© 3/22/08 Kathy A. E. Jones

Working in my two flat Grey Stone apartment building was costing me enough to take on a second full time job.  It seemed that every time I turned around something else was requiring my attention.  Although I was not the one who could fix things, it seemed like over the past four years I should have at least qualified for my doctorate in BACKYARD Mechanics.     Surly with all the money I spent watching other do what I had to eventually have done over I could have paid for the degree.  On top of that I still had to fine a much more qualified BACKYARD Mechanic and pay him.

Why is it that when trouble comes back it seems to catch us in the same state of mind that it did when we first met?  Could it be that we are slow in learning the lessons that trouble inadvertently keeps trying to teach us?  Why can’t we just learn not to do it the same way the second time around?  Someone once said doing the same things the same ways and we expecting to get different results is a form of insanity.

Sometimes trouble comes because we were all born into a sin sick world.  Other times it’s because be brought it on our selves or it can arrive because of the bad decisions that others around us make.

Breaking the cycle of Troubles Insanity isn’t that difficult, especially if we begin to listen to our inner voice that comes to us from God’s Holy Spirit.  When we don’t listen to that still small voice then “Trouble” becomes our expert teacher.  It teaches us to run past GO without first stopping to see if were we are headed is truly our ultimate destination. The truth of the matter is we’ll never defeat the lessons of trouble until we learn to first defeat its lies and deceit.  Trouble walks hand in hand with his brother the thief. The other name for the thief is satan (without capitalization because he doesn’t deserve it).  John 10:10-11 KJV talks about the thief and the “Life Giver”.  It says “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.   The Life Giver in this portion of scripture is Jesus Christ.

As believers we may not be able to pick and choose our troubles, but we can choose which teachers we allow to shape us into “Experts” on our future.  So the next time you feel the tugging of the Holy Spirit’s still small voice telling you to “Slow Down”, “Not To Move So Fast”, “Maybe You Shouldn’t Pick That One”, “Sleep On It”, or “Get That Certified Mechanic” make sure you listen.  Step back, look back, relax, relate, and release people and things until you get instructions from the Holy Spirit that it’s “All Clear” to move ahead.

 If you don’t, you’ll still hear His still small voice, but it will be at the expense of your own refusal to become tired of “Trouble”.  “I STARTED NOT TO”, “SOMETHING TOLD ME”, “WHY DIDN’T I LISTEN”, are only the - Expert Teachers of Troubles - rewards for a job well done.  By choosing to not listen to the Holy Spirit’s still small voice you confirmed to “Trouble” his high price was low enough to lean the lesson again.