A Spiritual Smack

Have you ever had a bad/weird/bizarre day that consumes you? Have you ever been smacked out of the funk of your bad day by unexpected kudos?

I most recently had that exact experience this weekend. I had a bizarre experience Saturday night...I found out that I was being deceived by someone I guess I trusted. And the way I found out was so public that I had to act aloof. ( I will explain all on Friday...believe me it is a doozy and is well worth the wait)

Naturally I felt embarrassment and hurt among other things. But the embarrassment and hurt didn't hit really hit me until I was driving to church on Sunday. I guess I was numb the night before. But I felt it on Sunday. I woke up super early on Sunday and got some work done before church. Of course I was a little sidetracked and ended up getting to Untitled Gathering a late. As I was sitting in class listening to the discussion about adult baptism, I must admit my mind wandered to my own bizarre experience. It's weird when you find out that the wool is being pulled over your eyes because you start to question your own discernment. So there I was wondering what if anything I had done to bring this bizarre experience about. Before I knew it the Gathering had ended and it was time to head to service.

As I was heading out of the room, I was stopped by a man who came to talk to me about Footprints In The Boardroom...I did a booksigning at my church, Riverbend on Memorial weekend. This gentleman had just finished reading Footprints, was touched by it and the impact it was having on his prayer life, and wanted me to come speak to the Singles class next month. Wow! Before I could even take in the magnitude of that a woman came up to me. She had just started reading Footprints and like the man was touched. I won't go into full detail about what she said, but by the end all I could say was thank you.

I felt as though someone upstairs was telling me to stop being so silly--stop doubting yourself! Experiences happen-- good, bad, bizarre, etc...we are meant to learn from them. Some experiences sting--but we can't forget the big picture. While I was sitting there feeling hurt and embarrassed, I forgot that I can make an impact that makes an embarrassing experience seem like peanuts. Hearing the impact that Footprints was making in people's lives snapped me out of my daze and back into reality. Who says that the smallest bad news always trumps a lifetime of good news? I happily object. I would like to think that the kudos I received was a little gift from God...a spiritual smack if you will, to snap me out of it.

Does anyone else out there need to snap out of it?

- RXW