"If you had it all to do over again...?"

I was recently talking with someone and shared a fair amount of my personal history.  He asked me this question, "If you had it all to do over again and knowing what you know now, would you do it all differently this time?"  Now let me preface this my saying that I have made some incredibly stupid and self-destructive choices in my life.  Like the prodigal son, who lived a life of "riotous living", I have put myself into some pretty low places.  But the story of my life does not end there.  By the unmerited love of God, I experienced His grace and forgiveness.  Now, in a certain respect, I would quickly answer my friend's question with a loud "YES!"  Of course I'd do it all differently.  To not go through the pain and loneliness that some of my choices led to, I'd love to have a second opportunity. But would I be able to love others the way I am able to without the journey I've made?  I don't know.  All I can say is thank you God for bringing me to this place in this time.  Thank you for the people I am able to touch and those that touch me with your boundless love.  Thank you for my pain for it has allowed me to know true love.

May God Bless You With Discomfort

I was amazed at the profound truth of this simple poem and wanted to share it.

 

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.

 

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

 

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain in to joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.

 

AMEN AMEN & AMEN!!

from Simply Missional by chrismarlow