Shelly's Story of Faith & Family - Moving can be a test of faith.
Writer Author Shelly Story
Christian Column
:
Life
- Fiction No
Have you ever heard people say that if a couple can make it through a move they can make it through anything? I always wondered about that. I mean after all isn’t a move usually a happy time? You are moving into a new home and a new beginning to another chapter of your life.
Well, after spending the last few days trying to get moved, I now understand the sentiment. It has taken a lot of patience, effort, strength and, most of all, prayer. We have gone through quite a few trials in a short period of time that have shown me some of the areas in my life that I need to work on such as patience, faith, trust and forgiveness.
Making the decision to move was not an easy one. We didn’t move far, in fact we are closer to both of our jobs, but it does require several changes in our lives and our boys’ lives. It is not a decision we reached lightly. We spent quite a bit of time in prayer over it and put our trust in God to lead us in the right direction. So even though it has been difficult, I know it is the place the Lord wants us to be right now.
The difficulties started with trying to get the electricity turned on at the new house. When it wasn’t turned on the day it was supposed to be we called the electric company to find out why. It turns out the electric box had been tampered with and there was a lock put on the electrical service at that address. After several phone calls and some paperwork we were finally able to get the electricity on a week later than expected. That one tested both patience and forgiveness. It took patience to deal with the process and have to delay our move.
I had to work hard at finding forgiveness for the people who tampered with the electric box in the first place. They were less than honest and we dealt with the repercussions of their decision. Saying you forgive someone and actually forgiving them are two different things. Sometimes you may even think you have forgiven someone but if you still have lingering anger and hard feeling, you haven’t truly forgiven them. That is a lesson I have been working on for a while – learning to truly forgive as we have been forgiven.
Colossians 3:13 says, “Bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do.”
Finally we got moved in over the weekend. We have since found a few electrical outlets that aren’t working, I had water spray out from under the kitchen sink when I was washing dishes and washing a load of clothes almost flooded the house. My husband and two of my sons spent hours working on the plumbing issue. At one point I was helping my husband and finally said I thought maybe the pipes just needed some prayer and that I was claiming victory over the plumbing. Well, there are still a few issues but I can now wash dishes and wash laundry. Put your faith in God and he can do anything – even fix your plumbing!
What I have learned is that yes, moving is hard and stressful. By the end you are tired, sore and have been tested. But if you put your faith in the Lord, if you trust Him to lead you and help you through all of the trials you face, if you spend time together in prayer, you will survive the move with your marriage not only intact, but even stronger.
1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength but with your testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.“
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About the Writer Author
State:
Texas
Country:
USA
Email:
shelly.story@yahoo.com
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