Thoughts??

[rl69]

Numbers 22:21-39New Living Translation (NLT)Balaam and His Donkey21 So the next morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started off with the Moabite officials. 22 But God was angry that Balaam was going, so he sent the angel of the Lord to stand in the road to block his way. As Balaam and two servants were riding along,23 Balaam’s donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. The donkey bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat it and turned it back onto the road. 24 Then the angel of the Lord stood at a place where the road narrowed between two vineyard walls. 25 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it tried to squeeze by and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So Balaam beat the donkey again. 26 Then the angel of the Lord moved farther down the road and stood in a place too narrow for the donkey to get by at all. 27 This time when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down under Balaam. In a fit of rage Balaam beat the animal again with his staff.
28 Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?” it asked Balaam.
29 “You have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!”
30 “But I am the same donkey you have ridden all your life,” the donkey answered. “Have I ever done anything like this before?"
“No,” Balaam admitted.
31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him.
32 “Why did you beat your donkey those three times?” the angel of the Lord demanded. “Look, I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me. 33 Three times the donkey saw me and shied away; otherwise, I would certainly have killed you by now and spared the donkey.”

the preacher today said "if God could use a donkey he could use me" so I pulled up this story with that in mind, but instead was I saw was verse 30. But I'm the same donkey you have ridden all your life.

i have seen this many times on this forum,and in real life. I have been guilty of it my self. Someone dose or says something,and we jump all over them.

The thing is if we actually took the time to see why they did or said what they did ,it would save so much heartache and hurt fillings.It is much worse here because so much is lost in the written word .(facial expressions, tone,body language) we need too keep in mind how we have acted in the past.if what is said is out of caricature for that person we need to find out why.

[Boaz]

It's a viable question and your answer/suggestion is good . Biggest problem is anonymity of the net and honesty online . Most likely a better choice done by pm ? Most don't want to discuss personal problems online for the world to see thinking it shows failing or weakness .

I talk about past failings all the time ....it's history , possibly a learning experience for another.
I suppose I'd have trouble discussing a current problem because it might burden others who simply can't help by the distance between us . Not a total answer to your question , I have pm'd members in the circumstances you mention . Some success and some not .

I will refer to James 5;16

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

[Blackwater]

Great thought, and I've never heard it applied as you do, but it's very positively apt. So many things can be applied so many different ways! It really helps to hear what others have found. It's always very humbling to see how much I've missed in my own time and reading. And the more humble I become, the more God lets me see! It's amazing how that works, and certainly not something I'd ever have suspected or been able to understand until simple experience taught me. Guess I'm just a slow learner? Make too many assumptions that SEEMED "rational," but simply didn't prove out over time and in fact. Thanks, RL. Alwas look forward to your and many others' posts here. They matter.

[USMC87]

Thank you for that lesson and yes it is surely needed for all of us.

[Pine Baron]

Man, now I need a donkey. I can use all the help I can get.
Thanks, rl.

[Blackwater]

Man, now I need a donkey. I can use all the help I can get.
Thanks, rl.

[smilie=l: Me too, PB! Me too!