Shelter

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Shelter - by Jars of Clay featuring Brandon Heath, Toby Mac and Audrey Assad.


Gossiping is a big part of teen life. In fact it's so big that it carries over into adult hood. With that said, I've found that the people I surround myself with is a big factor. It's only natural to want to talk about someone whether it be bad or good and most times the bad outweighs the good. When you surround yourself with people who are positive, the conversation tends to be about 'good' things. When I was fifteen years old, I accepted Jesus as my Savior and let him dwell within me. Fifteen was a tough age because well, everyone should know that its just clearly a tough age! Growing in the Lord depended on the crowd I hung around. I constantly surrounded myself with my Bible studies clique, never leaving out those who weren't apart of it, but inviting them into the group as well. I went to Bible conferences with a whole group of kids my age. We went out for pizza, we lifted each other up and learned from each other. Now, at 28, I still have a good chunk of those people in my life. 
A little while ago, I started to hang around a specific person who constantly gossiped and never talked positive about anything. I continued to hang around with her hoping that she'd see the why I was put a positive spin on things, but it didn't happen that way. Eventually I found myself gossiping along and even coming up with new topics to pick at. My original way of thinking went down the tube. I had strayed from reading the bible, I had avoided my 'good' friends. I was always depressed about challenges that came up and never saw the light like I used to.
I took a step back. What was the Lord doing here? Of course, this was MY doing. I have free will after all. But what was he trying to tell me when all I was doing was being a Negative Ninny-muggins? I distanced myself from the person I felt was bringing me down and began to pray for her. I began reading again, I began hanging out with my good friends again and standing on top of the hill, I looked down and realized the hole I had been in. 
Of course obstacles continue to come up, but I no longer look negatively at them. The people we surround ourselves with are very important for our spiritual growth and we can only pray for those who choose not to live for the Lord. God had given me my group of friends and in the shelter of their arms I am comforted.


Seeing ye have purified souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently... 1 Peter 1:22


Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13

♥Suzette