The times we are living in are just plain HARD!

But don’t think for a minute that these times have not been sifted through the loving fingers of our Sovereign God.  He’s allowing these hard times.   He ALLOWS the bread of adversity and the water of affliction.  For many, the adversity and the affliction are of epic proportion and have bombarded us to almost helplessness. 

Little did I know at the time, but the tsunami that swept into my life in June 2006 (see last Friday’s post) was the bread of adversity and the water of affliction.  Suffering and sorrow became my teachers.  And trust me, there was not a moment for years to come that they were not present.

In July of 2006, the Lord allowed me to read the above Scripture.  Did you catch the last part?  “You will defile your idols over laid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, “Away with you!” 

(Can you believe that’s in Scripture?  Menstrual cloths?  Gasp!)   Girlfriend, it’s there!  I marvel at the word pictures God gives us – sometimes just to gross us out.  But you see that’s what God wants to do with the idols in our lives.  They are like menstrual cloths to Him.  He wants them gone!  (Hence the list from yesterday’s post.)

I was sister super Christian in 2006, at least I thought I was.  I can remember reading this and thinking, “Well, this doesn’t refer to me because I don’t have any idols in my life.” 

HA!

It would take years of walking with the teachers of suffering and sorrow before my eyes and ears were opened – to idols that were such a part of the fabric of my being – that I was totally impotent of seeing them for what they were.   These gods were my lifestyle. 

You see, in short, I was a snotty social lite!  Everything had to be just so.  I had to be friends with just the right people.  From what I wore, to how my house looked; to where I lived; to where other’s lived; to where I shopped – even grocery shopped!  Everything had to be perfect.  Ashamedly, and I am ashamed to tell you this, I inadvertently looked down on people who were not like me.

Yet before healing could come – and it did – I would have to wake up to these idols that God wanted GONE!  Not only would I have to wake up to them – I’d have to acknowledge them for what they were – gods – sin – the idols of the fabric of my being.

NOW, I refuse to get my nails done.  I almost refuse to grocery shop at Harris Teeter.  (I know it sounds silly.)  But it was part of that perfect/snotty image I wanted to portray.  Heaven forbid shopping at Food Lion with the people from Mexico and the retirement center.  But now, that’s where you’ll find me.

Whenever I entertain in my home or have my team over etc, my sweet husband most always offers to blow the driveway and deck for me.  Now, I almost won’t let him.  (Sometimes I do.)  But I’ve been delivered from “image and lifestyle.”   It is no longer important to me anymore.  I almost want to use small things like blowing the driveway to show God – “See!  I have not forgotten Lord.” 

The slightest invitation to join the life I once knew – makes me sick.  Why?  Because after walking for years with suffering and sorrow, I finally heard the voice behind me saying, “This is the way I want you to walk Tara.  Throw away that thinking; the pretense; all of it!  Throw it away like you would a menstrual cloth.

If God has allowed the the bread of adversity or the water of affliction to come into your life – would you be willing to ask Him if there are any idols that are part of the fabric of your being that He wants to reveal?

Then pray:
“Lord, give me the courage to face them and turn from them.”

Next Post:  Good things that come from the teachers of suffering and sorrow –