It's Tough Being A Woman

It was awesome to be back after a week off from Bible Study! Beth Moore brought us back with a BANG!  Here are some things I took away from the video session this week.

It's tough being a woman in a mean world.

1.  Meanness has a history. 

No one is mean out of "nowhere."  It can be (and most often is) handed down through generations. 

2.  Meanness perceives a threat.

When this happens, ask yourself (1) who is my rival? (2) where is the threat? (3) who is the competition/ with whom am I being compared?  Then remind yourself that insecurity is at the heart of EVERY rivalry! 

3.  Meanness catches like a virus. 

We pass it down (generation to generation) and we pass it around (friend to friend)!  There is nothing meaner than a coward.  A coward perceives anger as power because they don't think they have any other source of power!  Have you ever noticed how coming into contact with a mean person raises up your own "mean girl"?  That could be precicely why God has allowed us to encounter such meanness.  When you feel meanness and anger rising up within you -STOP- and ask God to help you identify the threat!

4.  Meanness is curable.

Romans 12:17-21    

Do not repay anyone evil for evil.  Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written:  "It is mine to avenge; I will repay." says the Lord.  On the contrary:  "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." 

If you want to drive a "mean girl" crazy, kill 'em with kindness!  Be nice to her; love her with the love of Christ!  If you are not in a covenant relationship with the "mean person" in your life, get out!  If you are, seek Godly councel.

I'm closing with this excerpt from the video session (paraphased to an extent) because it really spoke to me in light of the past week of my life:

The more you can get a human being, a person, to provide your emotional needs, that security you want, the more you will crave it from them.  Your need will continue to grow greater and greater until it overtakes and destroys that relationship!  This happens because no human being can keep up with that!  God is the only one who can deal with this in us!  We will never find "the perfect man" or "perfect best friend" or "perfect boss" or "perfect pastor" or "perfect bible study leader" who can provide for us what God alone is capable of.  They will buck the system, we will buck the system and we all should because it's never going to work!

Hebrews 13:5b
God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. 
Hebrews 13:6b
The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
Matthew 11:28
Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.