Heart Check - 53 cents

Foolishly us sheep sometimes get into 'mode' and just do life without taking into consideration that all that comes into the life of a believer is ordained of God for some greater END....(and is good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.)

The mundane can stunt growth if we're not careful.....just going through the motions of work with no view of eternity - ack~

So, the other day God shook me up out of my ''wedding planning mode".......
I went to buy some little gifts for a shower that I was throwing.......and found some great buys. (praise the Lord!)
Including these cute crystal candle holders......and candles (sold separately)
I put the candles in the holders to see how they looked and ended up just leaving them in there as I put my things up on the counter to purchase them.

Though I wasn't paying super close attention, the thought that the cashier may not have taken the candles out to ring them up separately flashed through my mind......then the thought of "well, if I don't look at the receipt, I won't know any different, and I can just be ignorant and get away with not having to hand her my check card again and pay for the little pink candles"
THEN I thought, "oh, no.....my heart is trying to excuse not paying for something......."
So, as I bit my lip, I looked at the receipt and then said to the cashier "umm, you didn't charge me for the candles, but only the candle holders." the WAR raged in my heart.....OVER 53 CENTS!!! A Gollum and Schmiegel sort of battle.

The money was not the point; The fact that I had to repent as I did what was right - knowing that I had just considered (evil) in just walking away (thief) makes me terrified.......and yet gives me joy.
God has not yet given me over to my sin.......repentance is a gift that I've been given yet again by Christ in His mercy.......dang.
I fear for the ones who thinks it is wrought autonomously by any foolish sinful human being.

Repentance is of God.....
Longing to get lower.....to understand our true standing before a Holy God -
Then - the Cross is magnified.

Jen2