Pam Padgett ... teacher
About eight years ago a new electrical circuit needed to be run at my
house. An electrician and a young man who seemed like an assistant came
to do the work. After looking over where the new circuit would be
used, he told me they would put a metal pipe around two sides of the
house and then up the side of the house. Knowing how ugly this would
look, I asked if the circuit could go through the basement, but he very
gruffly told me they couldn't do this. I also asked if it would be
possible to run two new circuits instead of one, explaining why I would
like this and was again told very gruffly that this was not possible. I
didn't believe what he told me about these things not being possible,
and wanted to argue with him to try to get him to do what I wanted.
But as I was about to open my mouth to argue, I had the thought (I
believe by the Holy Spirit) to not enter into strife. Some time before
this incident with the electrician, that strife (argue, struggle)
is a work of the flesh had been called to my attention by the Holy
Spirit, and the following is one of the scriptures that had stood out to
me and I had spent time prayerfully considering ...
James 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your
hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15 This wisdom
descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For
where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
Having before meditated in James 3:14-16 gave me a firm
foundation to turn from strife. When the thought to not enter into
strife with the electrician came, I was able to keep my mouth shut and
simply asked God to work this out however HE willed. Even if only one
circuit was run and it was in a metal pipe wrapped around two sides of the house, I
didn't want to enter into strife and displease God. Surprisingly to
me, I wasn't angry that I wouldn't get what I wanted. How the metal
pipe looked and getting only one circuit seemed insignificant compared
to the care and love of God shown toward me in having been prepared beforehand and then reminded to not enter into strife by the Holy
Spirit.
A few minutes later as I was going about my business, I
heard the electrician's assistant say something about wasps, his voice
sounding rather scared. He had found a large number of wasps in an area
where they needed to work and, of course, was afraid of being stung. I
immediately went to the store to get spray to kill the wasps so they
could work in safety. Upon returning about 15 minutes later, the
electrician was smiling and told me he had done some "exploring" and had
found another way to run the circuit which was much easier for him than
running the pipe around the house. And this new way allowed him to run
two circuits very easily.
I was thankful to God for working this out for me ... but even more
thankful and joyful that HE had prepared me and kept me from entering
into strife as I've done many times before.
Yesterday while recalling what happened with this electrician, I was
reminded of what we're told in Psalm 1 about meditating in the word of
God, the word the Holy Spirit brings to our attention ...
Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of
the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat
of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in
his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree
planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his
season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall
prosper.
When we meditate in what the Holy Spirit brings to
our attention, we become firmly established in that word, that word
being planted and "nourished" in our hearts, strengthening us to do the
word, bringing forth fruit of that word.
I was also reminded of the following ...
Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.