Facing Difficulty

                                                 I Told You So

                                     Proverbs 10:17 "He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof  erreth" 

I hate it when someone says that to me. It points out my careless actions, it highlights that I'm in "my predicament" because I didn't listen and it makes me feel laughed at, like the person who "told me so" is glad that I'm getting what I'm getting.

When is it ok to use those words? 

Yesterday I used those words and reminded a dear friend that she DID have some kind of idea that things would be difficult. I had to remind her that she chose this path. I saw her reaction and saying those words to her made me feel awful, I didn't want her to think I was telling her she deserved her current circumstance.  My hope in using those words were to shake her up. It of course would make her face HER situation and hopefully be reminded that once she was willing to do anything to see Gods restoring plan.  It would also admonish her that perhaps she wasn't seeing Gods hand in the picture anymore, unable to see past the present difficulties. I challenged her to ask, seek and knock at Gods word for strength, wisdom and break through.

Her hope and my hope is in Christ alone and throughout his word we are consistently "being told;" warned, about the difficulties of life. Even when I read these warnings and I'm wanting to choose a path that is not agreeing to a warning from Gods word, it does frustrate me. Living a life with dominion will have some "I told you so's"  but digesting His word can determine your strength and perhaps a better outcome of some of our situations.