As I consider starting a blog, I wonder why anyone would read it. Who really cares what’s on my mind?  Writing may be therapy as much as anything else.  Or it will be an outlet for this writer-wanna-be.  For what it’s worth, here I go. 

This morning as I listened to Pastor’s sermon on getting right with God, I was convicted with the words of James  4.  My thoughts went to hurt feelings I’ve carried around too long, to offenses I have given too much of my attention, to a tiny root of bitterness I allowed to begin digging into the soil of my heart.  In the quietness of the sanctuary, I confessed that I have become distracted by those silly things.  Remembering 1 Corinthians 13 that love hardly ever notice when others do it wrong, I wonder how that can be.  Because I notice it frequently.  And those offenses cloud my vision. My view of Jesus becomes blurry with many things between His eyes and mine.  Then I wondered how many times recently I have offended others, and they are carrying a few offenses themselves? 

For the past few weeks, I have been surveying the book of Ruth in order to lead a group of ladies through an eight-week study.  I have noticed a pattern whenever I am about ready to lead a Bible study.  The enemy tries to trick me, trip me up, get me distracted from my purpose.  The Bible tells me not to be ignorant of the devil’s devices.  So this time, I’ve been watchful.  But not enough, I guess.  This morning, as I confessed my heart problems, the cloudiness began to dissipate, my vision became clearer.   An old song comes to mind “I can see clearly now, the rain has gone . . . ”

The clear vision of Jesus is worth more to me than any offenses I keep holding in my hand or my heart.