It Ain’t Me…

Phillippians 4:4-9 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus…Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me–put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

Over the past 22 years I have engaged on a faith walk that has been anything but perfect but it sure has been much better than the “alternative” lifestyle of my past. The Lord has blessed me over and over again. One of the greatest blessings I have received from this faith walk is the ability to have grace under pressure or grace under fire. Somedays dozens of things are coming my way from the various roles and responsibilities I am responsible for and I am able to remain calm.

This may seem normal to some of you as some people are just naturally disposed with a peaceful and calm spirit…I have been blessed by being married to a person like that. But for me, a person who has battled attention deficit disorder, mood swings and a terrible temper, I find it unbelievable that I am able to maintain grace under pressure.

A co-worker pointed my “grace under pressure” attribute out to me the other day and I immediately said “It Ain’t Me.” I woke up the next day singing John Fogerty’s song “Fortunate Son”…where he says “It Ain’t Me” over and over again and then I read the scripture above.

The peace I have today, no matter what the storm, comes from my willingness to pray for it…God takes care of the rest. Today I know when “It Ain’t Me” and that is when I am able to enjoy the raindrops during the storm and enjoying the raindrops during the storm does not necessarily mean I am pleased with my circumstance but I have a “content soul” because the “God of peace” is with me.

Challenge yourself to die to your old behavior that is all about you and submit to God’s will through prayer and petition and take on a new peace no matter what your situation…it works for even the worst of us…I know.

P.E.A.C.E.

2 comments on “It Ain’t Me…

  1. Nick on

    Wow!

    I could probably write the Bizarro version of this blog post…you know, the one that has you hearing yourself in the middle of an outburst…feeling your hot-faced rage as you unleash it on someone who, although they have erred, doesnt deserve the lashing you are giving them…seeing the look on a loved ones face as you badger, bait, back down, berate or blister them with your tongue. Then, you think to yourself, or maybe even mutter “It Aint Me” or more accurately “It aint me, is it?”

    It is funny (and by funny, i mean truly challenging and rather intimidating) how in the midst of allowing God to transform you (or any part of you) the behaviors that you are desiring are seen in small, incomplete increments, yet the behaviors you are leaving behind show up in full force, on sneack attack..and they bring 2 or 3 friend behaviors with them that you need to go to work on too, reminding you of how far you are from the man and Christian you wish to be.

    Thank God that His strength is made PERFECT in my weakness…It is not “fun” to see how perfect God’s strength is being made in your life. But when you can look back a few years, or months or weeks and genuinely see His Perfect Strength active in your life on a consistent basis where all you used to see was your weakness, it is humbling…and that is in no way a bad thing.

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