I've noticed that I get more fearful and worrisome, less hopeful and optimistic when I don't have my mind focused on Higher things. When I'm not in the Word, when I get busy and distracted, and wander from quiet time with Him, being still before Him. This week, and namely this morning I've been confronted with several words/messages pointing me back to communion with Him. When I'm not in that communion, I'm less faith-filled. And likely therefore less faithFUL. Less hopeful. I get caught up in 'what ifs' and the 'whys'. Why can't we get ahead? You get a step ahead only to get knocked back again. Why this...why that... I get too caught up in me. When the reality is...it's all about Him! So easily forgotten when I get my eyes off of God and turned on myself! Plus...ya know what? That 'stuff'...it's just life. 'Stuff' happens. Always will. But God is bigger! Bigger than all of it! Can't let it get me down. God is meeting our immediate needs. As my husband said this morning, for example. Instead of complaining about rising cost of living expenses cancelling out the pay raise, think in a different way: God was thinking ahead, providing for our needs that we didn't even know about yet. He was preparing us. If He hadn't provided the raise, we wouldn't have money to cover the rising expense(s)! There may or may not be much leftover (for now), but He's providing for our basic needs, and that is BLESSING! I just have to keep myself hidden in Him, arm & guard my heart with His word, and always - always - return thanks and praise to Him!
Just a few link-ups to some of the words around me this morning:
Be Still/The Restless Heart (LifeChurch.tv/Pastor Craig Groeschel, Soul Detox, Message 1)
"Be still, and know that I am God..." Psalm 46:10
"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning..." Psalm 130: 5-6
Our Great Big Ole' Sky by Cindy Beall : Have you forgotten how big our God is?
Day 2 Soul Detox Reading Plan/Devo by YouVersion: To battle against your toxic thoughts, you must identify and reject them. As 2 Corinthians 10 tells us, the battle against our toxic thoughts is like none other. It is not a physical battle, but rather it is a spiritual battle that requires God's help in fighting.
"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." v. 5
"We'd worry less if we gave thanks more." Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts/A Holy Experience
I played this over and over again this morning. AWESOME song to get ya going:
Good Morning by Mandisa
"Good morning, You give me strength, You give me just what I need, and I can feel the hope that's rising up in me...it's a good morning!"
And another favorite of Mandisa's that lifted me this morning, Stronger:
Be blessed and encouraged today!
OUR GOD IS BIGGER!
