RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION

Greetings -

NOTE:  This post may be somewhat rough because presently I am NOT taking time to finesse it.  I may return and modify this later.  Please bear with me because I am presently in a place of righteous indignation.   Some of you may wonder why I do not wait...because the Lord instructed me to do this now.

Sometimes no matter how much we love people with words, expressions, gestures, etc. they are intent on missions to malign, discredit and criticize. Indeed we are mandated to love but today the Lord mandated me to lovingly but firmly inform someone that they are coming from a place of bitterness and not representative of love.  This particular person who attacked me, via e-mail, yesterday and this a.m., is a relative who professes to be a Christian.  I have, on a number of occasions, ignored her attacks and/or attempted to, with love, smooth things over relative to our communications. I have asked her forgiveness when I have been clear that I have been wrong.  She does NOT acknowledge my requests for forgiveness but readily expresses displeasure when she believes that I have faltered.  This has went on for about 2 years.  She, let her tell it, is "never" wrong.  To her, it is with regularity, a malfunction with me.  Her attacks on me yesterday and this a.m. were with the use of scriptures.  The Lord let me know that said scripture usage was not of Him.

Now I know that we all falter but there is no way that I am always wrong.  I am receptive to constructive criticism because we all need it.  When people use it in excess, that is NOT decently and in order.  Nor is it in order when there is more criticism than encouragement.  But today, the Lord told me - enough.  I e-mailed to her what He told me to say. In essense, the Lord told me to express to her that He is delighted with me and that when He is not, He clearly lets me know.     

Afterwards, the Lord confirmed to me that I am not wrong relative to this matter.  He went further and led me to Sharon's blog (sharonsharinggod.blogspot.com) where she placed a post this a.m. that ideally addressed what the Lord had told me.  The topic is "I GIVE YOU MY WORD."  What Sharon posted further confirmed what the Lord had expressed to me.  I commented on Sharon's blog about it and thanked her for posting it and thanked the Lord that it was posted.

Afterwards, my relative sent me another bitter-in-tone e-mail.  I did not respond and am not sure that I am going to....  Indeed, I love her but may need to, for however long, love her, pray, and leave her alone.

Note: As I was writing this, another Christian relative phoned me to cancel a day trip excursion that we had planned for tomorrow.  This date was planned about a month ago.  She phoned to tell me that she, instead, is going to shampoo her carpets tomorrow, etc.  I informed her that we had been planning this for about a month and she tells me the day before that she is not going!  I further informed her that that was inconsiderate.  She said that she was sorry...my spirit did NOT bear witness about the "sorry."

Please pray for us...for me because I am NOT feeling smooth right now.    

Lord, please help us all!

After posting this...I will go pray and read the Word....JESUS, PLEASE!!!       

Note: I spoke to a dear friend of mine this a.m. after my first relational episode, and she mentioned that sometimes non-family members treat you better than family.  She went on to relate how her brother disappoints...

Note: The Lord reminded me of a quote that a friend of mine gave me years ago, it is:

Don't let unjust treatment take you hostage.