Lay The Shovel Down

LAY THE SHOVEL DOWN…

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes) (Several part lesson)

1 Corinthians 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

We can see the Bible never tried to hide the failures and sins of the people that God used. God chose to use less than perfect people. God handpicked people that told lies, struggled with sin, faced obstacles and hardships and were less than perfect to accomplish HIS PERFECT PLAN. GOD USES FAILURES.

LET US CONSIDER THE METAPHOR: LAY THE SHOVEL DOWN… LAY DOWN THE SHOVEL AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE!

THE SHOVEL SPEAKS OF OUR WORDS, ACTIONS, ATTITUDES, NEGATIVITY AND OUR MENIAL DAILY CHOICES…

2 Chronicles 15:7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.

Are you still moving? Are you still breathing? There is still HOPE! Why are you digging your grave so deep? This obstacle, this trial, this problem does not have to destroy you… LAY YOUR SHOVEL DOWN… QUIT DIGGING…

Come with me and let us consider a person is digging a deep and wide grave. They have the shovel and keep digging. The grave gets deeper and wider. There is no way out of this pit. A person come along sides of the deep pit and places a 12 feet long ladder down in the grave. The person just keeps digging deeper and deeper. They rest a while and see the strong ladder reaching out of the pit. They return and grab the shovel and keeps digging. The digger gets very tired but they are angry, bitter and stubborn pondering HOW DID I GET IN THIS HOLE? WILL I DIE HERE? WE FEEL SO COMFORTABLE IN THE HOLE, SO WE KEEP SHOVELING…

ARE WE ALL TALK? THIS IS A STORY OF YOUR HABITS AND ATTITUDES! YOU ARE VERY DISILLUSIONED YOU THINK YOU CAN KEEP DOING THINGS THE SAME OLD WAY AND EXPECT A DIFFERENT OUTCOME? GOD KNOWS HOW TO GET OUR ATTENTION BY OBSTACLES AND ADVERSITY.

I WILL KEEP THE FORK SHOVELING FOOD IN MY MOUTH… My anger and big mouth gets me in trouble? Nothing taste right without salt? High blood pressure? Crash diets? I know I should not eat this candy bar, but no one will ever know… I know someone lost their toes, half foot, leg? I will refuse to forgive and I am looking for bitter revenge.

Your family is DYSFUNCTIONAL so you stay on the computer and cell phone for someone you will never meet? The same idea… I will sit on the couch and watch TV, I know I should exercise? WE TEND TO NEVER EVALUATE HOW WE GOT HERE? THERE IS NO ACCOUNTABILITY…

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

NEVER FEAR THE WINDS OF ADVERSITY… ADVERSITY IS PART OF LIFE… I DON’T CARE WHO YOU ARE ADVERSITY HURTS AND IT IS VERY PAINFUL UNTIL YOU SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE OF LIFE. HOW WILL I DEAL WITH CRITICISM FROM OTHERS AND SELF-CRITICISMS? WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE GOD’S WORD…

REJECTION MAY BE THE THORN THAT GOD MANEUVERS US TO WHERE HE WANTS US… LIFE IS ABOUT CHOICES. WE WILL APPROACH THIS TROUBLE AS A STUMBLING BLOCK OR AS A STEPPING STONE… THIS IS A DAILY BATTLE WE MUST OVERCOME. The suffering today must not define my total being. I will become a SUM TOTAL OF MY MENIAL DAILY CHOICES. DAVID WOULD HAVE STAYED A SHEPHERD BOY HAD HE NOT FACED GOLIATH.

If we have the wrong attitude we see adversity and rejection in a bad light. REJECTION and ADVERSITY can bring disappointments and shortcomings as mean and cruel. Beware DESTRUCTION FOLLOWS THE TRAIL OF BITTERNESS, HATE, CRUSHING AND CRUEL STRESS. THERE IS A REAL LESSON HERE!

THE SHOVEL WILL FOCUS ON PAIN, FAILURE AND HURT… YOU MUST LAY THE SHOVEL DOWN… COME LET US DEVELOP A CLEAR VISION TO FOCUS BEYOND THE OBSTACLES AND SEE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW AND IMPROVE… IF I FALL, GOD HELP ME FALL FORWARD…

Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.