"No good deed will go unpunished."
Have you had times when this statement appeared to be true? You intend to be considerate or do something nice and somehow you end up with a trainwreck.
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My husband is always saying that in order to have good communication, the person with the information needs to share it. I agree wholeheartedly, so that's what I did when I received a positive update on a tragic situation that dated back a few years. I sent a group message relaying the good news to a handful of others who were intimately acquainted with the chain of events.
I could see where the conversation started to go off-track. Hard truth was spoken. A comment was received by one when it was actually intended for another. What was meant as joking was not taken as funny.
Assumptions were made.
Words were said.
Feelings were hurt.
Assumptions were made.
Words were said.
Feelings were hurt.
Somehow the good news I shared ended up in a trainwreck of confusion and offense. It would be easy to point fingers, assign blame and harbor bitterness. That's our human nature.
And that's exactly what satan wants.
I've noticed lately that the more time I spend with God, the better I'm able to pull back and see things from His perspective. He showed me that this situation has less to do with the people involved than with the evil one who orchestrated this trainwreck.
Other people are not the enemy. Satan is the enemy.
Hear these words from Jack Hayford: "Satan" means accuser and adversary; “devil” means slanderer…God’s word reveals him as a distinct, vile personality who rules the forces of darkness and operates systematically in the spiritual realm against everything good, righteous, noble, pure, and healthy. He commands forces of lesser fallen angels, and he roams throughout the earth.
- The adversary lies to people.
- The adversary imposes fear on people.
- The adversary depresses and oppresses people.
- The adversary sows doubt in people’s minds.
- The adversary seeks to defeat and discourage people.
Communication is healthy. Trainwrecks are not.
We've all been hurt by another person at one point or another. Maybe it was the betrayal of a friend, or a misunderstanding with a family member. Regardless of who said what, it's crucial that we don't forget about the real enemy who's orchestrating these events. When you take offense or harbor bitterness or unforgiveness, you are playing right into the enemy's hand!
We've all been hurt by another person at one point or another. Maybe it was the betrayal of a friend, or a misunderstanding with a family member. Regardless of who said what, it's crucial that we don't forget about the real enemy who's orchestrating these events. When you take offense or harbor bitterness or unforgiveness, you are playing right into the enemy's hand!
"Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." ~ Ephesians 6:12
Do you know what God says immediately before and after this verse?
"Put on the full armor of God."
I wrote a series of posts describing each piece of armor God gives us in Ephesians 6. Do you know what each of these pieces of armor have in common? Each one of them is rooted in the Word of God.
But putting on the armor is just the first step, because if you don't know how to use the armor it's not going to be very helpful. It's crucial to read the Bible and ask for God's instruction so that you can drive back the evil forces seeking to create chaos.
But putting on the armor is just the first step, because if you don't know how to use the armor it's not going to be very helpful. It's crucial to read the Bible and ask for God's instruction so that you can drive back the evil forces seeking to create chaos.
Has something you intended for good or an innocent remark you made ever ended up in a trainwreck?
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Lisa
I've been known to link up with: Inspire Me Monday, Living Proverbs 31, The Beauty in His Grip, Playdates With God, Unite, M,M and M, Monday Musings, Whole-Hearted Home, Soli Deo Gloria, Titus 2sdays, Tell Me a Story, Growing Homemakers, Wise Woman, Women Helping Women, Tutorials and Tips,Tell His Story, Winsome Wednesday, Doing You Well Wednesday, Hope in Every Season, A Little R&R Wednesdays, Wholehearted Wednesdays, Inspire Me Please, Think Tank Thursdays, Thrive at Home, Thriving Thursday, The HomeAcre Hop, Faith Filled Friday, The Weekend Brew, Friendship Friday, Make My Saturday Sweet, Spiritual Sundays, Hear it on Sunday, Use it on Monday, Sunday Stillness
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Excellent post! thanks for sharing. Yup...been there done that both on the receiving and giving end.😢 thanks be to God for His mercy and grace. And you are sooo right that it is satan who wants to destroy healthy relationships. I'm going to recommend this article to some people I know.
Unfortunately I have felt this way many times. Thank you for a post inspiring thinking and forgiveness.
Maria
www.musicteachingandparenting.com
As a matter of fact - yes! I've been the wreck, see my post Say What? and I've been wrecked, see my post A Perfect Day. Thanks for sharing.
What a wonderful post :)
Written communication seems to be easier to misunderstand than verbal. It is amazing how people can twist something good and as you say, create a train wreck out of it. Your words of wisdom are also well received. Thank you for sharing with us here at "Tell Me a Story."
Yes. True. We need to remember that Satan is dropping the fussy garbage into us and our family and friends and others...just by what it LOOKS they are doing to us, and us to them...Need to keep turning our armor to grab him and protect everyone. That's my eternal plan. Hope it can be a regularity in our present-day world where and when I live.
This was an excellent post! Just what I needed this morning! God has given me grace and I'm pretty even keeled, and I don't generally get offended easily. However, I've been hurt recently and it is so easy to rehearse that offense and let bitterness take root before we even know what has happened! I know God sent me here today! Thank you for speaking truth!
Oops - I clicked on Publish too quickly! I wanted to say that I ventured over from A Little R&R where I linked up two posts. Yours was right in between -- God framed it just for me to see! :)
i think this is really what i need! thank you for sharing.
Such a wise post, Lisa. May we see who our real enemy is and stop hurting one another. May we battle to maintain unity in our relationships, in our families, in our churches.
The verse from Ephesians is one of my favorites. I find the enemy often gets in the way of communication between believers and makes things go sour. We have to be on our guard against him at all times. Forgiving immediately over a perceived wrong is one of those ways.
Yes, me too. ~> "I've noticed lately that the more time I spend with God, the better I'm able to pull back and see things from His perspective." A wise post. Thank you for sharing with Three Word Wednesday. Blessings.
Lisa, as Christian Poets & Writers, we'll eventually have readers who don't get what we meant or, worse, think the worse! Since others in our Facebook group will surely identify with this, I'll highlight your post on the Christian Poets & Writers blog - http://christianpoetsandwriters.blogspot.com . May God protect us and give us the words to say in Jesus' Name.
You wrote this for me and the drama in my family right now. (How many times have you heard that?) A solid post, full of good teaching and I especially appreciate your sharing of your own personal experience.
Bless you,
Mary