Guest Post: Abigail Hamilton (However, after as much as she has written for me, maybe I should stop saying “guest” post. haha)

I am sure many of you have memories of your first grade year of elementary. Memories of hard addition problems. Or memories of playing with balls and jacks at recess with friends.

I have memories of first grade— a very heated debate with one of my classmates at the lunch table.

My little face turning cherry red as I leaned forward in my chair and pointed my bony finger in her flustered face. “You’re lying!” I shrieked.

“No I’m not,” she huffed, “I do too hibernate at winter!”

“Well, have you ever played in the snow? Built a snowman? Huh? Huh?” I retorted.

“Yes.”

“That’s what I thought! Then you’re a liar. Because you can’t sleep all winter and play in the snow,” I spat.

“I can too!” She crossed her arms. Fully convinced she was right. It didn’t matter how many arguments I could present. She was convinced whole heartedly she was a hibernating human.

Looking back all these years later, I find the whole thing quite amusing. But it still amazes me when I come across people who think they are right, when reality really says something else.

Like a woman I saw in Walmart once whose grown son was repeatedly slapping her in the face. Alarmed, my grandfather ran over to the two individuals and asked the woman if she needed help.

“Oh, I’m just fine,” she said matter-of-factly in between thuds and winces. My grandpa repeatedly asked if she needed help. Every time, she made it clear she didn’t think she needed help and that she had the situation under control.

Sometimes we might feel we are doing just fine, while our spiritual walk is getting pummeled.

James instructs us, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” He continues to say if you are a hearer and not a doer you a like a person who looks in a mirror, sees all the blemishes and messy hair, then turns around, and forgets that they have any problems at all.

How many times has God shown you areas you need to step up in? Attitudes He wasn’t happy with? Situations He wanted you to handle differently? Sharp words you needed to apologize for? How many times has the Lord showed you that you need to spend more time in the place of prayer? You need to submit to upsetting circumstances? That you have grown spiritually lazy when it comes to holding on until victory?

And after God showed you your problem, you wept and determined that you were going to correct it. But two weeks later, the issues of the heart are still not resolved. You left the mirror without correcting anything. You’ve forgotten the light, because you didn’t start walking in it immediately. And since you know the truth, you feel you are fine. You know with your head what to do, but your heart continues down the same path.

Don’t deceive yourself.

You can talk until you’re blue in the face determined to convince everybody that “you do too hibernate.”

Does reality line up with our testimonies? When we tell others we’ve been walking in all the light God has given us. God help us!

Don’t gloss over those nagging feelings in the back of your mind.

If you get honest before the Lord, you might realize that your faith and experience is getting beat up. Just admit it to God. No, I’m not fine. Give me the grace to obey. To walk in every bit of light you have ever given me. I must make Heaven!