Stand up, don't get trampled!

So many times I see Christians take the attitude that they have to be doormats for everyone they meet because it's what Christ would do. Or so they think/say. That is NOT what Christ did. Christ stood up for himself and his beliefs. He wasn't rude. He didn't retaliate, but He did stand up for what's right.

And when he sent His disciples out to spread the Gospel He told them that if they met resistance in a town to leave the town, kick off the dust from the town off their sandals, and turn that town and it's people over to Satan and move on!

The other thing that I really love about Christ's earthly example is that He was always completely honest and didn't mince words (as my husband likes to phrase it). He was honest without thought to whether it was "PC", whether it would hurt someone's feelings, etc. The truth was what it was and He spoke the truth every day, everywhere He went to whoever He spoke with.

As a woman it's doubly hard to understand where that line is of when you speak up and when you should remain respectfully silent. I struggle with this a LOT. Although my husband will be the first to tell you that my biggest struggle is submission...submission to not only him but to God and society, etc.

However, the more I draw closer to God the more I feel the freedom and power and urging to stand up for what I believe in. To not remain silent and forgive and forget for the sake of my faith. I think then all you end up being is a doormat for society. I have been faced over the last few days with a barrage of situations where I had simply had enough. There were a few different people who had just crossed a line with me and I just wasn't going to stand silently any longer.

Although that led to an internal struggle within me. How do you react as a Christian woman when you feel like you've just reached your limit? With each person I went to God in prayer. Some of the prayers were more of my screaming in my head at God out of sheer anger at that person and situation. Other times I was just at a loss for how to deal with it. Then there were cycles of anxiety, worry, fear....you name it I felt it. I was on an emotional rollercoaster, but the one constant through it all was my communication line with the Lord. I went to Him when I was angry, scared, bitter, frustrated. I gave it over to Him and waited on Him to give me direction. In each instance it took more than 12-24 hours for me to feel His leading, but He did lead my heart.

In one of the instances I gave into Satan and followed the enemy's plan, but even then God was faithful to know my heart and my desire to follow His lead and He led me back to His straight path. In the second instance I remained silent for a long time and then briefly spoke my mind and His outcome came about. In the third instance I blatantly spoke my mind, made decisions, and there were and will be consequences accordingly, but it was something God led me to do and I have His peace with my response.

There will be situations for all of us more often than we'd like to think about where we will lose our way due to anger, frustration, fear, or any other emotion that we as human beings are created to have. However, if we will stop in the midst of the storm and honestly and continually bring our troubles and trials and thoughts to God He is faithful to stand by us and lead us through the storm. Sometimes He will remove the storm. Sometimes He will calm the storm. And sometimes He will simply walk us through the storm. But no matter what option He in His divine wisdom chooses it is better to go it God's way than our own way.