Trying to keep me head above water.

SI is a site that promotes revival, but it does not mean that everyone here is [b]in revival.[/b] Often, well meaning people get caught up in the moment, when vindication, or just being right, overrides sensibility, or Compassion for those on the opposite side of an issue. Then, we hurt people, and justify it as, "It needed to be said!", or mostly, unintentionally, we defend an issue or point over zealously, and take no prisoners in our defense of that issue.

I have been guilty of everything I have written above. However, when you have a forum , with an open invitation to whoever will so come, you will have conflicts. We must learn to put our shield of faith up, and realize that not everyone is going to agree, or to be your friend. Friends are made in the real world, you know, right behind that grocery store up the street from you. This is a cyberworld "Church", where people have persona's; ideas and concepts that they display, that may or may not be real. Many here fancy themselves as quite spiritual, when in reality, they are but babes. Some are wounded, looking for reality through this electronic world...and they will never find it here, in fullness.

I see SI as a wonderful Bible College, with resources that are stunning to me, compared to my access to the Christian fathers, say, 20 years ago. Learn to glean and feed upon them, at your speed, however you desire. Use them now, to grow, for tribulation is but a very few short years away, I believe. When you post, a good principle is "take the lowest seat..", meaning, offer your ideas in humility, without owning the right or wrong of them. Though you may believe them to be absolutely right, and of course they may be,,,,,offer them, and stoke your fires of inspiration from your desire to touch the Heart of Jesus, or to stand in it.

Use the Bible in your heart of ideas...and as you are, without aires, you will find approbation...even babes are honored with wisdom in Jesus. Be a blessing, and encourage..and leave the war to others, for now.

If someone has hurt you, first forgive them, and then pm them, expressing your offense, understanding that they may never humble themselves, and reconcile. But, you have done your part, by forgiving those who trespass against you. you will be at peace. It always hurts to forgive. It probably isn't real unless it does hurt.

It is a privilege to be a part of this forum. You will grow into it more, as you grow, and that always comes with growing pains. Ask anyone here. Grace to you Soondak..brothertom

Soondak wrote:
I am just tired of spilling my heart on the ground then have to prove I am a Christian somehow for people who admit they don't even use discernment...it hurts.

And I can call them on it because they are male and I am female.

Brother you must try not to get so offended on SI, it is difficult to carry a discussion sometimes with the right tone. Sometimes talking to someone over in a written format is hard to convey the heart, I have been guilty sounding hard when in fact it was quite the opposite. It is quite different when you convey something to someone in person when you can use your emotional responses, hands, your tone in your voice and so on.

If a brother offended you go to him in a PM...you may find out it was incidental.

SI is not a place to substitute friends that are local to you. The word friends is used to loosely, we may have acquaintances we meet in our life, but all will not be friends. Any website should never replace your current or local friends...it is just not the same. SI is a great website, it has helped me greatly. but call it what it is, a website. People will come and go, people you used to talk to move on. For me a friend isn't someone I chat with on line....a friend is someone who will call me or me him. He will be there when I am in the rough. We will meet with coffee and talk about the word and our lifes. He will check to see how I am doing and ask hard questions.

Brother hang in there, ask the Lord and he will guide you to good solid friends. But until then sharpen yourself on SI, but don't let it replace anything else in your life.

Blessings
Mike :-)