak the truth.
Sounds like a "duh" statement I guess--but it is true for all of us.
Have you ever thought that possibly the reason we go through such times of frustration and aggravation, might be because we are trying to handle things in the flesh instead of with the gift God has given us. I guess it would really be compared to hold back the rushing river that is flowing up from deep inside--- by simply closing our lips. You can feel the pressure building. And instead of opening our mouth and speaking the TRUTH---we explode in the flesh.
My goal this week----open my mouth (in love) and speak the truth.
7 comments:
Oh I could just 'see' the sandpaper and feel the rubbing texture. This post really hit the mark. I am feeling provoked and all that you said, made perfect and timely sense. I have a neighbour (a single Mum who lives with her Mum) and her little girl and mine are friendly. That's fine. But I am a person who 'needs my space' (rightly or wrongly) and my home is my refuge and this week hubby has his first week off work this entire year (although the poor fellow ended up working all afternoon due to clients phoning with issues for work), so I'm longing to have unstructured family time with my hubby and children and straight away my neighbour is - we must come around and play, you must come. She means well and she is a christian and I've taken her to the women's group, but - now this will make me sound appalling - not someone I want around all the time, or even half the time - so the sandpaper has been brushing and I've been bristling, because I don't want to hurt her feelings when she knocks on the door and say 'sorry we're busy right now', but more than that, I don't like the idea we are next door and she can just knock - you know being accessible. Phew! Am I horrible? I also struggle that she chain smokes (still with me Sharon?) and around the children and her language isn't always selective.I don't even let our kids play in the garden at the weekends, for as soon as she will hear us out there - I dread her coming around! So I see that I am letting fear try to win, and my hatred of confrontation and then feeling guilty about loving my space and my home being my place of quiet refuge. My daughter was up most of the night crying and coughing, and woke at 6am and pounced on me and the sandpaper is brushing even harder.
Hope you didn't mind me being totally real there!
My neighbor is a nurse, who does microderm abrasion (for your skin). She uses diamond-sandpaper to work layer upon layer of rough skin off...all the while, allowing each time to heal. Over time, it makes the skin very soft and blemish-free. May He make you all that He has called you to be, my friend, who is kind and does not seem rough to me at all! But He knows what He's doing.
With love and joy in Him,
Holly
Bless you for sharing this, may God guide you to what He wants you to say, or do always. I love you my friend.
Just out of curiosity where were you when this prophet spoke a word over you? This isn't something that comes up very much, I'd love to hear more about it.
Hello! I just started reading your blog, and I felt compelled to comment on this post. When I think of the times that I was provoked by someone in the past, I wish that I had followed the Bible's teaching on being slow to anger more often. Who knows how many doors I've needlessly shut because of my impatience?
Cahleen
Amen...I have really been trying to control my fleshly responses lately. OH- I cause myself so much stress by reacting and not slowing down to respond correctly.
Good word,
Sue
I don't need to work on opening my mouth- but I do need to work on opening it in LOVE. What a great thought PROVOKING post. Thanks!!
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