He's setting me up...

Now, you shall see. When all hope is gone, when things can not get any worse.
When the debt is crushing, when the husband is unfaithful. When the child is
wayward, when the friend betrays, when the health is gone. Now is when you are
in a place to credit God for a deliverance only He can bring. And what happens
as a result? When you proclaim what He has done on your behalf, You will make
your God famous. Those who hear will either respond in worship, fear, or denial.

Oh oh oh... now I'm in for it. This lesson was like a punch to my heart (in a good way... I think) and I have started and stopped this post at least a dozen times in the last week and a half.

1. On a scale of 1 to 10, rate yourself on how often your conversation is
seasoned with the works of the Lord on your behalf? If you speak very little of
Him, is there a reason you know of? If you speak often, how do people respond?

At church, often. At home, not often enough. At work, occasionally - when appropriate. And yes, I am cringing as I type this. Its so hard to know what to do at work... not only are there rules about staff discussing personal religious beliefs in a public school, there are rarely opportunities.

I am surrounded by children all but 45 minutes of my day and to be honest, a lot of what God has done in my life concerns topics I don't feel comfortable talking about around children. And besides, I rarely have a moment to spare that I'm not spending talking about math, reading, writing and social skills.

I tell people I'll pray for them when something comes up, and I "thank God" instead of "thank goodness." I also try to say "I've been blessed" or "God has been good" but I don't really go deeper than that unless someone asks me how I cope.

2. Have you experienced a Set Up for a Show Up when you were uncertain whether the situation was the chastisement of the Lord or a temptation of Satan?

Yes. Yes. A few hundred times yes!!

3. Have you ever or are you now experiencing any Job trials where you can still
not identify any wrong-doing on your part?

No, the problem is there's too much wrong-doing to choose from. Even when I have myself convinced I'm doing everything right, I'm doing something wrong - pride, stubborness, boastfulness, etc. I am in no danger of Satan asking God for free reign to make my life miserable... he doesn't need to do much to prove I stumble. That's sad, really.

4. Apply this principle: How can my response make my God famous? Will obedience result in my sanctification and God's Glory?

I don't know that I want to answer this right now. I know it will... and I want all of it to mean something in the big picture. I know that I can give Him the glory and that He can take whatever it is and make something wonderful out of it. But if there was ever anything I fear more than anything else it is failure. I don't want to fail God - so I don't try. Silly, since not trying is an even bigger failure, isn't it?

5. Does the origin of our affliction matter in view of the fame God can gain
from it?

I suppose it shouldn't. And I'm sure it doesn't in the big picture. It does to me though. And I'm not sure that's a good thing.

This last bit really tore at me... Bethany! Where is that expectation?

When an oppression is set up, whether it originated in heart of God
or the hate of Satan, expect God to show up. He will. Every.single.time. Our
responsibility is to make sure people know what He did for you when He got
there.