After I was done with Tuesday's entry, I spent some time praying. I brought my needs before the Lord and was reminded once again by the soundtrack in my head that I was unworthy of His help.
As the tears fell, I was brought back to the truth of God's heart. He is bigger than my sin. Bigger than my unworthiness. I was reminded again of the truth that He helps because He loves not because I deserve it. What a sweet God we serve.
We don't deserve anything but death. But our Father is so loving, so merciful, and so wonderful He stoops to help us as His children. He picks us up and carries us in His arms through the difficulties of life. We may not understand the way He chooses, but we can trust the one who carries us.
Thank You Lord. Let me stop forgetting it's not about who I am but about Who You are. It's not about what I have done, do, or will do, but about what You've done for me and the heart You have for Your creations. I pray for all of us, because I know that I am not the only one who struggles with this "worthiness" syndrome....that we would all know nothing we do or have done is above Who You are or out of the loving reach of Your heart. In Jesus our Savior, Amen.
Let's take our eyes off ourselves and keep them on the Lord.
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9. That is God's Word this morning. That is His admonishment to me today.
I'm in one of those seasons. I feel like I'm swimming against the tide. Physically. Financially. Mentally. Spiritually. Nothing seems to be working. Even the flowers I planted are wilted! I'm worn in every way. We all go through these patches. Life seems determined to fall apart. It's almost as if we have a target on our backs and trouble is the arrow.
Many times, my first response is to blame God. I pray and pray and pray during these trouble filled days yet feel like I'm still sinking without anyone to send a lifesaver. But when I awoke this morning I was filled with a new determination to praise God in this difficult stretch. He may not answer the way I want, but I will trust Him all the same.
The Lord led me to Psalms this morning, to His Word that encourages and strengthens. It's my job, and your job to to stand on it, hold onto it, and believe it with all our hearts. Whatever happens, we never lose His love and we never lose our place in Jesus. Psalm 52:8-9 But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust in God's unfailing love. I will praise You forever, O God, for what You have done. I will trust in Your good name in the presence of Your faithful people.
Psalm 57:1-3, 7 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to You for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of Your wings until the danger passes by. I cry out to the Most High, to God who will fulfill His purpose for me. He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me. My God will send forth His unfailing love and faithfulness....My heart is confident in You, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing Your praises!
Psalm 37:3-7 Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you Your heart's desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him and He will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently for Him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.
Daniel 3:16-18 Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego replied, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from Your power, Your Majesty. But even if He doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.
The Word of God is our strength, our fortress, our lifeline in times of hardship. It brings us to the Father's heart and assures of His love. This world is filled with trial and trouble. Satan schemes to separate us from God, trying to drive a wedge between the Lord and us. It's very easy to fall prey to His deceptions, to blame God, to wonder where He is, and doubt His love and goodness. It's so easy to fall away when we are worn out. To loose our trust and focus when we feel beaten up by life. I've been leaning in that direction lately, skimping on my prayer time and falling in the blame game. But today, I am choosing a new attitude! It takes stalwart determination to say "NO" to his schemes and remain in a place of trust and that's my new heading. I for one, am tired of falling for Satan's tricks! I will not step out of His love by not trusting His heart.
Lord, I don't know what today is going to bring. Another trial? Another problem? Maybe. More than likely it seems if the past weeks and months are any indication. But I know for sure that it will bring more of Your love and more of Your care. Those things will never fade or leave my life. Problems come and go...problems of all sizes. But You are always bigger than our biggest trial. Lord, whether You take them away, or not, I will praise You this day. I will trust You this day. I will stand in Your love today. This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24). I do pray that You would deliver and help, I desperately need some miracles. Lord help me to trust and hang on when that help seems far off or not what I think it should be. Lord let me trust Your heart and not my eyes. In Jesus Name. Amen
Whatever Your facing, God's love will hold you through it. Encourage yourself with His Word and choose trust.
In the book of Daniel we read about a time yet to come...a time of great distress that will come upon the inhabitants of Earth. We studied Daniel recently in our Sunday morning Bible study and my Pastor commented that many equate the scroll that was sealed up here was the same scroll that would be opened in the end times of Revelation 5. That makes sense to me.
Daniel 12:1-4 “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise[a] will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.”
Daniel 12:8-10 I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?” 9 He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.
Revelation 5 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” 6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” 11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” 13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” 14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
This all goes together with the new worship song I've been hearing a lot lately by Chris Tomlin and it's all brings my heart to such an amazing place of praise and urgency for our Lord.
So often our lives get messy and difficult and we forget that there is so much more to come for God's children. There will come a time when every distress of life will be swept away. We need to remind ourselves of this often, especially when life feels like an uphill battle.
