Insignificance

My job furnishes me with a 2 bedroom apartment for which I am grateful. The necessities that one requires to make their haven safe has been amply supplied by little to hardly any expense from me. Truely a blessing from the Lord. However, what I find that most of us, if not all, have been guilty of is the complacent of the blessing over a given period of time. If there be the least of things that comes against the initial comfort, do we consider it a test or is the first thing spoken a complaint? Has any of us ever believed that we would have been far more grateful for what God did if we were in the shoes of the children of Israel?

I was sitting at my dining table that I did not buy but was given to me and across the table slithering between the fabric and the wood of the chair was a small worm looking thing. If nothing else was creepy and trying to find a shadow. I know I couldn't catch it to kill before slithering into another crevice. That sight detoured me from using the dining set for awhile. I prayed and forced myself to believe it was gone in the name of Jesus; though I asked over and over where did it come from? Later a thought came to mind that the people who gave me the set had a dog. The dog brought some parasite from outside ... well, know that the thought was creepier than the worm and without rebuking it with the Word (extinguishing the fiery dart)(Ephesians 6:16 KJV), I just stayed away from using the dining table for awhile allowing my faith filled prayers to take effect.

It took some time before I could believe the angels were sent from heaven (as if having nothing else better to do) to crush that creepy worm - yes, angels sent to crush the worm. I began to use the dining table again, not only to eat but write, draw, read, and study. Just then I happened to look from my materials and to the right at the front door, looking down at the carpet and where one of my runners were placed, came that same looking tiny creepy worm out of the lit hallway and into my hall closet. Trying not to do the mental creepy dance, I also didn't know how to kill what was staying so low and close into the fibers of the carpet. I prayed some more and kept from the hall closet for awhile.

During that time where I abstained from a portion of my apartment, my job was going through some changes that were, if nothing else, annoying. After one, it really didn't matter so much, then came another and another, After it got to 5 or 6, I had started believing the complaints of co-workers and those living within the community. I had in as much rallied along the band wagon.

Annoyed, frustrated, and seemingly couldn't stop myself from fussing, I forgot all about that worm. I got up in the wee hours of the morning, comfortable enough not to wear shoes or slippers when getting out of bed momentarily to use the bathroom. I flicked on the lights to use the facilities and there was that worm slithering from one area rug and out the door in the hall were it was dark. I would have stomped on it, but I wasn't wearing slippers or shoes, so I prayed for its annihilation trying not to do the creepy dance while going back to bed. Sleep didn't return for the thoughts of slither troubled me. I laid there looking at my bedroom doorway; oddly enough.

The next morning I saw an ant. Completely prepared with shoes on, I stomped on it so hard thinking that it was a baby worm, that when I lifted my foot there was no evidence of it. The morning after that I saw the worm again weaving in and out of the area rug trying to get to the hallway. I crushed it not giving it any opportunity in being hidden under any shadows....

And then I heard the voice of the Lord reminding me of His Word:

First, He reminded me not to forget Him when I received houses that I did not build (Deuteronomy 6:10-12 KJV). When we complain, essentially that is what we are doing (Philippians 2:14 KJV). How dare I? With all that we have been blessed with, any sort of discomfort should cause us to question within ourselves if we did anything to cause it or gave place to the enemy. Would that it could be a test of endurance allowing patience to have her perfect work? Is your faith so small that you would not think you caused the discomfort on yourself?

Second, God told us that we would be astonished at the insignificance of the size of the enemy. Why wouldn't I have seen that tiny creepy thing as being a warning to what is to come? Those annoying changes on my job. Had I remembered the insignificance of it and not fed into the creepiness, I would have also recalled the Word and stayed in Peace when the changes tried to occur.

Finally, I wasn't prepared for its true anihillation the first time, the second time, or the third time though I prayed and God heard me. I was concentrating so not to be creeped about the thing. When I put my shoes on, I could do what God gave me the ability to do (Ephesians 6:10-18 KJV). What about you?