Has anyone else besides me noticed that many many blogs are by Christian (at least professing Christian) authors?
Does anyone else besides me find it more difficult to seek the LORD in the sunshine and roses than in the troubled times?
I have been thinking about this lately.
Right now, life is good.
He keeps providing and it is so cool to watch.
I have a gut feeling (no we do not trust feelings so we'll see how this one turns out) that something big is going to happen this summer.
With all the little things happening it may just mean that a whole series of little things are going to bless my socks off. Either way. Something is goings ons.
Even so, I am finding it all too easy to try to coast.
Thankfully, He keeps jerking me back into reality and I remember that coasting never works.
That bike your on will just role backwards if you don't pedal hard!
I'm so excited about what I am learning and about what He is doing even though I am not sure what it is yet!
One thing I do have to guard against besides just trying to coast is wondering what trial is up next.
The enemy wants me to get lost in worrying about tomorrow and not delighting in the blessings of today. I could work myself into a tizzy thinking of the worst possible things that could come next. Makes my stomach sick.
I think maybe it stems from a wrong belief/knowledge of the character of God.
There is something cynical in my thinking.
I have this wicked idea that all this good just means doom is approaching because He is just setting me up to see how bad I break when I fall.
In my head I know full well that is not true but it seems today, I'm not believing it in my heart.
It is true that when you aren't in a trial you've a) just come out of one or b) are fixing to walk into one.
But the lie is that He causes it or even allows it out of malevolence. Of course He doesn't! He does want us to become more like Him so He allows things to happen but it is not part of His perfect will that we should hurt.
If that were true what would be the harm in the fall!?
So when I am tempted to borrow trouble I must go to the Scriptures.
"Do not worry about tomorrow..."
I need to do some searching for ones about His love for His children and commit them to memory. Does anyone have any verses that they are particularly comforted by?
Kind of long... but look esp. at Verse 7:
ReplyDeletePs.112: 1 Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, Who delights greatly in His commandments. 2 His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches will be in his house, And his righteousness endures forever. 4 Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. 5 A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion. 6 Surely he will never be shaken; The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance. 7 He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. 8 His heart is established; He will not be afraid, Until he sees his desire upon his enemies. 9 He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted with honor. 10 The wicked will see it and be grieved; He will gnash his teeth and melt away; The desire of the wicked shall perish.
Thanks Ms. Angelia!
ReplyDeletewe paid mrs. shelley too much on accident and she wrote us a check back. there was a part of a verse on it from John, when Jesus was talking to his disciples before he was crucified. I think i've always missed it in the greater context (i mean, it's a pretty full passage). it was from John 16:22 : '...no one will rob you of your joy'. study the passage in light of that forever joy He gives, and it's beautiful. also the next chapter is amazing.
ReplyDeleteThe combination of the following 3 verses is what i cling to whenever i'm questioning God: 'every good and perfect is from above, coming down from the father of the heavenly life'(from James) and (from John, i think) 'Simon Peter answered, "Lord, who will we go to? You have the words of eternal life."' and 'Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?'
All good is from God.
He gives bread to his children, not stones.
I've been struggling lately, and sometimes i don't know, don't feel that God is good or love and don't know why things have happened. but i believe that he's the truth; where else can i go? his words are the words of life. so i will accept both blessing and pain from his hands - He gives bread to his children. and some moments, that's all i have - the simple belief that the Lord is good, must be good.
have you ever read the Jesus Storybook bible? you should look through it. i love it. you reminded me of it b/c she chalks most sin up to the belief that God doesn't love us/isn't good/doesn't want what is best - that we can't trust him.
ReplyDeleteI haven't. I read the concept in a book written by Nancy Leigh Demoss called Lies Women Believe but it makes perfect sense.
ReplyDelete