Learning to trust is possibly one of the hardest things to do. I have trust issues. I don't want to open myself up to the heartache that sometimes come along with trusting people. But, what good does it do to keep myself from trusting others? To keep myself from loving because in order to love you have to trust. And God, well, He wants us to love everyone - even our enemies. So, do we have to trust to love? I'm not sure, but why test it?
Opening myself up to trusting others has been a continuous battle, because once I finally let someone see the real me, I fear the worst - rejection, heartache - and it's happened to me before. Over and over and over again. But do you know what? The one person who doesn't reject me or cause me heart to ache is God.
So why do I have a hard time trusting Him when all He has ever done is help me out, lead me where I need to be, and given me everything that I've ever needed? It's because I'm human. We want to take things into our own hands. We want to worry about everything, and from that worrying, we want to fix it ourselves. But, we can't fix it ourselves. We have to learn to give it over to God.
Psalm 62:8 (NKJV) says, "Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah."
God is our refuge. He will take us into His arms, and He will make sure that nothing bad harms us. Strong's Concordance says that "refuge" means "a shelter (literally or figuratively): - hope (place of) refuge shelter trust"
That tells us that God will be our place of hope, a shelter from danger. So, if He is this for us, why can't we trust that He will always be this for us? Why in times of distress do we turn away from God and try to "fix it" ourselves?
Proverbs 30:5 (NKJV) tells us that "Every word of God is pure. He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him."
"Every word of God is pure" In my MacArthur study Bible, the note on the word "pure" says that it "literally means 'tried,' and found to be without dross or error." Strong's Concordance says the same thing. That the word "pure" meant that it was refined and tested to purge away.
So, God's word is pure. That means that what He says is without error, so if the Bible tells us that He is our refuge and shield, that He will protect us at all times, (Notice it says "Trust in Him at ALL times."), why do we let ourselves DOUBT He will take care of our needs?
Just the other day, I was worried about not having enough money for my bills. I don't know why I doubted that God wouldn't take care of me, but I did. Financial burden seems to be something we don't trust God enough in. Well, I was talking to my dad and mom about it, not asking to borrow money, but having problems trusting that the money was there. Well, come Sunday, after praying hard about that, I got an email saying that I had received some money through ebay.
This is just one example of how God has shielded me from financial burden, yet each time it looks like things are getting tough, I don't TRUST HIM. Why? Why do I not trust the God who has given me everything no matter how many stupid mistakes I make? His love and protection is without fail. Why does that not stick with me?
Isaiah 26:4 (NKJV) says, "Trust in the Lord forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength."
That "everlasting strength" according to my MacArthur study Bible means "Rock of Ages," and that means, "a rocky cliff where the trusting one may find shelter from attackers."
When we feel like we're under attack or when we feel like nothing could get worse and then it seems like it does, God is where we need to be. We need to find our "everlasting strength," our "Rock of Ages," our "shield." God hasn't moved. God is the "same yesterday, today and forever." Our trust should be in the Lord. He knows our past; He knows our future. And unlike us, He knows what is actually best for us.
I'll leave you with this final word from Proverbs 3: 5, 6 (NKJV)
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your path."
God will show us where we need to be. We just have to trust Him, no matter how hard it is.
Showing posts with label spiritual. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spiritual. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Where is God?
Have you ever felt like you cannot be comforted from whatever it is that is bothering you? Maybe you feel like nothing will ever be right in your life again, that whatever hurts you will forever hang over your head.
You cry out the words, "Where is my help?" And the verse may come to mind, "My help comes from the Lord."
You think, where is God in this? Don't fret. You aren't the only one who has thought that. Even in the Bible, say in Psalm 119:82, it says,
Sure, there are answers to your problems in the Word of God. There are times, though, that you can read through the Bible and not find anything to help you deal with your problems. Or, you find them but they don't alleviate your worries and concerns.
So you keep praying, and you keep searching. Good. Keep doing do that. Because, you WILL find GOD the more you read the word and search for Him.
He hasn't moved. The problem is us. We aren't casting all of our worries on God. We aren't letting go of our problems and giving it to Him.
I've done this. I've prayed and prayed until I felt like my prayers were bouncing off of the ceiling. I felt like God wasn't hearing my cries for help, and I felt like if He was hearing them, He wasn't answering them.
That of course wasn't the case. The answers I wanted weren't in God's will. He was hearing me, and He was answering my prayers. He just wasn't answering them the way I wanted Him to, but after some thought, and a good read through Psalms, I knew that I had to "Let Go and Let God."
He wants to help us. He wants to comfort us, but we won't let Him. We, as humans, want to fix the problems ourselves. We want God to take a lead from us and follow our directions, but we can't do that. We have to follow God's directions for our lives - the Word.
When you feel like God isn't near, I beg you to reconsider your thoughts. God is right there. Waiting. Waiting on you to come to Him and let Him be the Father that He wants to be. He wants to comfort His child. It isn't His will to make us suffer. We make ourselves suffer by not giving into Him and falling into His loving arms that are waiting for us.
Psalm 121: 1, 2
I encourage you to read the rest of Psalm 121. I encourage you to read through Psalms when you're hurting. God wants to help you. God IS your help. Just call on Him, cast your burdens on Him, and He will deliver you.
Psalm 55:22
1 Peter 5:6, 7
You cry out the words, "Where is my help?" And the verse may come to mind, "My help comes from the Lord."
You think, where is God in this? Don't fret. You aren't the only one who has thought that. Even in the Bible, say in Psalm 119:82, it says,
"My eyes fail from searching Your word, Saying, "When will You comfort me?"
