James....

James was right.

James is the man that hands out carts at the entrance to Wal Mart. He started witnessing to me yesterday. It bugged me, because I don't like to be witnessed to- it's like, "I am already saved... didn't the Holy Spirit tell you that?"

But he ended up MINISTERING to me.

He said something that I thought I understood, and took merely at face value... until I hung up the phone a minute ago.
He was talking about things. He pointed out that we have NO things. All of our things are really HIS things. All things belong to Him.
And I agreed, and told him he was right. I already knew that; materialism isn't something I typically struggle with.

But tonight I understood the full gravity of what he said.
As I hung up the phone, I told God a few things. And then I realized that even the PEOPLE in our lives belong to Him.
And I thought some more, and realized/said to Him that all of my friendships belong to Him. They are His to do what He pleases with.
I realized that it is totally within His right to take away all my friendships. Through disagreements, my own immaturity, or (Lord forbid) death... it's all within His right. He can do that if He wants to.
So I told Him, "Lord, my friendships are Yours, and I cannot claim them. Use them to Your own glory. If You choose to take them away from me, well, I ask You not to, but it's Your decision."
I remembered Job, and how the Lord took away everything- even his children and wife! How horrible!
But you know what? Those things were the Lord's to take. They belonged to Him already.

Whew.