Tag Archives: church

I Can’t Believe This Is Happening To Me

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I got out of my car thinking to myself, “I cannot believe this is happening again!”

My dear friend Amy was visiting me in Birmingham.  We were out and about and I received a phone call that needed my attention, so I parked in a space so I could  concentrate on the call..    The weather was gorgeous so Amy got out of the car to walk on the sidewalk of the strip mall.   After a few minutes, my conversation was over and I could see Amy walking.  I pulled out of my space to meet her, and as I drove down the lane of the parking lot, a van backed out of a parking spot, hitting my car.    I hated that sound!

In the last two years my car has been hit three times.  None of those were my fault.  None of those were provoked by me.  None of those were caused because of some foolish decision I made.  All have caused inconvenience to me.   In two of the cases, the people caused me grief by not wanting to take responsibility.  It became a hassle to fix the damage from what they had done.  But, I did not say, “I’ll never drive again.”  I did not throw my car away.  I did not scream and yell at the other drivers, and then go home and scream at people who were not even involved.  The bumps did not change my faith, my mission, who I am or who God is.

BUMPS!   Do you ever have them?  You are trying to just go through life, do the right things, be the right kind of person and a bump, not caused by you, hits your life.    At times it might be bump after bump after bump.  That’s been my year.  The reality is bumps will hit every life even if we are Christians, Spirit-filled, anointed, and serving faithfully.    The question is will the wreck that we did not anticipate wreck our faith?

I have watched so many over the years quit because a bump hit their lives, and at times the bump was more like a full-blown crash.   My mind quickly goes down a list.  I think of one person who is completely out of church and has become disillusioned because God did not answer her prayers to allow a family member to live.

Dear friends, it is always too soon to quit. Always!  God is with us through the bumps and through the times we are on cruise control.  That is what faith is all about.  I accepted, by faith, His invitation to be His child.  As a result, He is walking every step of my life with me.  He will bring me through every bump.

How did the early church handle being beaten, threatened, chased, shipwrecked and all manner of persecution?  The following scripture answers that clearly … “We did not give up … our spirit inside us is made new EVERY DAY.”  As a result those Christians had an eternal perspective.  I pray that in the challenging times in which we live, just like the disciples in Bible days we can proclaim and LIVE these verses.

Bumps will come but they should not wreck our faith.   I am actually giving you a challenge to write these verses down and put them where you can pull them out every time a bump comes.  When you hear a THUD, let the THUD hear you  loud and clear:

“We have this treasure from God, but we are like clay jars that hold the treasure. This shows that the great power is from God, not from us. We have troubles all around us, but we are not defeated. We do not know what to do, but we do not give up the hope of living. We are persecuted, but God does not leave us. We are hurt sometimes, but we are not destroyed… So we do not give up. Our physical body is becoming older and weaker, but our spirit inside us is made new every day. We have small troubles for a while now, but they are helping us gain an eternal glory that is much greater than the troubles. We set our eyes not on what we see but on what we cannot see. What we see will last only a short time, but what we cannot see will last forever.”  2 Corinthians 4:7-9, 16-19

Button Pushers

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603360_120753674739796_1173664233_nHave I ever mentioned that I have a granddaughter named Madison Benton?  I know, I know – only ten thousand times!  Madison has brought me so much joy and has taught me a lot.  Out of the mouths of babes!

For awhile, Gaylon’s mother lived with his sister Sheila.  One Sunday the whole family was able to be together. All my sons and their families were even able to be there.  Madison loves Grandma Benton (Gaylon’s mother)!    When Madison  walked into the room and saw Grandma Benton, she went over to the chair where  Grandma was sitting to give her a hug, and then sat with her for a while.

Grandma Benton, at that time, wore a necklace around her neck that was connected to the alarm system of the house.  Should Grandma  have difficulty and need help, she could press the button on the necklace which would notify the alarm company; however, the alarm company was the only one who could hear it.  Madison was admiring the necklace and none of us realized she was pressing the button over and over, sending out an alarm.   The company called to ask if Mrs. Benton was okay. Indeed she was okay, it was just that someone was pushing her button.

Who is your button pusher?  We all have people who push our buttons.   It can be the controlling boss, the distant husband, the adult child, the difficult co-worker, the parent who can’t let go, the gossip at church that causes division, and on and on. I hate to say this, but there are even times we are “stuck” with button-pushers  who will be a part of our lives for a looooong time.  We don’t have to allow them to ruin our lives.  Grandma did not stop enjoying her family or the day because someone pushed her button, and the reason was:   the secure connection she had.  Jesus had button-pushers waiting in line for a turn to push His buttons, but He always spoke and reacted based on who He was and to Whom He was connected.

I have watched so many people rant and rave in real life, in church and on Facebook about their “button-pusher.”   I am still shocked to see on a social medium, like Facebook, that they identify the button-pusher for all to see.   Yet, this does not bring peace.   I used to scream at or plot against my button-pushers causing my emotions to get out of hand, ruining my day and the day of others.   In some cases that is exactly what the button-pusher wanted.  In other cases, it just made me seethe longer and dislike myself.  One of the lessons button-pushers taught me was that I don’t have to attend every argument to which I am invited. My peace means more than that.

My name is Barbara Benton and I am child of the Most High God!  I have a direct connection with Him. I’ve now learned to allow God to speak peace to my heart, to calm me down.  Like the company that monitored Grandma Benton, God is out for good and He will keep me secure.  He can calm my spirit  when I am agitated.  He can touch me where I hurt so deeply.  He can help me love myself.  He can lead me to relationships that help me grow and enjoy the journey.  He can tell me when it’s time to walk away from some people.

So the next time your button-pusher starts pushing, push your own button.  Call out to God who is a very present help in the time of trouble.  He is a faithful and trusted security company.

Count it as pure joy to know that no matter what comes your way today, your security is in the Lord. Security in the Lord is knowing that you completely trust in the Lord and that He will work all things out according to His will for your life

Hebrews 13:6 – So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

I’ve Been Hurt

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530231_179581688856994_333658795_n“No one is likely to experience real church life without times of hurt, disappointment, or rejection. Those who overcome these by growing in love, patience, forgiveness, etc., can make huge strides forward in their spiritual lives. Those who allow hurt, frustrations, or disappointments to dictate their courses will likely go from defeat to defeat, shipwreck to shipwreck, until they resolve to be over-comers instead of being overcome by these things.”  – Rick Joyner

If you are in a local church, and I hope you are, you will experience both joy and pain at the hands of other believers.  Raise your hand if you have been blessed by others in your church.  Now, raise your hand if you have been hurt by or disillusioned with others in your church.   When we experience the hurt part, there is a tendency to run and never darken the door again!

I know many people who have turned away from the church after painful experiences.  I understand, more than I wish I did!   Yes the church is filled with brokenness and imperfection, but I  am still  convinced that the local  church is the primary means of forming believers and setting them on a pathway to spiritual maturity.

I must admit that I have been hurt by the church and I have hurt people in the church.  I’ve tried to learn from my mistakes and be a healer and not a “hurter”.

Be careful about assigning to God the “mess-ups” of His children.  God did nothing to you, people did!  Don’t give up on the church!  Please don’t.  I think there are many grace-filled, caring, loving and forgiving people in most churches. Seek them out. Spend time with them. If you have really made an effort, and cannot find them, then find another church.   God thought the church was a good idea.  I want to be a part of anything that has been blessed and created by Him.  Don’t give up on the Church!  Even God is often pained by its behavior yet He doesn’t give up on His  Church and for that I am grateful!