About Consequences

Who wants to talk about consequences?  I know, right!!!  I've taken a break from this blog for a few years, but recently would-be posts have been coming to mind.  The thought of consequences entered my mind last Sunday afternoon, then on Saturday, I attended a Defensive Driving class (not because I was sentenced to, but because I'm responsible for it) and there was a great deal of content about consequences, as you can imagine.  Sitting down late Saturday evening to write, consequences are on my mind, so let's address this!

Last Sunday during church service, the Lord spoke to me.  Honestly, it had been a while since I received such a direct Word, so I was glad to receive it.  There was no way I could misinterpret what He said, and there was no way I would not do what He said.  This time, I didn't hear His voice, I felt it, and it was urgent.  He told me to call my Bible study leader and tell her I would do whatever she needed me to do.  (I had decided, a few weeks ago, that I would not participate in this year's study that starts in September, but with this directive, I had an inkling that my decision was about to change.)  After church, as we drove home, the urgency to make the phone call grew.  I didn't know why, I just knew I had a phone call to make.  
I called, and my Bible study leader answered, we exchanged pleasantries, then I told her what I was told to tell her, "I will do whatever you need me to do." 
She was quiet for a moment, then laughed and said, "You have been on my mind, but I was hesitant to call you because I know you have a lot going on in your life right now, but I really need one more group leader.  Would you be interested?"
My response, "Sure.  Whatever you need me to do!"  
Then she said, "You don't have to commit right now, you can pray about it for a few days, then call me back."
I said, "No ma'am!  I've already been told to tell you I would do whatever you need me to do.  To do anything but commit right this moment, would be disobedience.  I have too many things going on in my life for consequences, so whatever you need me to do, you've got me!"

As I mentioned earlier, consequences have been on my mind this week.  I've been thinking of all the things that went smoothly, and the flipside regarding all the things that the Lord could have used as a consequence had I chosen my own way.  No car accidents, my transmission has stopped acting up, my checking account stayed positive, my children and grandchildren, nieces, nephews, siblings, and parents are healthy.  My husband and I are happy and our marriage is peaceful.  I much prefer blessed and highly favored over trials and tribulations!  Can I get an AMEN!!!  So, consequences hav been on my mind.  In my research, this week, I have learned that a consequence is "the effect, result, or outcome of something occurring earlier." (dictionary.com)  I tend to think of consequences as negative, but by definition a consequence is any effect.  We are all familiar with the negative consequences of Adam and Eve's sin.  They became separated from God and experienced spiritual death.  We know that due to the sins of the world, God caused it to rain for 40 days and nights.  We can experience negative consequences in two ways - the Lord can cause them, or He can stop preventing natural negative consequences from occurring.  Personally, I don't want either!   I need His protection and His prevention!

I've become excited this week about our study of Revelation as this year's Bible study.  And I realize things could have been different.  I could have hardened my heart and not heeded the message to call my leader.  I could have been listening to some secular music in the car that told me, I was in control of my own life, and I would have missed the urgency to make the call, immediately!  I could waited a few days to call her - I knew I was going to receive an assignment, after I had already decided I wasn't participating this year.  If I had delayed, she may have found someone else.  The consequence would be that I would have missed the blessing He plans for me during this year's study!  Maybe the Lord is assigning someone to me during this study that I am supposed to lead to Him, but if I didn't do what I was supposed to do that wouldn't happen.  I could have prayed about whether to accept the assignment and in that time, been assigned more duties at work that would have made accepting a role in Bible study seem like a burden.  I may not have accepted it, or I may have accepted it with a poor attitude.  I could have called my leader and said I would be the treasurer or the attendance person rather that offering to do whatever she needed.  But I didn't!  I finally got it right! 

As a Believer, a Follower of Jesus, I desire to follow His plan.  He gives me freewill, and a brain that can plan my own course, but I have decided to follow His plan as closely as I can.  And this is a decision I have to make over and over again.  Honestly, I don't always like His plan.  His plan doesn't always make sense to me.   Sometimes, I think His plan is taking too long and mine will get me there faster.  I have to decide, time and time again, to slow my roll, and lean on Him.  While I have planned out my life for the next couple of years, he has only revealed to me His plan for the next couple of minutes - and maybe not that long!   Proverbs 3:5-6 states, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.  Amen!


A few more Scriptures about consequences to ponder this week: 
~Galatians 6:7  
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

~Romans 1:28-31
Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy.

~2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

~Romans 6:22-23
22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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I pray you have a peaceful and blessed week!
Kim