Click to join the conversation with over 500,000 Pentecostal believers and scholars
Click to get our FREE MOBILE APP and stay connected
| PentecostalTheology.com
To be clear, “it’s been a minute” is short for “it has been a minute.” This phrase is used when an individual or multiple people have not done something for a very long time. Considering how short a minute is, this term is a deliberate understatement. When two friends meet after spending several weeks or months apart, someone may say that “it’s been a minute.” You can also use the phrase to describe experiences and other things that you have not done for a long time. -linguaholic.com
It has been a ‘hot minute’ since I’ve written on here. Since that time, several big things have happened in my life. After a year of trying to keep my gallbladder, I finally had to have it removed due to it being full of stones despite all my efforts to try and heal it. I remember right after surgery being wheeled on the way to the recovery room and how much ‘spiritually lighter’ I felt! Apparently, the gallbladder is an ’emotionally charged organ,’ and after years of shock, trauma, stress, and pain, it finally had to be removed from my system. My sweet hubby was right there to help me throughout my recovery process, and thankfully, I have been feeling much better since.
Another ‘big upheaval’ in our lives was the decision to move from the northern part of the state to the central part last Spring. Even though we only moved 3 hours away, it still feels like we moved to another state altogether with the marked differences in topography, the brand of stores, and the pervasive farm life culture around here. As far as the eye can see, there are rolling hills, pristine farmland, grain silos, and, better yet, no trash or clutter along the highways like where we came from. Overall, we are pretty happy with the move that we have made because it didn’t make sense to stay where we were overall.
Galatians 6:2 “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
Plain truth be told, I stopped writing a while back because I found out on another forum (not Rapture Ready) that I was being ‘unmercifully bashed on’ by supposed fellow believers concerning the personal things I had written about. Most of my articles in the past were on positively living the Christian life and about certain topics of our time, but about a 1/3 of them did detail my personal life story and how the love of many had waxed cold, especially in recent decades.
To these people, it did not matter how cruelly I was treated, nor how much I had suffered throughout my lifetime. It only mattered that I was writing about others (not naming names or titles btw), but to them, I was a person that did not deserve sympathy or validation. Well, let’s see; last I looked, all of life is about ‘how people treat one another.’ Furthermore, God’s Word undeniably states that in the last days, the love of many (most) will grow cold. Therefore, on this notion, none of us will get out of this life ‘unscathed,’ so why can I not have ‘my voice heard’ on these issues?
Matthew 24:12 “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”
Needless to say, after reading all of the ‘heartless, unsupportive, and uncaring’ comments on that online forum, all I could think at the time was, “So much for ‘bearing one another’s burdens’ and decided that if ‘people of the house of God’ don’t care about others and their pain, then who will? Also, why should I continue writing and sharing my story only to have insult added to injury? After some time had passed, though, I realized that the only person’s opinion of me that truly matters is Abba Father God, and His Word clearly states that He cares about us and our pain whether others in this life do or not.
Speaking of pain, we recently lost both of our’ cat sons’ in the last year, one to a mass in his bladder and the other to a blood clot. We miss them terribly, but our neighbor convinced us to get a new calico girl kitten in recent weeks, who we named Jellybean. We forgot what it was like to have a ‘baby cat’ after all these years, but we are blessed to be navigating our new friendship and companionship with sweet, smart, and sassy little Jellybean.
Just know that no matter what in life, Jesus is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. We are thankful for the knowledge of that and that the Lord is close to the brokenhearted too. Be encouraged today if you feel despised, rejected, beaten down, isolated, alone, and are suffering any physical, spiritual, mental, or ’emotionally debilitating pain’ like I have been in for many years now. Just be still and know that God understands how we feel, that He truly cares for us, and that He is always there.
Philippians 4:6, KJV “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
Bottom line, we are not to be worried or anxious about anything, but in all things by prayer and supplication, make our requests known unto God, for He truly cares for us.
1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
The True Meaning of ‘Bear One Another’s Burdens’ (Galatians 6:2) (biblestudytools.com)
Wesley’s Notes for Galatians 6:2
6:2 “Bear ye one another’s burdens [Sympathize with, and assist, each other, in all your weaknesses, grievances, trials] And so fulfil the law of Christ.” [The law of Christ (an uncommon expression) is the law of love: this our Lord peculiarly recommends; this he makes the distinguishing mark of his disciples.] –kingjamesbibleonline.org
Sincerely and In Christ,
Candy Austin
The post What Does “It’s Been a Minute” Mean? appeared first on Rapture Ready.