Sure, there are answers to your problems in the Word of God. There are times, though, that you can read through the Bible and not find anything to help you deal with your problems. Or, you find them but they don't alleviate your worries and concerns.
So you keep praying, and you keep searching. Good. Keep doing do that. Because, you WILL find GOD the more you read the word and search for Him.
He hasn't moved. The problem is us. We aren't casting all of our worries on God. We aren't letting go of our problems and giving it to Him.
I've done this. I've prayed and prayed until I felt like my prayers were bouncing off of the ceiling. I felt like God wasn't hearing my cries for help, and I felt like if He was hearing them, He wasn't answering them.
That of course wasn't the case. The answers I wanted weren't in God's will. He was hearing me, and He was answering my prayers. He just wasn't answering them the way I wanted Him to, but after some thought, and a good read through Psalms, I knew that I had to "Let Go and Let God."
He wants to help us. He wants to comfort us, but we won't let Him. We, as humans, want to fix the problems ourselves. We want God to take a lead from us and follow our directions, but we can't do that. We have to follow God's directions for our lives - the Word.
When you feel like God isn't near, I beg you to reconsider your thoughts. God is right there. Waiting. Waiting on you to come to Him and let Him be the Father that He wants to be. He wants to comfort His child. It isn't His will to make us suffer. We make ourselves suffer by not giving into Him and falling into His loving arms that are waiting for us.
Psalm 121: 1, 2
"I will lift up my eyes to the hills - From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth."
I encourage you to read the rest of Psalm 121. I encourage you to read through Psalms when you're hurting. God wants to help you. God IS your help. Just call on Him, cast your burdens on Him, and He will deliver you.
Psalm 55:22
"Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved."
1 Peter 5:6, 7
"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon him, for He cares for you."
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Cry out to the Lord
Guys, sometimes it's hard to remember that no matter the storm we're traveling through, there is a light amidst the storm. God will calm the storm and will bring us out of the things that distress us the most.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Count Your Blessings; Not Your Losses
One morning, I woke up thinking about the things in my life that I had lost or wished that I had in my life that I didn't. On the verge of tears, God spoke to me - not in an audible voice but in a thought.
My first thought was, "Yes Lord." And then I really thought about it. How do we lose sight of our blessings? Why can't we be happy with what we've got and trust the Lord will give us what we need?
We can. It's just a matter of "disciplining our flesh"as a great lady of God at our church said one Sunday morning.
See, our spirit is always at war with our flesh. Our flesh wants us to dwell on temptations, losses and things that will bring our spiritual side into war with our flesh.
We have to be spiritually minded to get that peace that God has promised us. We have to dwell in Him and what He has provided us. We need to focus on our Spiritual side (blessings) and not our flesh (losses). If we lose sight of our blessings, we will suffer "death". No, not literal death, but spiritual death. If you aren't spiritually minded, you can't live your life peacefully.
We, our flesh, wants us to focus on our losses, but God wants us to focus on our blessings!
What's the point of worrying over what we see as a loss when, in fact, it's a blessing in disguise? Sure, it's hard to see it as a blessing at first, but God ALWAYS has a plan. It's HIS blessing to us, to our future.
Because, let's face it, God knows WAY more about our future than we do. He knows what we need. He knows the desires of our hearts, and it's His will to give us those desires.
Remember last week's post about waiting patiently on the Lord? That comes in handy while we wait for our needs and desires. When we go through a tough time and have to wait, God is opening up the way for our future blessings.
When we wake up in the mornings, we should thank God for blessing us with life! Don't listen to those lies that run around your head saying that it isn't a good day or you don't have a good life. That's a horrible lie straight from the devil!
You have a pulse. You woke up in the morning. Look around at how much God has done for you. He has given you life. Blessings beyond your imagination!
Focus on those blessings! And you'll have peace instead of worry!
Why aren't you focusing on your blessings instead of your losses?
My first thought was, "Yes Lord." And then I really thought about it. How do we lose sight of our blessings? Why can't we be happy with what we've got and trust the Lord will give us what we need?
We can. It's just a matter of "disciplining our flesh"as a great lady of God at our church said one Sunday morning.
See, our spirit is always at war with our flesh. Our flesh wants us to dwell on temptations, losses and things that will bring our spiritual side into war with our flesh.
Romans 8: 5-6
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
We have to be spiritually minded to get that peace that God has promised us. We have to dwell in Him and what He has provided us. We need to focus on our Spiritual side (blessings) and not our flesh (losses). If we lose sight of our blessings, we will suffer "death". No, not literal death, but spiritual death. If you aren't spiritually minded, you can't live your life peacefully.
We, our flesh, wants us to focus on our losses, but God wants us to focus on our blessings!
What's the point of worrying over what we see as a loss when, in fact, it's a blessing in disguise? Sure, it's hard to see it as a blessing at first, but God ALWAYS has a plan. It's HIS blessing to us, to our future.
Because, let's face it, God knows WAY more about our future than we do. He knows what we need. He knows the desires of our hearts, and it's His will to give us those desires.
Remember last week's post about waiting patiently on the Lord? That comes in handy while we wait for our needs and desires. When we go through a tough time and have to wait, God is opening up the way for our future blessings.
When we wake up in the mornings, we should thank God for blessing us with life! Don't listen to those lies that run around your head saying that it isn't a good day or you don't have a good life. That's a horrible lie straight from the devil!
Psalm 118:24
This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.
You have a pulse. You woke up in the morning. Look around at how much God has done for you. He has given you life. Blessings beyond your imagination!
Focus on those blessings! And you'll have peace instead of worry!
Proverbs 10:22
The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.
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