Encourage or Self-destruct?

   

     1 Kings 3 :16-28  Two women lived together and both had newborn babies.  One baby ended up dying during the night.  Filled with what I can only imagine to be utter grief and devastation, the mother took her baby and swapped him for the other woman's living baby before the morning dawned.  The woman awoke and after close observation of the baby she realized that it wasn't hers.  The two women went before King Solomon.  The king declared that the living baby be cut in half and one half be given to each woman.  - Now remember, the Lord granted Solomon wisdom in governing his people. - The true mother of the living baby "was filled with compassion for her son and said to the king, 'Please, my lord, give her the living baby!  Don't kill him!'  But the other said, 'Neither I nor you shall have him.  Cut him in two!' "  Solomon gave the baby to the compassionate mother knowing that she was the true mother.
     The second woman was so full of bitterness and grief from losing her own baby that she was willing to take away and rob her friend of the same thing she lost.  This is an extreme example, but I wonder how realistic it is to my own life - to everyone's lives.  There are smaller things that happen that can have the same effect on us.  If you are familiar with sayings like:  If I can't have it, then nobody can have it! OR  If Mama's not happy, ain't nobody happy!  then you know exactly what I mean.  Not exactly the attitude God wants us to have.
     Proverbs 14:30  "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones."  
     We can not allow bitterness, anger, envy, hatred, or discontentment to rule our actions and thoughts.  We must be self-controlled, merciful, humble, joyful, gracious, and loving.
     Philippians 2:3  "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."
     James 1:2  "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds."  Most of the trials we face day to day are incredibly insignificant compared to what the Lord did for us and what we have to look forward to in heaven.  The trials we face will either break us down or build us up.  We can choose to allow self-destruction to take over through our bitter attitudes or healing to come forth.  God will use every situation for his glory.  The things we deal with and suffer through are the things God will use to change lives - including our own lives.  We make the choice.
     Am I open to allowing God to use me in my failures, triumphs, and hardships to mentor and encourage another person?  It may be the very things that brings another person to Christ.  I don't want to miss out on that!  I must remain eternally minded and Biblically focused no matter what the trials.  God knows all about my fears, and desires.  He's not oblivious to what is going on.  He carries me through this life.  Think about the 'Footprints' saying.  When you only see one set of prints in the sand, and you feel like God has left your side, remember that they are Gods prints, not yours, because He is carrying you through.