Sometimes I stop in the shame spiral and make it all about me, instead of making it about God and how great and good He is to forgive all of us. How much better and more fulfilling life is when God turns our mourning into dancing! I don't need to dwell on sin because it's been washed away.
My prayer today is to rejoice and be glad because the JOY of the Lord is my strength! He fulfills me and lifts me up.
I feel convicted today because I often place myself in situations where I don't have to trust God and, therefore I don't get to exercise my faith in Him or see His blessings. I am so self reliant that my own efforts and rewards has become enough. I've become satisfied in the world. This is no life at all! I need to be constantly exercising my faith that that father will take care of me in ways I can't imagine if I would only let Him and ask Him to.
God is faithful. His promises are true for all of His children. God will bless us- we are bessed to be a blessing to others.
Often times I'm not humble because I feel I have the right to be prideful- like I deserve to be boastful, right and esteemed. If anyone has the right to be right and proud, it's Jesus, yet he chose to be a humble servant. I need to remember this more often. It's so hard to be humble when the world tells us it's ok not to be. This is an area I need a lot of work in! Lord, remind me constantly of Jesus, my example of perfect servanthood and humility!
What a great reminder. It is so hard to trust amidst the trials and pain, but trusting in God is the one thing that is going to help us regain the sight of hope and work in the trials we are in.
"Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead."
My hope is built on nothing less!
Wow, I could really use this perspective thinking and prayer today. I have to have a not-so-fun confrontation with an acquaintance today, and it's proabbly not going to be pretty. Prayer would be appreciated for me in the hours leading to it today, and during so that I would remember to focus on God and His grace so that I would be able to give the same to the person I am meeting with. The last thing I need to be doing is dwelling on me and what I want to say, and all of their attributes and failings.
Letting go of my worries of this meeting!
THIS! Oh this. I am really relating to the fact that evildoers prosper, and we often don't get to see justice in our lifetime. When I had a meltdown earlier this week I cried to God and said "I want justice!" I want so badly for those who hurt me to be hurt themselves by a fair judge- to get what they deserve and for me to see it. But, the person who wishes harm upon another (me) doesn't understand Grace and what they were saved from themselves. I don't think it is wrong to want justice where justice is due, but I do think it is wrong to dwell on that and not give it to the Lord, who is the final and fair judge. He has everything under control- I just have to worry about me. I should be extending Grace to them, wishing and hoping that they are saved from the penalties of their sin like I have been. Love thy enemy is easier said than done.
Hope seems like such a vague word sometimes, but looking it up in the Greek helped. Elpis (hope) means "joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation." With hope there is joy and confidence. Good reminders!
Really excited for this new plan, like everyone else! That first psalm on the list really hit me today:
"In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue."
I had a meltdown yesterday and cried for a good while after work. Event after event kept leading me to hear a lie from Satan, that I wasn't good enough, or worthy enough, or that people didn't care, etc. It built and built until it was too much to handle. I knew they were lies, but my efforts to combat it with scripture failed. I guess recognition is the first step?
Anyway, I love the above line "He knows your hurts, your insecurities, your struggles, and your fears. He is also rejoicing with you!" What a great reminder! I am looking forward to learning more about these themes and rejoicing as easter approaches.
Wonderful testimony! Saying yes is pretty scary, but it looks like God has blessed you because of your faithfulness and obedience! What an encouragement. 1 Corinthians 1:20 - "...it is through Him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory."
This has been a great study! The comments have been very encouraging to me as the community I live in doesn't seem to understand that sometimes the healthiest thing is quitting some aspect of your social life, or dropping a toxic person from your life in order to be healthiest. I've been rebuked and looked down upon for stopping my involvement in a toxic group and dropping friendships that were unhealthy, but I know it was the right thing to do, group opinion be darned.
Thanks She Reads Truth community for encouraging me when people only seemed to look down on me for trying to do the right thing for me. Thanks for all who have emailed me and shared their own stories of similar trials in life!
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