Trust in the Lord

Psalm 37:3-6 Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your justice as the noonday.

Trust is something a lot of people struggle with. A lot of times you put your trust in someone and they let you down. The good news is that God is NOT man. You can put your trust in Him and He will be there! He won't let you down.

I have been homeschooling my kids and this week we have been studying the story of Abraham, Sarah and Isaac. What and AMAZING story of trust this is! Abraham and Sarah learned that God keeps His promises. Abraham's faith by the end of the journey was so great that when God asked him to sacrifice his son, he didn't hesitate! He was able to trust that God knew best.

I wonder if God asked me to do something like that if I would trust Him enough. I would like to say yes, but I am just not sure. Good thing this life is a journey and God is constantly molding us into His perfect, holy creation.

Comparing

I have this thing I do. I constantly am comparing myslef to other people. I compare my kids to other people's kids. I compare my possessions, my looks, my life, even my eating habbits with other people. A lot of times it makes me feel insecure. I feel like everyone else is doing so much better than I am.

This is no different for me spiritually. I look at the faith of others or the miraculous or wonderful things they have done to advance God's Kingdom and I feel completely inadequate. It is especially difficult when I am married to a pastor whose job is to do these things 24/7. (Not to mention that my hubs is pretty much perfect!)

I read this verse today and it spoke to me:

"Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else." Galatians 6:4

I really need to stop worrying about what other people are doing and focus on what I am doing. God has called me to be a wife and mother, and although I am not speaking to large crowds or writing books like Beth Moore, I am being faithful to what God has called me to do.

What has He called you to do? Have you responded? If so, than you are just as faithful as Beth Moore or Billy Graham! So stop beating yourself up!

Whining

My four year old son is constantly saying whining, "I want, I want, I want!"

"I want cereal!"

"I want to go outside!"

"I want, I want, I want!"

I am sure you get the point! He is constantly trying to control us by telling us what he wants. We have been trying to teach him to be grateful for what he has, not ask for more. Then it hit me....

I do this with God! I whine about what I want. I tell God what I want. I get upset when I don't get what I want. What I should be wanting is whatever God wants for me. I should be practicing gratitude, just like I have been trying to teach my son.

2 Corinthians 12:9
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

God's grace should be MORE than enough for me! I don't need anything else!

And God wants what is best for us. AND He KNOWS better than we do about what we need.

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

Thank you God for using my son to teach me and humble me. Forgive me for all my "I wants". Change my heart and make me want what you want!

Our Comfort...

I have no problem admiting that I LOVE to be comfortable.  And I'm selfish too.  Sometimes I can forget all together what this life is really about, which is advancing God's kingdom.  You see God doesn't want us to be comfortable all the time.  He wants to stretch us.  He wants us to grow. 

Matthew 16:26 For what profit is it to a man, if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?


Matthew 6:19 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Our lives should be about the end result.  Our reward in heaven.  And we should desire to share this reward, this treasure with everyone we encounter.

Luke 9:23 And He said to them all, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it.

We have to deny our self.  Deny our own worldly desires and replace it with the desires of the Lord. 
 
James 1:2-4  Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

God says that we should consider it a joy when we encounter life's struggles because it tests our faith and teaches us to persevere. 

So don't get too comfortable with your life.  Don't close yourself off to the rest of the world; the lost, the poor, the hurting, the needy.  Being a disciple of Christ means that we are called to LOVE all people.  So get out of your bubble and get a little messy.

Patience

 I have never been a patient person.  I know what I want and I want it now.  I think sometimes I am looking so far ahead to what I want that I lose sight of the present.  I have my focus on the future and don't pay attention to how the Lord is at work around me. 

Right now I am living thousands of miles away from my friends and family.  I am terribly homesick and everything about my current situation rubs me the wrong way.  I am so easily frustrated these days.  And because all I can focus on is the future of how to get back home, I am missing the good things around me; the opportunity to make new friends, the chance to embrace a new culture and see and try new things.  And most importantly, how the Lord is using our family in this place.  Just in the last few weeks alone we have witnessed 2 people get saved and will soon be having a baptism!

So I may not be thrilled with where I live but I know that God is going to use it for His purpose, and in the end isn't that all that really matters?

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

This is a song that has been playing on the radio that has really been speaking to me lately:


I lost my keys in the great unknown
And call me please 'Cuz I can't find my phone

This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use

45 in a 35
Sirens and fines while I'm running behind
Whoa
This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use

So break me of impatience
Conquer my frustrations
I've got a new appreciation
It's not the end of the world
Oh Oh Oh

This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff
Someone save me
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
And I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use
Oh Oh Oh Oh
This is the stuff You use

Nevermind the Joneses.

So God has been speaking to me LOUD and CLEAR.  You know what I mean? Those times where every message you hear is about the same thing and every time you open your bible you keep reading the same kind of stuff? And this is what I am hearing:

I am so BLESSED!

I have this file on the computer with stuff I dream about getting when I get rich.  I call it my "Get Rich File".  Here are some of the things I have in it:

Then God spoke to me over the last 2 weeks and told me that it wasn't good for me to be consumed by this desire.  The desire to "Get Rich". 

1 Timmothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

I started to realize that I have SO MUCH! How could I be looking for more? It is hard not to look at someone that has a huge house and nice things and not think, "I wish I could have what they have." But really I should be thinking about people who have less than me and instead of trying to GET more I should be trying to GIVE more!

Look what the rest of the world lives like:

This is how much food the average American household consumes in a week:

And this is the amount of food for a family in Africa for a week:

I hate that I am so focused on ME.  I want to be more focused on others. 

That is my prayer this week.

My friend posted this link on her facebook today and it is a great way to put things in perspective and it is exactly what God has been showing me the last 2 weeks.  Check it out and see how BLESSED you really are. 
Nevermind the Joneses.

I'm Not Better Than Anyone

Yesterday I wrote about how I am a "Jesus Freak". Today I am struggling. I am homesick. I feel sad. I am angry. Just wanted you to know that I am FAR from perfect. I don't even think I am all that good. I thought this poem was appropriate for today:

Christians - By Maya Angelou

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'."
I'm whispering "I was lost,
Now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say.... "I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
And need His strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
Who received God's good grace, somehow!