Bother
Let’s start a trend of allowing people to make their own decision of whether they are bothered instead of assuming. I’ll use “assuming” in this Word of the Week because it is so fitting for this topic. I try to not use any form of assume. More times than I can count recently, I’ve heard the EXCUSE of assumption that one would be bothered by one thing or another and I’ve had much difficulty holding the top of my head in place. If the Lord is testing me as I work on my Fruit of the Spirit, namely Self-Control, then He is really wanting me to ace the tests and embrace this one for good because I am exceedingly bothered by people trying not to bother me…
Being a mature adult gives one a right to make their own decisions. Deciding for them without giving them a chance is disrespectful and pompous. Picture a child harassing another by poking them in the shoulder, pulling their hair, taunting, etc. The child being harassed has an opportunity to play along, poke back or speak out. Why then would a grown adult not have the same?
If my phone rings I can choose to answer it or let it go to voicemail. A text can go unanswered for hours and there’s no harm done. Deciding to call someone to say hello does not require permission. The person could answer or not, cut the conversation short, tell you to go fly a kite, whatever. But if a person talks themselves out of letting another person make their own decision about correspondence for “fear of bothering them” then shame on them. What if that call or text was just what they were waiting for to heal their heart, bless their day, bring relief or answer a thought?
As ridiculous as this topic may sound, I’ve heard people say they didn’t want to pray for certain things because they did not want to bother God. That is crazy talk to me. The absolute worse excuse I can imagine. They cannot claim to understand the love of the Father. How could anyone have the audacity to decide for the Creator of Heaven, Earth and everything in and around it? Have they read the Word of God? How many times and in how many ways can it make clear that He knows everything. Every. Thing.
Bother. How sad will you be when you finally get the courage and it’s too late?
Isaiah 40:13-14 “Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?” 28-29 “The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.”
Romans 11:34-36 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever, Amen.”
Romans 1: 16-22 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written “The righteous shall live by faith.” For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. for his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and diving nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
