Mind Your Own Business
Do you know I literally jumped off my bed the first time I saw this scripture, 1 Thessalonians 4:11 ESV, “and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you,”? I sure did. I was so fascinated that this was written in the bible and then I read the part where Jesus asked his mother at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, “Jesus said, “Is that any of our business, Mother—yours or mine? This isn’t my time. Don’t push me.” (John 2:4 MSG).
I smile about Jesus' rhetoric because my mother is one of those humans with the largest of hearts and unfortunately for me, it runs in my bloodline. She’s the first to step in to help with a situation or help someone going through something. She will not stop me either when I try to defend, protect or help someone. Do you know that some of the people we helped are even the ones that came back to bite us? Yup, story of my life. So, in this new season of mine, I’ve started to really mind my own business and I’m teaching my mom as well but she’s not a very good student in this area. Here’s why, people usually come to her, and even me, it’s like wherever we chose to hide, God will let someone find us or reach out for some kind of assistance. Sometimes I believe God is testing my heart and conscience and I’ve told Him I’m going to start failing these tests soon because I’m teaching myself to mind my own business.
There are a lot of things you’ll see in life that you would be tempted to react to. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still moved each day to support causes and people in life and I do so without any regrets, but the key for me is moving forward with wisdom. If someone needs me and I’m able to assist them I will. If I see a need and I’m able to step in I’ll ask for permission and then I step in. If it’s a matter of life and death, I’ll always choose to bring life to people. In all of this, the key ingredient for me is not to be in the middle of any debacle or be caught up in people’s issues, problems and their chaos (aka. drama).
So, I pray for you this week that this life nugget will keep you safe and protected. AMEN.
XOXO,
Lady Abena.
Watch What They Do
There’s a quote by Winston Churchill in which he said that “I no longer listen to what people say, I just watch what they do, behavior never lies”. This quote my dear friends is my entire message summed up for you today. This is a life nugget I am studiously mastering daily - that people have a lot to say so instead of believing what they say, I watch their actions and behavior. Only God knows the number of times that I’ve been so disappointed and fallen victim because I believed what someone said, even quite recently. I have a hard time accepting that most people have no integrity or are not sincere. I seem to believe that people keep their word because in all honesty, all I have is my word to you then you give me a chance to prove myself to you.
I’ve learned in so many painful ways that people usually say the right things in the right atmosphere but have no intentions to honor what they said. Needless to say that I’ve been a victim of non-believers and more often the ones who even claim to have seen certified copies of Jesus’ birth certificate, pray in tongues and sit in church every Sunday. They’re worse because they are the ones you assume have a relationship with God so at least they will be sincere in their thoughts, words and deeds correct? Wrong! I’ve also seen people who won’t say much but their actions speak louder than anything they have to say. Those are the people I am leaning more towards lately.
Jesus was not amiss when He said in Matthew 7:16 NLT that “You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?” So, you can join me on this journey to watch what people do instead of believing everything they say. Their actions and behaviors will always give you the answer you need.
I pray for you this week that God will give you every wisdom and discernment you need in dealing with people. AMEN.
XOXO,
Lady Abena.
Declarations For April 2024
Today, April 01, 2024, the Lord has blessed me with 16,060 days on earth. I have a lot to thank Him for and at the same time I am also reminded of my journey thus far which has been painful for the most part. If you do not know what perseverance looks like, you’re staring at one (ME). Living out God’s will and purposes with all the odds against me. The worst part about today is the fact that my father is lying cold in a morgue awaiting burial. In my current state I cried out to God and He reminded me of this scripture in Job 14:7-8, that even if a tree is cut down and its roots grow old and the stump even dies in the soil, at the scent of water, that tree will bud again and put forth shoots like a plant. (Paraphrased).
Every prayer, wish, blessing I have received this day has all been aligned to what God is declaring in my life. My mother had a powerful message delivered to me from God - I wish I could share this but it's one I am keeping so close to my heart and life. Declare the following with me:
- Lord, you’re the God of all flesh - nothing is too hard for you.
- What is impossible with man is ALWAYS possible with you.
- I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours concerning my life can be thwarted.
- That all things are possible with you and through you.
I declare it is so and so it is in Jesus’ name. AMEN!
XOXO,
Lady Abena.