So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 1 Corinthians 10:12 NIV

After leaving an outdoor prayer tent, I wanted to stop by McDonalds and get an apple pie. I stopped in the drive thru and waited 4 minutes. One car finally moved forward. Another 4 minutes and I am still waiting. The whole time, I am thinking, “I am not hungry, I don’t need the apple pie, I should skip it, I don’t need the added sugar, and finally maybe God is giving me a pause to NOT get the apple pie.” So, I pull out of the line and drove away.

Now, I am a little frustrated that my plan to easily and quickly get an apple pie has failed. I drive past the turn to my house and continue on to another McDonalds just a short distance away. I just miss the turning of the light signal so I have to wait. I can see there are no cars in the drive thru. I have another thought that I think is from the Holy Spirit, “I am giving you another pause so that you can turn and go home.” My response, “I just really want a small apple pie.” The turn light turns green.

I still drive toward the McDonalds, but now 3 cars had gotten in line before me in just that 1 minute of extra time. Another thought, “one more pause for you to turn around?”m but then I notice, at least this line is moving. I get in line behind the last car. I placed my order in less than a minute, but then the line stalled again. 5 more minutes passed before I got my apple pie. I have been successful after 30 minutes for 1 apple pie at 2 fast food restaurant attempts. Success had a price, but when got home I heated it up and ate it with some milk.

Not the end of the story, when I woke up this morning God started talking to me about the hardness of my own heart to reject the leading of His Spirit. Apple Pie is not sinful or against any of God’s laws. Rejecting following the promptings of the Holy Spirit because I wanted my way instead of His way was the bigger issue.

Now a bigger part of the rest of the story. Earlier at the prayer tent, I had just spent an hour and half in the cold at night praying under an outdoor prayer tent. I sang a new song over and over again with a chorus “forgive us O God” repeated 4 times. I was fully aware of the way that we make excuses for our sin, but judge others so harshly. I was aware that God is always serious about sin and how it impacts our lives. I asked God to forgive us and forgive me. I was trying to be incredibly sensitive to the Holy Spirit to pray what He wanted me to pray regarding repentance and walking in obedience. Pastor Abb and I even did a FB live in which I spoke forth God’s desire for us to repent and seek His forgiveness. I was in tune with God when near the end of this prayer time, I had a thought, “To pie or not to apple pie?”

Becareful when you think you are standing firm. Be careful when you judge yourself to be better than those others who do things “really bad”. Be careful when you are slightly blinded to your own stubborn and rebellious ways. Be careful when it is easier to repent for what others are doing wrong and fail to see your own shortcomings. Be careful when you fail to give grace to those who have fallen, for you will need theds same grace extended to you.

Be careful when you think you stand, for temptation is around the corner with your name on it.  Grace, grace, God’s grace. Grace that will pardon and cleanse within.

Blessings Love y’all

Signed 

Confesstions from a sweet tooth.