It’s been said that we are never willing to change, until moving forward and doing the work needed to change, is less painful than staying where we are.  I have to be very honest here.  I did not learn this inside a church group of some kind.  I had to seek out people who had changed; and find out, how they did it.  A lot of folk, do not get credit for all the work they have done on themselves and their own issues.  They also didn’t get any pats on the back, for all of the times they have tried and failed; and found the courage to get back up, and try again.

In this late hour, there is an adage that I am hearing, more and more; and it’s true.  It’s the definition of insanity: doing the same things over and over, and expecting different results.  Hearing this, tells me that a lot of people are at a crossroads in their lives; what they’ve been doing, is not working.  I spent many years associating with people who were not members of any particular church.  Like me and so many others, they did not find the help and understanding they desperately needed in some religious circle.  One thing is certain, they did not find those they felt they could trust, without going outside the four walls some of us had grown up in.  It wasn’t there.

A lot of people today are sick; they are not only physically ill, but they are also mentally and spiritually sick.  I have learned more and more on this network, that folks are completely exhausted with fighting their own war; either within themselves, or in their families, and in life’s circumstances.  I heard a dear lady speak here today, that she doesn’t know what she would do without the Lord.  That is the absolute truth for me; a reality beyond any thing else I might say.  On a daily basis, I put one step in front of the other; and I have no shame in saying I cannot make it without His help.  In fact, I have no desire to make it one moment, without His strength; I am more dependent on God, than I ever thought I could be.  But, it didn’t come easily.

Some people think it’s weakness; to just throw up both hands, and say, God, I can’t do this anymore; I just can’t.  I wouldn’t want some people to know, how many times I’ve done that in the past couple of years or so.  The first thing some would say, is, what’s wrong with him?  Why is he so weak?  He must have a lot of sin in his life and God must be punishing him.  But at this very moment I do not care what others think about that.  It looks like it has taken me a long, long time, to become totally dependent on God.  Oh, to tell the truth, I’ve had many times when I was dependent on Him; it was when I didn’t have anything left to hang on to and it was Him, or else.  But it never was alright before; now, I see it as my greatest strength; I really do.

I can’t finish this note without saying there is supposed to be healing within the body of Christ.  Oh God, why couldn’t we see that having the Spirit of the living God within us, is supposed to give us the ability to help and to truly minister to each other?  Are we sick and tired, of not getting the real help we need; have many of us scraped the bottom of the barrel long enough, that we are now ready to do the work we were called to do?

If we are truly reliant on the Spirit today, even in our weakened and very tired moments, we can now reach out to someone else who is struggling also.  The Spirit, will teach us and guide us, in what we can do to help someone else.  It’s time to once again, lay hands on one another in the Holy Ghost, and administer the healing that God has placed within the Church . If we cannot do it where we are, we need to find some place, where we can.

 Robert Blackburn