A Reason, Not an Excuse
by Cindee Snider Re
I awoke to a dismal, rainy, gray morning. I usually don’t mind the weather, enjoying the variety of our mid-western climate, but this morning it absolutely annoyed me. I felt frustrated as soon as I stepped out of bed. I knew I was tired. It had been a long five weeks of sickness in our house. My oldest daughter had been hospitalized briefly because she lost the feeling in and partial function of her left leg, which thankfully reversed itself after a week. That left four days until my husband’s shoulder surgery, four relatively quiet days for me to finally come down with the virus plaguing my family.
I knew God had kept me healthy through the days I was most needed, so I trusted Him to handle the details of the next four days as well. By Tuesday morning, I wasn’t well, but improved enough to take my husband to the hospital. His surgery went well, and by week’s end we’d all settled into a bit more normal routine. Saturday I awoke frustrated by life, and grumbling aloud to God, “Why does everything have to be so hard sometimes.”
Throughout the morning, the apostle Paul’s words rang in my ears, “So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am!” (Romans 7:21-24) I felt as wretched as Paul. I didn’t want to be short-tempered, frustrated, and annoyed, and I didn’t want my words to hurt the ones I love, but they did.
Too often I fail to be the wife and mother my family desires and deserves. They try to be patient and understanding. They know the pain and frequent nausea, resulting from an accident four years ago, often causes my quietness, impatience and frustration, and they’re right, but that’s a reason, not an excuse.
God doesn’t excuse my attitudes because of what He’s allowed in my life. He’s allowed my injury for a reason, and He’ll use it if I’ll let Him, but there’s the rub. God knows I can’t struggle through this on my own, and He doesn’t expect me to. Instead, He asks me to take every thought captive to Christ, to lean on Him, because His grace is sufficient for me, His power made perfect in my weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9) God wants me to do life with Him, through Him, in Him, for then He can redeem the pain, limitations, and even my attitudes for the glory of His Kingdom.
Father, teach me to willingly surrender to Your will. Grant me courage to take up my cross daily and follow You, for then my life will honor and glorify You, and whatever You allow will be well worth the cost. May I learn to walk worthy. Amen.
Cindee Snider Re lives in Sussex, Wisconsin with her husband, their five children and two cats. She enjoys quiet evenings, long walks, homeschooling her children, good books, lots of tea, and travelling on the Harley with her husband.
Cindee Re, July, 2010
http://www.breathedeeply.org
Article Source: FaithWriters.com http://www.faithwriters.com and FaithReaders.com http://www.faithreaders.com
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5 Comments until now.
I loved this post. I really felt the need to share this with you. God is so amazing.. I still marvel at his Glory. This morning I prayed almost the same prayer. I too have been going through very similar things. I have MS and have been in a flare since July 10th that still hasn’t quite left. I too suffer daily from various medical symptoms that try to keep me from writing. My daugjhter and I currently live with my parents and they have both been going thru some medical issues as well. I remember saying to them I feel like all we do is go to the Dr or someone is sick. Then what really got me with your post was when you wrote about Paul. That is so true whenever I settle down to write and continue to do God,s calling on my life.. evil is right beside me plaguing me with emotional and physical challenges. I too get impatient, snappy even feel sorry for myself at times and get discouraged.
That is why I put up post it notes all over my room, planner, notebooks etc that says NO DISCLAIMERS…BELIEVE.
I know God has a purpose for all I have been through and all I continue go through. I stand on HIS word that he is with me even when he feels far away. When I calm down, have a good cry and write in my prayer journal.. I feel better.. it is then that I stand back and think.. If the evil one is tryig so hard to stop me from writing.. wll he must be mighty afraid that something wonderful that will give all the glory to GOD will come out of it. What the enemy fails to realize is that which does not kill me only makes me stronger. Instead of my faith diminishing ( which I admit has at times in the past.. until I calmed down enough) my faith gets stronger. With every fiery dart he flings my way.. God is with me ministering to me, giving me the strength to carry on and know that God has the Victory. If God be before me who can be against me.
What a blessing to come upon this post. I have to say usually with all the Dr’s health etc.. I conserve my energy to write and not read many posts. Althpough I would like too. Isn’t it amazing on the very same day I prayed your prayer and felt the things you wrote in this article.. Is the one day that I decided to stop and read this post. Coincidence.. Hardly.. God is with us sister and he connected us through this site. God Bless and hang on to the hem of Jesus robe.. I will do the same. He will not foresake us. If you ever need to chat or strength feel free to contact me.. I will be here for you and pray for you..Jeanmarie Moore
http://grou.ps/jeanmariemoore
http://grou.ps/amen
http://grou.ps/girlswith ms
faithfulwriter7@yahoo.com
Please excuse the typos. I wrote this rather quickly. I looked for an edit button but did not see one. I am sure though even with the typos you can understand what I was sharing. Again God Bless you.. Jeanmarie Moore
love it when someone displays their guts. I can totally relate.
Jeanmarie, thank you for your beautiful comments! The are much appreciated. Know that I will lift you before our Heavenly Father in prayer. May He continue to touch other’s hearts and livess through your words.
Diane, thank you for your comment. It made me laugh (in a good way!) God Bless!
Hello Cindee
This post is so very good!!! I tell ya some days we just get so down in the dumps-But God.He is always there to comfort and help us and I am also very thankful! Thanks for sharing this very encouraging post I was sure blessed by the read