The Lord has made! I choose to rejoice and be glad in it!
Hello everyone, in "Jesus Calling" this month the theme seems to be trusting God through trials or hard circumstances...
Today's entry said to thank God for my problems... Whenever I get distracted with something hard, I should bring it to God with thanksgiving...
I don't know about you, but that is not an easy pill to swallow... I don't want to thank God for my problems... That just doesn't seem right. God loves me. He shouldn't want me to have problems, so why should I thank Him for them?... I don't truly mean it, if I thank Him for a problem... Cause I'm obviously not happy that I have the problem... Right?!
Well, after a little bit of family discussion, this is my new way of thinking... I am going to thank God for the opportunity(s) that the problem is bringing into my life. For instance, someone makes you mad/upset and talks down to you like you don't have feelings... I can thank God for the new opportunity to walk in love, the opportunity to be humble, and thank Him for being here for me because I cannot handle this on my own. Problems, trials, etc... they all bring us out of our comfort zone. Out of our little bubble of "self". In order to survive we need to trust in God and lean on Him more. This keeps us grounded. We need things like this so that we don't become like the men at the Tower of Babel(Genesis 11:1-9). They felt like they were as great as God because everything was going so well for them, they were united, no one could stop them... We don't want to be like that... Look where it got them!
Staying grounded and understanding that we couldn't do anything without God's help is a very important life lesson. Pride goes before a fall(Proverbs 16:18)...
So even-though I want to quit, or throw something back in someone's face, I'm not going to. God told us that the greatest (and really the only commandment) is to LOVE. I'm trying hard to love others, and to treat them the way I want to be treated. What are you doing? Are you looking at things from their perspective? Or yours? Is it all about me, me, me? Or am I willing to sacrifice my time and energy for someone else? I'm not just talking to you here, I am talking to myself too. I have a lot to learn and apply to my life, but I am going to continue to ask God for wisdom on how to grow in His LOVE. What are you going to do???
Blessings!
~ S*
One of today's scriptures will be Proverbs 3:5-7, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil." (NIV)
Let
me start by asking, what does this scripture mean to you? I know some
of you are probably like... "Ugggh... Not this verse again. I've heard
it like a thousand times!" But this scripture is very relevant to me at
this point in my life. Have you ever had one of those life verses, or a
verse that just goes really well with where you are in your life? For
me this is one of them. ;)
Other key scriptures for this post:
Psalms 62:1 and 5, "1 My soul finds rest in God alone... 5Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him." (NIV)
I
want to find rest in God alone. He alone can provide what I need!
"Every good and perfect gift comes from above!" (James 1:17)
Philippians 4:11-13, "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I
know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I
have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation,
whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (NIV)
I
want to be content in every circumstance. Giving God all my burdens
will help in this process. I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me!"
Colossians
3:15, "And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.
For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always
be thankful." (NLT)
God will give us the peace we desire if we just trust in Him!
I
have recently given my entire collection of thoughts, worries, control
issues, and future plans to God. This has been an extremely wonderful
experience. I had been afraid that God might not ever want me to get
married, so if I gave it all up to Him maybe I would be surrendering to a
future as a single. But in giving all my thoughts and worries to God, I
have found an amazing peace. I haven't been worried about my future. I
am at peace that God will provide everything I need whenever the need
arises. If that means that I will need to wait a few more years for a
husband, then so be it. I am excited to let God have control over my
future. He is definitely the One who should be in charge anyway.
Jeremiah 29:11, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the
LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope
and a future.'" I am trusting God with my future. Are you?
What
things do you worry about? Do you want to control your future like I
did? Do you believe that God has the best for you in your future? What
can you begin to do to make a change and give God your worries, cares,
and future plans?
As always, I look forward to hearing your thoughts!
~ S*
One of today's scriptures will be Proverbs 3:5-7, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil." (NIV)Let me start by asking, what does this scripture mean to you? I know some of you are probably like... "Ugggh... Not this verse again. I've heard it like a thousand times!" But this scripture is very relevant to me at this point in my life. Have you ever had one of those life verses, or a verse that just goes really well with where you are in your life? For me this is one of them. ;)Other key scriptures for this post: Psalms 62:1 and 5, "1 My soul finds rest in God alone... 5Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him." (NIV)I want to find rest in God alone. He alone can provide what I need! "Every good and perfect gift comes from above!" (James 1:17)Philippians 4:11-13, "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (NIV)I want to be content in every circumstance. Giving God all my burdens will help in this process. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!"Colossians 3:15, "And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful." (NLT)God will give us the peace we desire if we just trust in Him!I have recently given my entire collection of thoughts, worries, control issues, and future plans to God. This has been an extremely wonderful experience. I had been afraid that God might not ever want me to get married, so if I gave it all up to Him maybe I would be surrendering to a future as a single. But in giving all my thoughts and worries to God, I have found an amazing peace. I haven't been worried about my future. I am at peace that God will provide everything I need whenever the need arises. If that means that I will need to wait a few more years for a husband, then so be it. I am excited to let God have control over my future. He is definitely the One who should be in charge anyway. Jeremiah 29:11, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" I am trusting God with my future. Are you? What things do you worry about? Do you want to control your future like I did? Do you believe that God has the best for you in your future? What can you begin to do to make a change and give God your worries, cares, and future plans? As always, I look forward to hearing your thoughts!~ S*
