I have sat down several times this week to write this post, and I haven't been able to bring myself to do it. I just keep mulling over my thoughts, the things that have been pressed upon my heart, the scripture that brings me to my knees, and the proper words can't seem to find their way onto this post. So, today I'm sitting down again, committed to putting this down on paper. Hoping it will be of some encouragement to you.
As stated in my new years post with a long list of my goals, I have not been very excited about this coming year. I feel like God has been preparing my heart for some tough things this year. I don't yet know what those things are, but i just sense it coming. I decided to look for the smallest blessings in every day life, thinking that the realization of those blessings will help me when I go through my struggles. Help me remember I'm blessed despite circumstances in my life.
Last Thursday night, I gathered together with a wonderful group of women. Women that I feel so honored to be living life with. Women that I admire after just a few months time. They are real. They are honest about their faith. They are encouraging. They pray. They're genuine. I feel like a sponge when I'm around them. Soaking up any and all information I can about their parenting, their marriages, their friendships, their outlooks, their walks with God. A devotion was shared about how 2012 will bring troubles. I heard that mentioned in the first few minutes, and my ears and heart opened wide to the rest because I knew this is God's message for me. God had been laying it on my heart: 2012 will bring troubles, pain, hardship. So, obviously I needed to hear this. And hear it I did.
After Thursday night I prayed, meditated on some scripture, and just thought about what was shared. Sunday morning came and another messaged was dropped onto my lap that caused me more sponge-like action in my heart and mind. It wasn't just in the sermon's message, but a message that came in the worship, in my prayer, in my heart. As I walked out of church on Sunday, I knew I needed to share this on my blog. I knew I needed to spread the word. It's taken 6 days of thoughts and prayer to finally sit down and do it.
"Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think"
Romans 12:12b
I am listing the scriptures that spoke to me - yelled at me - changed my heart and thinking, and then going into my thoughts on that scripture. I hope you can open your heart and mind to God's word as well.
"Don't be bewildered or surprised when you go through the fiery trials ahead, for this is no strange, unusual thing that is going to happen to you."
1 Peter 4:12
It hit me that every year has troubles. Last year had troubles. So did the year before that. And it's guaranteed that there will be this year, too. And I should not be shocked! I should be expectant of them. So many times when something happens, I spend quite a while asking the "why" of it all. I spend a few weeks in shock. Last year I spent about half of the months in shock. Enough of me doing that! I and going to try and not ask the why of my troubles anymore. Simply expect that troubles will come, and accept them when they do. Because...
"These troubles come to prove that your faith is pure. This purity of faith is worth more than gold."
1 Peter 1:7a
Purity of faith. Think about that for a second. I have always had a hard time being around some Christians because I don't feel that their faith is genuine. I feel like they are fake. The "everything is great" and "I'm such a good person" attitudes kind of rub me the wrong way. Maybe the rub me wrong because at one point in my walk with Christ I thought those things. My thinking is now different. Not everything is great. And I'm no as great as I think I am, or as great as you think I am. I don't have to hide it anymore. I can be who I am, because of whose I am. God loves me. He accepts me. And my faith - my genuine, no hiding, i'm not perfect, watch me go through these troubles - faith is worth more than gold. It will allow me to see streets of gold.
"And God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all."
Acts 4:33
I so want this to be evident. I want others to see God's grace powerfully working in me. When Andrew talks about me to others I want him to say, "God's grace is powerfully at work in my wife's life". I want Cooper to say, "God's grace is powerfully at work in my mom's life." I want you to say "God's grace is powerfully at work in my friend's/daughter's/sister's life."
"Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us".
2 Tim. 3:17
The only way I can do these things: allow God to change my mind, expect and accept troubles, have purity of faith, and to allow God's grace to work in me is by spending time in God's word. Simply put. Enough said on that point.
"Since everything around us is going to melt away, what holy, godly lives you should be living!"
2 Peter 3:11
That's right - one day my body will fail. One day the bodies of those I love will fail. One day our finances may fail, or our home and car may fail. But when all else fails, God's light shines. He is the main character of my story. It's not about me. It's not about you. It's about God. His amazing love. His amazing grace.
I want to be ready for troubles. I want to allow God to move in and through me in awesome ways during the good and the bad times. I want to have a faith that is witnessed by others and is seen as pure and genuine. I want God to be the main character of my story. And in order to do these things I have to consciously grow. I have to intentionally grow spiritually.
My prayer and hope is that you can commit to growing, too.
Here are this week's pics from my phone.
Have a great weekend!
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