I kept walking into the same situation.  Again.  And again.

Or… at least on the surface it looked like the same situation.  Each person came with the same accusation.  Yet underneath each situation, there were differing, logical, and helpful explanations.  There were unique problems to solve in each one, but the presenting accusation in all three situations was the same.

And that was eerily weird.

So I called my dear friend. She has challenged me in very helpful, impactful, intense, godly ways before.  And she loves me.  And I trust her insight.  I really needed her insight.

So I told her about my sagas.  “But it’s just so weird.  All three situations start with the same accusation?  I mean, that’s crazy.”  But there were unique, individual things that were really behind each one.  So I unpacked those for her.  But I just couldn’t shake the almost identical opening accusations.  I pleaded, “If God is trying to teach me something here, I just don’t want to miss it.”

And I just love this gal.

She responded, “Oh whatever, my friend!  I mean, really?  So three people think it.  So what?  I can tell you three people who don’t think it.  I don’t think that about you.  And your husband doesn’t think that about you, and I’m sure you can think of one other person who also doesn’t think that about you.  So there.  That’s three people.  So quit giving it your thought and energy and attention.”

Then … as if that weren’t nourishing enough… she topped it. “I mean, you said you’ve pleaded with the Lord for what He’s trying to teach you.  You’ve practically begged Him to convict you of this, and He hasn’t.  Instead, He provided rational, real explanations.  So there’s your trump card.  Even if you can’t think of three people who don’t think it – which you can – GOD doesn’t think it.”

That is quite the trump.

“So YOU quit thinking it!”

Amen?