Forgive Me When I Whine

Have you had a tough day, month or year?  Sometimes for me, it’s my perspective that needs to change.  I love the following poem written by an unknown person because it helps me get my perspective back on track.  I hope it will do the same for you!

Today, upon a bus,
I saw a lovely girl with golden hair,
I envied her...
She seemed so happy...
I wished I were as fair.

When suddenly she rose to leave,
I saw her hobble down the aisle;
She had one leg and wore a crutch;
But as she passed...a smile!

Oh, God forgive me when I whine,
I have two legs.  The world is mine!

I stopped to buy some candy.
The lad who sold it had such charm.
I talked with him.
He seemed so glad.
If I were late 'twould do no harm.
And as I left he said to me,
"I thank you, You have been so kind.
It's nice to talk with folks like you.
You see," he said, "I'm blind."

Oh, God forgive me when I whine,
I have two eyes. The world is mine!

Later, while walking down the street,
I saw a child with eyes of blue.
He stood and watched the others play.
He did not know what to do.
I stopped a moment, then I said,
"Why don't you join the others, dear?"
He looked ahead without a word,
and then I know he could not hear.

Oh, God forgive me when I whine,
I have two ears. The world is mine!

With feet to take me where I'd go,
with eyes to see the sunset's glow,
with ears to hear what I would know...

Oh, God forgive me when I whine.
I'm blessed indeed.  The world is mine!

When Faith Became Law That Stood Between Me and God

By Pastor Byron Mills 

            For years I felt that my faith never measured up.  I was always doing the steps to make my faith stronger and to work better.  I was always trying to improve my faith so that I could prosper more, walk in more health and walk in greater blessings.   I focused more on my faith in Jesus than I did on Jesus.

You can tell when you have fallen into self-righteousness and legalism when you don't know when enough is enough.  Some people say, "You need to develop your faith".  But how do you know when you've developed it enough.  The only way you would know is by looking at your physical circumstances to see if they improved.  But that would be walking by sight. I never knew when my faith was good enough.

I often found myself comparing my faith "results" with others and ended up either puffed up or depressed. Legalism and self-righteousness kept me ever approaching but never arriving.  My faith was always an effort and a list of things I was always doing to get stuff.   Then one day I read Galatians 2:20 in the KJV.

 

"I have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ lives in   me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by the FAITH OF THE SON OF GOD who loved me and have Himself for me."  

It is not about MY faith IN the Son of God.  It is about the faith OF the Son of God.  The faith in me doesn't come from my effort. Faith doesn't come from my confession.  Faith comes from Jesus.  Jesus is my faith.

Gal 3:24-25 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.NKJV  

When did faith come?  When Jesus came!  Jesus is my faith.  There is only one person who knows how to believe God....Jesus.   He is in me with all of His faith.  I am living by HIS faith.  I have a solid fail proof faith called the faith OF the Son of God.

I finally quit looking at my faith and started looking at Jesus the object of my faith.  Instead of trying to get Jesus to look at my faith, He was trying to get me to look at Him and all that He has done for me.

The woman with the issue of blood heard about Jesus and came in the press behind and touched the hem of His garment and was healed.  Jesus turned around and said, "Woman, great is your faith."   When the woman saw a great Jesus, He saw a great faith.  The woman was not aware of her faith; Jesus was.  She was only conscious of Jesus.  I am no longer looking at my faith and I am no longer trying to get Jesus to look at my faith.  I am looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of my faith. . (Hebrews 12:2).    Faith no longer stands between me and Jesus.  It is a wonderful intimate relationship with nothing between us!