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Ephesians 6:14-16 – So stand strong with the belt of truth tied around your waist, and on your chest wear the protection of right living. On your feet wear the Good News of peace to help you stand strong. And also use the shield of faith with which you can stop all the burning arrows that come from the Evil One. (ERV)
In the early days of the Internet, there was a handwritten letter in my mailbox. I hadn't seen anyone put it there, but I opened it without much thought. Then, like an icy deluge, its words poured over me, accusing, condemning, judging — and anonymous! Talk about "the burning arrows that come from the Evil One"!
My picture had recently been in the local paper with a small blurb about something that I'd helped with in the community. The letter said that I had no friends, that at the pool where I exercised, everyone hated me and thought that I was a fool. It went on in detail, like the bullying and abuse that we sometimes hear about on social media. There was a day when I might have believed the things in this letter and let it make me think that my life was useless. But with God in my life, I was assured that it had meaning and purpose, and due to God's grace, I had nothing on my conscience to worry about. I began to pray for the unknown writer of the letter, that their hand be stayed from ever writing another to anyone else.
Such a letter could destroy a person's life. It was then that I remembered the saying, Sunlight is the best disinfectant. I went down to a print shop and made seventy copies. Then I went to the pool, from which the writer had told me to stay away, and handed out that letter. People were horrified, and the reaction at the pool was entirely supportive. Later, sitting talking in the sauna with others, their wholehearted acceptance had moved so far along that jokes were even starting up. By then, my making the whole thing public had relegated those accusations to the unimportant size that they really were — a mere blip. Yet, I had heard about some shy, lonely souls taking their own life when sent just such a letter. God was in it. Later, someone from the office told me that only one person had complained, saying that I was a disruption, "Probably because handwriting can be traced," she said. "The person seemed pretty nervous."
What do we do when the storms of life get so personal? Living the Christian life has been described as Pray, trust God, clean house, and help others. Someone said that Faith is spelled, A.C.T.I.O.N. We have faith only when we act on it. May such a living faith be ours today.
Isaiah 33:21 – The Lord will be our Mighty One. He will be like a wide river of protection that no enemy can cross, that no enemy ship can sail upon. (NLT)
Prayer: Dear Father, You impart wisdom from heaven to us when we ask. Help us to act on it when it is given. Thank You especially for the breastplate of righteousness, which can handle all the darts that the enemy might throw. Help us to stand. Amen.
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Thank you.
Thanks for sharing this important message, Rose.
Good one thanks
(CO)
Amen Rose. Thanks for sharing today.
Blessings.
Good morning Rose.
Thank you, a very encouraging devotion.
That’s a powerful story, Rose. Thanks for sharing and blessings to you!
God bless you, Rose. I’m so glad you were able to “stand” as Ephesians 6:13 says!
What an amazing story, Rose, and an encouragement to others in similar situations.
Thanks, Rose. It was nice to read your words this morning. We have faith only when we act on it.
Dear Rose,
If God be for us who can be against us? Thank you for today’s devotional.
Thanks for this latest practical life experience! Hard to believe that we can be so cruel to one another. You are a blessing.
What an insightful response! Hopefully the person learned a difficult lesson. So many would be crushed by such a nasty letter!
What a wonderful way to handle an ugly situation!
This way should be encouraged to those who are bullied today.
I am sure God inspired you.
Shalom.
Thanks for your devotional.
You had a good and calm response to the letter.
It is obvious that you are responding with God’s guiding hand.
(BC)
Hi Rose,
This is an amazing story of God’s loving protection of you as you lived your faith in Him. Thank you for the witness you were and are in sharing it!
God bless you (as He does!),
(BC)
Dear Rose, you use your life pain to be such a HUGE ENCOURAGEMENT to others and to Honour Your Heavenly Father and lay up treasures in Heaven. May God continue to BLESS you as you bless others, in Jesus’ Name!!
I am BLOWN AWAY by God’s GOODNESS and WISDOM in having you photocopy and share that and reap the SUPER SUPPORT of the non-guilty parties!!!!! How COOL is that!!
Hi Rose,
I LOVE this devotion you wrote. Good on you girl, for not only believing what God spoke over you and not a stranger, but for going that extra step, acting in boldness and bringing injustice to the light, when someone wanted you to cower in the dark. I just think of Isaiah 54:17, Micah 7:7, and Proverbs 16:7. And the scriptures keep on coming!
Keep being courageous, fierce woman of God!
Dear Rose,
I just loved every word you wrote in your “Daily” today. Thank you for having the courage to share this, because so many of us can empathize with you because of something that happened in their own life. I loved the paragraph about Pray, Trust God, Clean House. I think I’m going to find a spot to put that up in my office, because it is just so right on target.
Thanks again for this, and I hope to see you on “Daily” again, soon.
Hello Rose,
Thanks for taking the time to write such a poignant letter, all too often people’s lives are damaged by loose talk and negative letters or posts.
It appears you have been through this trial and have come out the other end, with God’s help, a person who has become an overcomer!
Praise God.
Know that your letter has touched my heart and mind this day. I have also not always been really careful with my language sometimes when frustrated with even family members and it does great damage.
I have learned each morning to pray about my thoughts words and actions that they be Christ like and that He keeps me from temptation.
(Ontario)
What a great solution. Evil thrives in darkness, giving it light defused it.
That idea must have come from the Spirit.
Rose: as soon as I started reading this devotional, I sensed it came from you. Once again, I encourage you to ACTION in preparing and publishing your memoirs/autobiography. Every life has a story and yours needs to reach more and more people.
Good morning Rose. I always enjoy reading your testimonials. I can always relate to your messages.
My wife and I are on-call rural mail delivery persons for Canada Post. Recently we worked all week. We are not as quick as the regular delivery person, so it is common for us to be later than he is. When we got to one mailbox the owner was waiting for us and laid us low for being late. I tried to explain we have little experience and were doing the best we could. She said our best was unacceptable and she could not wait till the regular man got back this week and we would be gone. I had to bite my tongue, but I apologized for the lateness and wished her a nice day, then we drove on.
All the way back to the Post Office I kept saying to my wife I wanted to quit. She kept saying you cannot let that get in our way. She said you don’t know what she might be living through and getting her daily mail might just be the highlight of her day. I understood but felt very hurt by her behaviour. I have calmed down and plan to continue but I have also prayed for peace in this person’s life.
Many thanks and keep submitting your daily devotionals. They always resonate with me.
God’s blessings upon you.
With God in my life I was assured that it had meaning and purpose. Words to remember every day.