Revelation 21:4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
This gives us something so wonderful to look forward to. A light of hope that can carry us through the dark times. It also should inspire in us a sense of urgency for those who don't know the Lord.
We are given two possible outcomes for people in Revelation.
Speaking of God's new city....Revelation 3:5 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Revelation 20:15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
It's so important that we share the Gospel with everyone we can. Eternity rests on it. We, as Christian have such an awesome hope for the future, and I want to see everyone I know have the same hope and the same assurance.
Our Savior is worthy. He is able to save beyond anything we could imagine. Deserving of all our praise. And a beautiful gift to share in the lives of those around us. These verses of Scripture should lead us to praise our Lord and share His message.
Lord, I am in awe of You. I bow before You and worship You in Your holiness and beauty. You are worthy to receive all praise and honor and glory and blessing! You alone are worthy! You alone are the one who can save. You alone are our hope and our deliver and You alone make all things new. Lord, give us hearts that sense the urgency of the Gospel. Lead us to share it wherever we are, and with whoever You lead us to. Give us boldness and put Your words in our mouths that will be received with gladness. Let You Name be lifted up and glorified. In our Savior's most worthy Name. Amen.
How many times have I stood in line at the supermarket with my face buried in my phone? If someone tries to start conversation, my response is usually distracted and even, I say sadly, uninterested. At work, at the doctor's office, in line, my focus is inward, on my own interest, be it a phone or a book....I am not engaged in the world around me. I close myself off because I don't want to be involved. Lately, I have been getting this little nudging that this is not the way God wants me to be. And today I read a devotional that really confirmed these gentle whispers to stop shutting myself off from those around me.
The devotional talked about smiling and being friendly. Sharing a smile with a stranger or making friendly conversation while waiting on line or for an appointment can create opportunities to be an encouragement, brighten someone's day or even share the Gospel.
Jesus always took time to interact with those around Him. He made the time. He made the effort. When I look at my behavior, it's just the opposite. Mostly, I go out of my way to avoid interaction! I am ashamed. I never really saw my behavior in this light before. But now that I have, I know it has to change. I want to "meet Jesus in the world" as I talked about a few weeks ago. I think this is another piece to that picture God was showing me in that statement made by my Pastor.
Open, available, friendly. This is how the Lord can use us as we go through our day. I want to be used by Him!
Lord, forgive me for be self focused and unavailable. I am open to Your leading, whenever and wherever You want. Help me to be brave even if it takes me out of my comfort zone. Help us all to be Your smile to those around us. In Jesus' Name, amen.
Put the phone away while waiting in line or for appointments this week.
God gives little reminders of His love, and of our place in Him. It seems sometimes when we least expect it, but I'm pretty sure we need it the most He sends a picture or a word or a verse to just make us smile and give our heart a lift. He did that on Sunday for me. What a blessing!
Years ago I went on a retreat weekend. I had never been on one and didn't know what to expect. I ended up having a great weekend, just indulging in the Word of God and His presence. I loved it! On this weekend we are given a Scripture verse that was meant for us alone. As I was very new in my serious walk with the Lord I was thrilled to receive a reassurance of my belonging in the verse of Isaiah 43:1b "I have called you by name, you are mine."
I haven't thought of that verse in quite some time, so imagine my joy upon seeing it on our Mother's Day gift from church on Sunday. It was just a sweet reminding that even after all these years, after all the failures and struggles, God still sees me as His own. This was so precious to me.
I now have a mug with this verse on, so each time I use it I can be reminded that I will always belong to my heavenly Father. What a blessing!!
Sometimes we have to look for God's hand of love touching our days. His care and involvement get drowned out by busy-ness, circumstances, the world. Other times it's as if He shouts it from the rooftops. And yet other times it just a sweet gesture by another that brings His love to our attention. What a beautiful God we serve!
Thank You Lord. I am so glad to be Yours! I am so glad You know my name!
God knows you. He calls you by name. Believe!
P.S. This same verse was given to the main character of a fictional book I'm reading right now. Isn't God amazing! He keeps the love coming!!
My Mom faced a lot of physical pain in her later years. She lost my Dad when she was only 61 and was left to deal with a broken, addicted daughter on her own. She knew about facing troubles. She had overcome her own battle with alcohol years before, fought feelings of rejection and inferiority all her life. My Mom was also one of the most caring, sensitive and instinctive ladies I've ever seen. She deeply felt other's troubles, and actively sought to lift the burdens of those around her. Mom truly understood about standing in the gap for others. She lived out the Lord's command to have a servant's heart. The fact is she found her strength in the Lord and in His Word. The end of this entry is Scripture. I believe that's where we will all find our strength and our victory in the even the hardest of times.
