Faithfulness @ MindSay

Day 8-Faithfulness

How are you doing with the "30-Day Husband Encouragement Challenge"? In case you've forgotten, here's the challenge:

* You can't say anything negative about your husband . . . to your husband, or to anyone else.

* Say something that you admire or appreciate about your husband . . . to your husband and to someone else.

"But who can find a faithful man?" (Proverbs 20:6b)

Faithfulness is a wonderful but rare quality today, especially in regard to marriage. Do you understand how important this quality is? Your challenge is to continue to root out all negative speaking, and plant seeds of encouragement instead. You may be amazed at what will grow.

Contemporary culture often entices men to be unfaithful to their wedding vows and spiritual commitments. Appreciate your husband's faithfulness--how he is loyal to you. Let him know that you are glad he has "stick-to-it-iveness" in your marriage. Appreciate his faithfulness to God.

If you have an unfaithful husband, this is a difficult area for you. Pray, speak the truth in love, remain faithful yourself, and discover ways to encourage faithfulness in your mate. The Bible says that husbands may "be won by the conduct of their wives" (1 Peter 3:1b). You may also want to seek counsel from a mature, godly individual or couple.

Love and Laughter,

Dawn

First, a few definitions:

  used as a noun:

1. reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence.

2. confident expectation of something; hope.

3. the obligation or responsibility imposed on a person in whom confidence or authority is placed: a position of trust.

  used as a verb:

1. to have trust or confidence in; rely or depend on.

2. to believe.

3. to expect confidently; hope (usually fol. by a clause or infinitive as object): trusting the job would soon be finished; trusting to find oil on the land.

* ~ * ~ * ~ *

For people of faith, trust is a familiar concept.  We know that we are to trust in God.  Seems simple enough, but it is my observation that God, as the object of my trust, is not satisfied that I simply understand the concept.  He actually wants me to LIVE it!  Now, to some, even that may seem relatively simple ... Hah!  NOT!

I'm not sure if it's just me (I doubt it.), but I have a real "thing" about being or feeling helpless.  As many of you know, I lived as a "victim" for many years in a bad marriage, and like a smoker who is finally able to stop smoking hates to be around smoke, I become rather restless and agitated when I find myself in a "helpless" situation.  Problem is, as God has graciously  brought to my attention, the opposite of trust is worry!  I have become (hopefully for only a short time) as worry wart!  When I'm out, I'm cheery and optomistic, but somehow, as soon as I come back home, the weight of the world drops onto my shoulders (actually, apparently, I take that weight back onto my shoulders) and I begin to stew, and fret, and plan, and scheme, and work (or strive) to manipulate the circumstances into something manageable.  In other words, I strive for control!  THAT is an eye opening revelation!  I sure never pictured myself as a control freak! 

So ... how do I get from here to where I want to be, or rather, where God wants me to be in a TRUSTing relationship with Him?  Practical application:

1.  I'm in a new job.

2.  My car died last night and I am unable to get to work unless or until it is fixed.

3.  I called work and said I'd be in as soon as it is fixed.

4.  I'm working - exercising what small faith I apparently have that it will be OK!

5.  In the back of my mind, I'm reviewing the thoughts that Monday we must drive to the airport!!! 

6.  I'm very uncomfortable!  I'm also hoping that this exercise, as I write it out here, will help me see more clearly.

7.  But, like the blind man ... I believe!  Please help my unbelief as there doesn't seem to be much confidence in my expectation.  Why not?

8.  Why is it easier to believe is catastrophe (and frustrrated plans) than in my loving, all-knowing Father?  Why is trust so hard?  (This doesn't have to just apply to God.  It is just as applicable to human relatinoships.)  Why is it easier to believe in betrayal or deception rather than loyalty and faithfulness?

So ... for now, I'm struggling to trust my loving Father knows best and has everything under control!  OY!  Thank You, Father!

~ B

TRENTON, N.J. - Adulterers, beware: Your cheatin' heart might be exposed by E-ZPass. E-ZPass and other electronic toll collection systems are emerging as a powerful means of proving infidelity. That's because when your spouse doesn't know where you've been, E-ZPass does.

Read more here.

Well ... I find this hilarious!  Not being a subscriber to EZ Pass, and not traveling as much as I once did, this article brings a smile to my face.  It's all about accountability!  hahaha And at last there is some measure of accountability that should be honor bound, but since for many integrity went out with bell bottoms, EZ Pass is a start!  Words like fidelity, honesty, integrity, faithfulness, honor and trust, I guess, are a thing of the, ummm, EZ Pass! ;)

~ B

"i know who you are your cruelty reveals everything. you're the dread pirate roberts admit it!"

    "with pride. what can i do for you?"

"you can die slowly cut into a thousand pieces."

    "hardly complimentary, your highness. why loose your venom on me?"

"you killed my love"

    "it's possible; i kill alot of people. who was this love of yours? another prince, like this one, ugly, rich and scabby?"

"no. a farm boy. poor. poor and perfect, with eyes like the sea after a storm. on the high seas, your ship attacked, and the dread pirate roberts never leaves prisoners."

    "i cant afford to make exceptions. once word leaks out that a pirate has gone soft, people begin to disobey you and then it's nothing but work, work, work, all the time."

"you mock my pain!"

    "life is pain, highness. anyone who says differently is selling something. i remember this farm boy of yours, i think. this would be, what, five years ago? does it bother you to hear?"

"nothing you can say will upset me."

    "he died well, that should please you. no bribe attempts or blubbering. he simply said 'please. please i need to live' it was the 'please' that caught my memory. i asked him what was so important for him. 'true love' he replied. and then he spoke of a girl with surpassing beauty and faithfulness. i can only assume he meant you. you should bless me for destroying him before he found out what you really are."

"and what am i?!"

    "faithfulness he talk of, madam. your enduring faithfulness. now, tell me truly. when you found out he was gone, did you get engaged to your prince that same hour, or wait a whole week out of respect for the dead?"

"you mocked me once, never do it again! i died that day. you can die too for all i care!!"

    "...as..you...wish..."

"oh, my sweet westly; what have i done?!"