If you have ever known someone that would ask forgiveness (sometimes, even before the church), then turn around and do the same thing again, you are not alone. Though, that is not anything new to God. We do the same thing to Him, all the time, "I am sorry for my sin, please forgive me, and I will try to do better." And, maybe we do try, really try. Only, we fail, again. We want to be a better person. However, when 'we' try to do the improving, it is a form of works ~ as if we could actually become good enough. None-the-less, as long as there is some secret part in us that wants the temptation, it will come back again and again. Once we see the sin for the ugliness that it is (realizing sin is what put Jesus on the cross) and we no longer want to dishonor God with temptation even in our thoughts, all we have to do is to ask God to remove it. God always answers the true desires of our heart. We no longer need beg to be made good enough and giving it to God makes Him the Divine Keeper. Satan is no longer aloud to tempt us, in that way, ever again! It is not hard to walk a pure life once we have made our heart pure. But otherwise, we are destined to fail. Though, how we let another's sin affect us is a different matter.

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Throughout the state of KY, people are not prepared for harsh winter weather, as it happens too seldom for them to see the reason in financing labor and equipment. So, being that one cannot get up or down even the smallest icy hills, as truckers well know, the state is pretty much at a stand still until snow and ice melts; the good part being that winter thaws much quicker than it does farther north. For three years, my family and I lived in KY ~ where I worked retail. If snow clouds even appeared, employees would periodically go stand at the door (all day long), where they could check to see if anything had changed in the weather. And, at the first snow flake, employees verbally expressed worrying about the weather throughout the remaining of the entire work day. To those accustomed to more northern exposure, it was as if these people had never seen snow before. And for all purposes, it seemed so, as they had no clue how to drive in it. Observing them caused me to realize how truly foolish it is to let the weather effect our day. If it so much as rains, people are depressed. Yet, how else will the grass, flowers, and trees get water? Otherwise, there would be no beauty for us to enjoy and the beautiful KY mountain sides would turn into mud slides at winter's thaw. So, when it rains, I tell Satan he doesn't have a right to ruin my day. Instead of focusing on gloom, I thank God for watering the flowers. When temperatures are frigid, I can be thankful for the bugs we will not have to contend with come spring. And, when really bad storms come, I still thank God for watering everything that needs it, but ask Him to not terrorize us with the weather. Wind calms, tornadoes vanish, lightening is suddenly miles away, hail does not dent my car, white-outs pass, power is restored, and children arrive home safely! I thank God that the weather does not have the right to ruin my day!

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No more than Satan has the right to ruin our day using the weather; the same strength can bud amidst dissention. Many turn grouchy, difficult, childish, fearful, foul mouthed, etc., as they get older and some are just miserably unhappy at any age.

While it is impossible to control other people's behavior for any length of time, we also cannot change them. All we have the power to do is to change ourselves. We can start by refusing to stoop to their level, to not allow backbiting to come out of our mouth. With practice, it gets easier. Our outlook will gradually change wherein we may stand there, thinking, "Are you done, yet?" A little further down the road, we might think, "Don't you think God can hear you?" After a point, their behavior is seen for the tantrum it is. Nope, Satan does not have the right to ruin our day with such childish gestures. And, eventually, we might barely notice their bad behavior at all. Denial? Maybe. But, what does their bad example have to do with us? Except we did something to provoke, it is not our problem ~ just theirs. Sure, we care that others get right with God. But, as long as our motive, in prayer, is for what we will get out of it, we will be back to begging. The bottom line is, when we look to people for our happiness, they will fail us. If we look to people for our self-worth, Satan is sure to send a lie. And though we want to feel loved, there is only one source of absolute perfection. When in need of peace, no matter the circumstance, we have a God that is greater than any storm.

© 2004 by Joyce C. Lock http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/ This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact, for non-profit ministering purposes.