Romans 8:18-30 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who His children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God's curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as His adopted children, including the new bodies He has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something we don't need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don't yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.) And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His son, so that His son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, He called them to come to Him. And having called them, He gave them right standing with Himself. And having given them right standing, He gave them His glory.
This life is not the end. There is so much wonder waiting for us. We have an amazing hope and promise.
Isaiah 8:11-13 The Lord has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. He said, "Don't call everything a conspiracy, like they do, and don't live in dread of what frightens them. Make the Lord of Heaven's Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear. He is the one who should make you tremble. He will keep you safe.
Be assured that God is in this problem. Believe our Lord God is our refuge. Reaffirm your belief, trust Him, take Him at His Word. Allow the Holy Spirit in, listen to Him. Wait on God. Let Him be your fear and your dread, not your trials.
Jeremiah 18:1-6 The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, "go down to the potter's shop, and I will speak to you there." So I did as He told me and found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. Then the Lord gave me this message: "O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand."
What the potter makes depends on the quality of the clay. What God makes of us depends on our response. As the quality of the clay limits what the potter does with it, so as with us, our response limits what God will/can do with/for us.
Again. God promises a safe landing, but not necessarily a calm passage.
From me.
Hope in God's promises. Seeing things from His perspective. Submitting to His design. That is what I see in these Scriptures. Not always easy as we live this life so often filled with sorrow and struggle. But He is our anchor. Things will not necessarily turn out the way we think or want. But they will turn out as they should. God's plan is always for good. Even as He crushed Israel for her sins, He had a plan in for restoration and redemption. And it is the same with us.
2 Corinthians 1:3-11 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us. We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.
Give God the glory in all things, being thankful even for the trials, for they bring us to Him and if we allow it, will shape our character to be like that of our Lord, Jesus Christ. They will bring us closer to Him, help us grow, and make us even more useful in the kingdom.
Lord, thank You for each trial. It's easy to sit here, comfortable and at rest and say that. Give me and all of us the grace to do so when we are facing the overwhelming waves of troubles that come with living in this world. Turn our hearts towards You, make us steadfast in Your strength and submissive to Your will and training. Lord, I know I fuss at even some of the slightest annoyances. Change me! In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Take time to thank God for your troubles today. And let some good music bring peace to your heart.
I don't like any of those things. Smooth sailing, that's what I want! Why does life have to throw curve balls and play dirty?!?! And why does it sometimes seem to not let up? Mom delved into the topic of trials in her journal and delivers some Biblical insight that can help us stand fast during the seasons of tribulation. Life will never be problem free. That's a fact. Even Jesus told us in John 16:33, "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” There is a lot of Scripture in this entry (which is where we need to be when the waves of trouble are crashing over us), so I will do this entry in two parts. Let's see where the Bible led Mom in this entry.
Sometimes God brings us to our knees in order to bring us to the realization we need to exchange something earthly for something heavenly. God is not up yonder. God is personally involved, in on, up to, down in our personal circumstances, involving Himself in the difficulties and strenuous pressures, tensions, doubts, fears, frustrations, temptations, the hopelessness and the helplessness. He is in everything that is "roughing us up."
When a troublesome situation faces us, pray (talk to) the Lord about it, seek Him. Setting our heart on the Lord strengthens our faith. Tell Him you trust Him and have complete confidence in Him. Ask Him to guide you, lead you and protect you. Seek God and ask for His help.
Psalm 55:2 Please listen and answer me, for I am overwhelmed by my troubles.
Psalm 13:3-6 Turn and answer me, O Lord my God! Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die. Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!” Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall. But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me.
Philippians 4:13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Isaiah 12:2 See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The Lord God is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.”
Appeal to God. Trust God. Praise God.
Psalm 18:1-6 I love you, Lord; you are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies. The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me. The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path. But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears.
When the ground shakes under us, when we are overwhelmed with life's traumas that come upon us, call on the Lord, praise Him, trust Him and know He will and does answer. God promises a safe landing but not necessarily a calm passage.
From me.
Life will never be problem free. That is a given. We live in a fallen world with fallen beings (ourselves included). We live in a battle zone with a target on our backs because we've chosen to align ourselves with the one true God. Our struggles may originate from different sources, but it's the same loving Father who rescues us from them all....the key is to cooperate with Him while we are in the fiery furnace and trust that His answers and solutions are better than anything we can devise ourselves. That is the way to peace in the hard times. And that is the way to mature in our faith. Some days I get so frustrated because I keep expecting life to be easy. Why I expect that to be true, I have no idea! LOL.
I think this section in Mom's journal is so Scripture heavy because that is the only place where we will find the strength and comfort we need to get through the dark days. It's where we meet our Father's love.
