TWIST & SHOUT

How do you act when your plans have been HINDERED?

I don’t know how you feel when your spouse changes your plans at the last minute but for me, it’s a fate worse than death.

I’m a planner, so when plans are changed on me at the last minute my head wants to spin around.  Lol!!  I like to be where I am suppose to be and be there on time.  In my mind, I feel like I am being rude and violating the person who is expecting me.

The common complaint from spouses is when the other one switches rails that their train is on.

CASE AND POINT:  The other day I was driving and there was a detour sign.  But there was another very big sign. It stated that during construction, if you disobey the traffic laws, the price of the fine is doubled.  I thought, “That sure is cold.”  First, you cut off my road, then if I make a wrong move, now I pay double fines.  I started laughing!  It’s a double whammy cause whenever a road is cut-off, everyone starts making illegal “U-turns” and all sorts of wrong turns.

Especially when you have PLANNED and are now ready to do something, then your spouse changes all your plans on you.

What do you do?

That is enough to make someone “twist & shout!”

What did the disciples do?

Jesus and the disciples were on the boat planning on going to the other side:

Mark4:37-40 “And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.  And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awoke him, and said unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?  And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still.  And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.  And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful?  How is it that ye have no faith?

A great windstorm arose.

The Greek word “arose” means something that catches one off-guard.

Jesus and the disciples did not expect bad weather that night.  This event completely took them by SURPRISE.

Mark uses the Greek word “mega” which denotes something of massive proportions.

The word “wind” in Greek is translated a hurricane or cyclone.

It was a CRUSHING and OVERPOWERING type of storm.

This caused the disciples to do a lot of “twisting & shouting!”

When did a big storm come your way and you were not prepared for it?

In verse 38 it says, “He (Jesus) was asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke Him.”

Jesus was calm even though the environment around him was hopeless.

In verse 38 it says, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?

We right away think our spouse doesn’t care at all about our AGENDA.

We sometimes think Jesus DOESN’T CARE that our spouse is being unjust.

What was the disciples’ problem??  NO FAITH!!!!

What is our problem when we get to “twisting & shouting”?  NO FAITH!!

For some of us, it takes a crane to turn us around.

CASE AND POINT:  I remember in the early 80’s we were missionaries in England.  Twice a year we went to Holland for a bible conference.  We went by car and crossed the English Channel on a car ferry.  We only had a certain amount of time to reach the ferry in Cali, France or we had to wait till the next days’ ferry to cross the English Channel.  I had it all timed as to how long it would take the van full of people to reach Cali.  I was the only one interested in getting there on time so needless to say, we left about an hour after the time I had expected to leave.  We had to go from Holland, thru Belgium into the coast of France.  My husband started speeding and I kept telling him that it was too late to speed.  I told him he should have left earlier and we would never make it on time.  He kept speeding.  We got to the dock and all the cars were on the ocean liner and the gates were locked.  He ran and pounded on doors and begged for them to let us on the car ferry.  I knew it was hopeless and I couldn’t wait to get him alone to tell him the famous words, “You should have listened to me.  I told you this would happen.  See, I was right.”   All of a sudden, he came running, jumped in the van, and said they were going to let us on.  The gates opened and sure enough, we were on the ferry.  I was so mad that I didn’t get to tell him he was wrong for not leaving sooner.  All of a sudden, in my anger, God spoke to my heart.  I knew in my heart that God was saying to me that these kinds of incidences will continue to happen till I learned to be quiet and TRUST GOD!!

Every now and then (lol!), I still need a reminder (Hah!).

Listen to Gods Holy Spirit instead of putting yourself in “attack mode”!

Don’t destroy your spouse when God might just be trying to make you into more like Christ.

Just like the detour sign said that if you violate traffic laws during construction, you will pay a double fine, God will allow you to go through the trial (or training) all over again, and again and again!

Let’s quit “TWISTING AND SHOUTING!”

NOTE:  Don’t miss tomorrows post!  There is a new one daily.