Contact Me

If you enjoy my blog and would like to contact me, you may reach me at this email: dena.netherton@gmail.com

Some of my stories are published in:
A Cup of Comfort Devotional for Mothers and Daughters (Adams Media, 2009)
Chicken Soup: What I Learned from the Dog (2009)
Love is a Flame (Bethany House, 2010)
Extraordinary answers to Prayer (Guideposts, 2010)
Love is a Verb (Bethany House, 2011)
Big Dreams from Small Spaces (Group Publishing, 2012)

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Click, Pain's All Gone

I love my TV remote control.
It gives me a feeling of power that I can press a button and make something I don't want to watch go away.
There are certain old people's commercials that annoy the heck out of me, especially the ones that air about six times per half hour.
Click.
Political commercials.
Click.
Food advertisments.
Click.
Wouldn't it be great if I could do that in the real world?
  • Some rude person flings up his middle finger at me while driving? Click. He's outta here.
  • Too many people in the grocery check-out line? Click. They're magically transported somewhere else.
  • Those barking dogs next door? Click. They're muted.
  • The droning, long-winded person giving a speech? Click. He's fast-forwarded to the last two words of his talk.

 Gosh, I could go on and on. Each annoyance, each minor inconvenience wiped away by the click of my magical remote control.

I'll bet you can think of tons of things you'd like to erase from your daily life with your own remote.

 But with all those unpleasant things removed from my daily life, I wonder what God would use to help me grow in my faith.
And how would I ever demonstrate God's love and grace toward others if I, as Christ's representative, never rubbed shoulders with unpleasant people or situations?

With my magical remote, it would be so easy to stay completely self-centered, focused only on my comfort, my safety, my pleasure.

I guess it's a good thing God is the only Person with true "remote" control.

Heavenly Father, help me to welcome into my life anything that helps me become like Jesus.

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Phil. 2:3,4 NIV Bible)









4 comments:

  1. Well, this was certainly convicting, Dena. I've failed to consider the rude people that sometimes walk into my shop as blessings. I echo your prayer.

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  2. Do you think that might work with "bumpy railroad tracks" and people who use language that demeans them and the object of their ranting? What do you want me to learn from these passing abuses, Lord? Develop more patience, learn to forgive and move on, acquire a forgiving spirit? Consider what might have happened to cause such a reaction?
    God only knows why he sends us such experiences. Maybe He is testing us. Just how much abuse can you take, Christian?
    Very thought provoking blog, Dena. Thanks for broaching the subject.
    Clark Bell

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  3. Thanks, Nancy. I'm trying to remember to pray for people who are rude. It's hard to do this, but: Maybe they're having a bad day. Maybe they're miserable. Even jerks need prayer.

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  4. Clark, I guess God is more interested in growing us, than making us comfortable!

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