Wednesday night in kid's service it was Tammy's turn to teach. I was a helper. She taught on the Fruits of the Spirit. We team teach so whenever she talked about one of the fruits she would ask for examples from the kids. They gave great examples. When we started talking about self-control and patience I kind of cringed inside because I thought, "Man I bet I have to practice this in the next few days because we are teaching on it!"
Well sure enough, the "opportunity to practice" came by the next morning. When the inccident occured I handled it very calmly...then the situation esculated and I felt a stirring rising up inside of me. I prayed under my breath and walked away! YAY! In the long run I had the victory! By the next morning the situation was resolved and I didn't display rotten fruit but the great Fruit that God had equipped me with! God equipped me with Self-control!
Well, I didn't have to wait long after that opportunity until another "opportunity to practice" came about! It was an opportunity that usually causes me grief and strife...accompanied by fear. Fear is not of the Lord. We talked about this in our kid's class! Peace is of the Lord. He equipped me once again! I then rebuked the fear and asked God to give me His Peace. He did! I did have to choose to have that peace but God is so good that He helped me. YAY! Victory once again. Now that situation is not resolved YET but God is in control and I have peace reguardless of the circumstances that surround me. I will praise Him!
Later that same afternoon I saw my grandaughters. They told me that they had practiced self-control on the playground! I told them about me getting to practice too and they smiled from ear to ear.
I am so grateful that I serve a God who equips us so very well. He knew that those very opportunites would be arising before they ever happened and He was gracious to remind me, (and all of us), of what He has already equipped us with! His gifts are amazing. Are they magic? NO...but they are there. We just have to choose to exercise them. One more thing...I love it because God equips us all, old or young. Yes, sweet victory.
