Obsessions and Resolutions

It was not my intention to write today.  The weather's somewhat cooler this morning and I planned to get out to do a few outside chores before it warms up to the 90's heatwave we've been having.  My intentions to not write were thrown out the window when I opened my email and read my Christnotes Daily Bible Verse this morning.  This one had my name written all over it in neon letters, and bear with me while I tell you why.

I don't think I'm much different from other bloggers in that I like for people to read my blogs.  If you'll research "tips" on blogging, you'll find that most tips suggest catchy titles to call attention to what you're writing.  They suggest using keywords that are popular search words on Google so that when someone is searching for information, your site will be prominent on the Google page.  I've done all this and it seems to work.  Even when I've done it accidentally, I've had readers from many countries who've found my blog on Google.  In fact, I've become obsessed with looking on Feedjit and my dashboard to see where my readers are from - so much so that I felt compelled to write about 2 Corinthians 12: 7 - 10.  It was the apostle Paul who wrote in his letter to the Corinthians:

[7] And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

[8] For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

[9] And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

[10] Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

[11] I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.

Now you may not "get" how the verse spoke to me - so many times we will read a passage of Scripture and get nothing out of it and the second time around, we say "Oh, now I get it!"  and that's what this one did today for me.  It didn't at first, but when you subscribe to Christnotes.com's daily scripture readings, you get a link to the entire chapter and then you're pretty much hooked.   They even have commentaries from the notes of John Darby, Matthew Henry and John Wesley - which gives you so much food for thought. So when I clicked the link to the entire chapter and then the commentaries, I took the verses to heart.  Some of Matthew Henry's notes on these verses are as follows:

"The apostle gives an account of the method God took to keep him humble, and to prevent his being lifted up above measure, on account of the visions and revelations he had. We are not told what this thorn in the flesh was, whether some great trouble, or some great temptation. But God often brings this good out of evil, that the reproaches of our enemies help to hide pride from us. If God loves us, he will keep us from being exalted above measure; and spiritual burdens are ordered to cure spiritual pride."

Now how, may you ask, did this apply to my life this morning?  The apostle Paul was speaking of revelations that had come to him from God and I have had no revelations.  But my obsession has become a "great temptation" and a "thorn in my flesh" and like most of our "get it" moments in scripture reading, it is not easy to explain it to others.  It is just a personal reminder to us that, as Matthew Henry comments:
"His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Thus his grace is manifested and magnified. When we are weak in ourselves, then we are strong in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; when we feel that we are weak in ourselves, then we go to Christ, receive strength from him, and enjoy most the supplies of Divine strength and grace."

What does this mean to me?  Well, to put it simply, it means that when I'm tempted to spend moments that I should be exalting God rather than focusing on my blog's readership, I will attempt to follow His will more closely.  I will bookmark the Christnotes website and do my "clicking" on it versus Feedjit or Dashboard.  

Do you have an obsession that takes time away from your spiritual life and want to resolve it?  If so, just follow this link and in His Word, I'll guarantee you that somewhere in there, you'll find the solution.  And what about prayer?  Here's a little more of Matthew Henry:  "Prayer is a salve for every sore, a remedy for every malady; and when we are afflicted with thorns in the flesh, we should give ourselves to prayer. If an answer be not given to the first prayer, nor to the second, we are to continue praying."