Lord, thank You for Your Word. Thank You for trials that bring us to You, help us to grow and remind us of our need. Lord, let them not make us bitter, but let them lead us higher with You. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Whatever you are facing, it is better with Jesus. Simple fact.
A couple of nights ago I was talking with a friend about God's love. My friend expressed doubts that he lived up to God's love. My friend's thinking was since he many times acted in unlovable ways, God would turn His love away from His child. Like many of us, my friend thought of God's love as performance based, something we needed to earn and continue earning to keep. I have fallen into that trap many times myself. I lived in that sad, dark pit for more years than I care to remember.
Nothing could be further from the truth given in the Bible. God's love is not conditional. It can not be deserved or earned. He gives it freely and completely and eternally. The next day after having this conversation, the daily devotional I read was exactly about this topic. LOL God is amazing that way.
Some years ago, as I was driving in my car (I've come to the conclusion most of my breakthroughs come while in the car or jogging....something about moving maybe lol). I can't even remember where I was going or what I was listening to, but I remember being so clearly corrected by the Lord on this topic, that I just started weeping. I finally understood the fact that God's love was based on HIM, not on me. I was convicted of putting myself above God's mercy and love, making His character and heart dependent upon my ability to "behave." I set myself above God. This was, and still is one of the most freeing corrections and conversations I have ever had with the Lord.
Psalm 13:5 But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
Jeremiah 31:3 Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.
John 3:16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
Romans 5:8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
Romans 8:35-39 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 1:4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
Hebrews 12:6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
On and on and on the Scriptures speak of this unearn-able love that the Lord lavishes upon those who choose Him. A love that is based in His character, based on who HE is and not on ourselves. Amazing, eternal, complete love. To not accept or believe this love is to set ourselves above the Lord. It is to believe that He is incapable of love in even the smallest of ways. It puts limits on His love, believing Him to be stingy and mercurial with it. Our salvation was based on His love. Why would our walk with Him be based on anything else?
This is not a love that spoils us. Not a love that gives us everything we want. Not a love that doesn't correct when necessary. Love that capitulates to our every whim, giving us things that would not be beneficial to us and doesn't correct us when we do wrong, would not be real, perfect love.
I am praying that this will help those who are reading this understand the depth of God's love. That you will realize, like I did that day in the car, that we are not in anyway above God's great love for us. It was a revelation for me. Convicted and filled with joy... Repentant and set free...only God can do that all at the same time. I am praying that He does that for anyone who doesn't believe they are
lovable. When we get this knowledge deep down in our hearts, it will teach us and enable us to love others the same way. I'm still working on that part!
I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love it. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. (Ephesians 3:16-19) In Jesus' most loving Name. Amen.
Read and meditate on 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. This is how God loves us.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
Words are so important. Tuesday I was instructed by the Lord to use words of gratitude to lift myself out of the depressed state I had woken up in. A few days before that I had read a devotional about using words to build or tear down. The devotional encouraged me to become an encourager...using my words to build others up. And Tuesday's Joyce Meyer podcast was on keeping our words positive over ourselves and others, not using them to gossip, slander, or spout negativity. Looks like the Lord is reminding me to watch how I speak!
This idea started forming in my head that our "speaking" can actually be compared to a working out. Working out is a chore to me. I'd much rather be lazy. LOL My schedule is pretty packed, so when I do get some free time the last thing I want to do is exercise. I can very easily get out of the exercise habit by making excuses not to do it. It's the same with the words I use. I can very easily make excuses for gossip or complaining as well as not giving encouragement or letting people know they are valuable.
Just like repetition makes our muscles stronger, so too repeatedly speaking in God honoring ways makes our walk with the Him stronger. It makes us healthy!
Most of us know the ways we should or shouldn't be speaking. I think God sends us these reminders because we often get out of practice. Because life starts wearing on us, getting us down, and we get out of the habit of speaking positively, and forget to be grateful (and say so). We start to get focused on ourselves and forget to encourage others. We feel down, we see the world, our lives and others in a negative way and our words reflect this. It's like a never ending spiral down into a deep, dark pit.
Exercise increases our energy, and healthy eating makes our bodies work better. When we don't do these things we fall deeper and deeper into physical disrepair. When all of our words are bad, our faith falls into disrepair.
I know this area is a battle ground for me. Both in physical exercise and my words. Perhaps that is why the Lord has linked them together for this reminder. He's funny like that!
Lord, thank You again for another timely reminder. I'm so glad You always take the time to teach and lead. Turn our hearts towards doing right...give us the energy we need to have our words make a positive impact in our lives and the lives of those around us. Help us to contribute positiveness to the world around us and not join in with the the devil's work of polluting the atmosphere with negativity. Lord, let our words build Your kingdom. In Jesus' Name. Amen
Work out your lips today with uplifting words to those around you!
