Shepping with Peter

1. "Dwelling in sweetness" - trust God, and don't take up your "CPU resources" - think about more fruitful things!

Bible verse: "The heart is deceitful above all things..." Ask the Spirit to search my heart! (And what a relief when I heard that verse.)

2. "Toughening up" - God is using my working life to train me up in toughening me emotionally when I face setbacks - so that I don't get instantly reduced to a puddle of water when I face such obstacles - especially when I become a leader of God's flock next time. Peter asked me, "If you, as a leader, become very emotional when facing setbacks, then how will that affect the people following your direction?" A wise question.

But wow, thank God for His timely telling me. Now I know that this is something that He pointed out to me through my shepherd, I want to grow, from strength to strength, in this area. One acid test would be: if a superior were to suddenly blast out in fury at me, would I be able to stand?

Gee. At my current level, I know I'll definitely melt into a puddle of water. But thanks be to God - He helps us grow! So here's looking forward to a new period of growth and maturity... and joy in the Holy Ghost! :D

Bible verse: To look through the Bible to find out more what it says about handling my emotions. Not suppressing, but handling them. :D

3. "Training in humility" - even if you know you're going to get scolded for asking questions at work, be humble and learn anyway! Asking questions (not the same ones again and again of course) with a heart and desire to learn more, that is good in God's eyes.

Jesus' example as a 12 years old:
Luke 2:46
After three days [Jesus' parents] found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

And the result?
Luke 2:52
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Hee, somehow I love this verse - it just feels so sweet and wonderful, to think of how God became a baby, and then a young boy and into a man. Just felt... that when we look at His very ordinary background as a blue-collar worker's son, somehow, it is very reassuring to know that God Himself grew up as one of US. Wow. Just really warms my heart to think about Jesus. :)