Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? -Matthew 6:26 (NLT)
I went to my Bible Study last night at church with almost no gas. Both cars were pretty low so I took the least low of the two, said a prayer, and off I went. Now, to be clear here, I didn't get more gas because Shaun wanted me to wait until the weekend for it. So being an obedient wife, I just went for a quick prayer rather than gas.
On my way to pick up a friend for bible study, I simply prayed that the gas light wouldn't come on until I was on my way home. And it didn't come on at all while I was driving to her house, or when we were driving to the church and back to her house again. It stayed off.
I hugged my friend goodbye, prayed again, and set off. But this time, while I prayed, I upped the anty. I asked God not to let my gas light come on until I got to the exit-like structure at the other end of my town. It didn't matter that I didn't know what to call it; God knew what I was talking about.
I could almost hear God whispering, "Let me take it one step further." And you know what? It didn't come on at all. I pulled into our backyard and locked the doors, no gas light!
And it occurred to me. If God is looking out for me with something so trivial and insignificant, can you imagine what he's doing in the rest of my life? In your life? With the big things? It got me thinking of prayers I've said in the past.
I grew up begging God to give me a sister. I desperately wanted one! But it didn't happen biologically in my family. No, instead, God gave me wonderful sisters in Christ! I have some of the most amazing friends that I am privileged to call sister!
I prayed for a good, Christian man back in the days of no spouse. And he "did me one better." He gave me Shaun who always puts God and his family first! There is no doubt in my mind about Shaun's feelings for us.
I prayed for "just one girl" back when we only had Lukas and Andrew. And God, true to form, "did me one better" when he gave me, not only Lily-the one girl I asked for-but also Ian, a fantastic little boy that I can't imagine life without!
Here's my challenge for you and me this weekend: Count your blessings and leave your trials to God! He's got them! He can handle them! He WANTS to handle them!
Showing posts with label Matthew 6. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Matthew 6. Show all posts
Friday, March 9, 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Yesterday is Over, Let's Focus on Today!
So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. -Matthew 6:34 (NLT)
If you think about it, we can apply this same principal to dwelling on our mistakes from yesterday. It won't change anything to obsess over those mistakes. Make amends and move on.
That's what I'll be doing today! Yesterday, I discovered that my cyber schooling oldest son had some very poor grades going on in several subject areas. And while I'm not going to just pretend they don't exist because yesterday is in our past, I am going to let go of the blame I laid on myself over it and help him through it today. Today will be better. Today is a gift and we are going to treat it as such!
Here's my challenge for you and me today: Stop worrying about yesterday, don't worry about tomorrow, think only of today and how you can best serve God today.
If you think about it, we can apply this same principal to dwelling on our mistakes from yesterday. It won't change anything to obsess over those mistakes. Make amends and move on.
That's what I'll be doing today! Yesterday, I discovered that my cyber schooling oldest son had some very poor grades going on in several subject areas. And while I'm not going to just pretend they don't exist because yesterday is in our past, I am going to let go of the blame I laid on myself over it and help him through it today. Today will be better. Today is a gift and we are going to treat it as such!
Here's my challenge for you and me today: Stop worrying about yesterday, don't worry about tomorrow, think only of today and how you can best serve God today.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Forgiveness...
At that point Peter got up the nerve to ask, "Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?" Jesus replied, "Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven. -Matthew 18:21-22
In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can't get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God's part. -Matthew 6:14-15
I got a friend request this morning on Facebook. I'm sure you're thinking, "so what?" at this point. Well, this friend request is a person I have been friends with on Facebook and then NOT friends with (because this person keeps unfriending me and then sending me a new request) at least 4-5 times now. Again, I'm sure most of you already have the easy answer at the ready for this: hit "decline."
That would be the simple way of dealing with it, I suppose. Except that this person is a good friend to one of my best friends and odds are, I will see this person at her house, at church, and all sorts of other mutual functions. And besides, declining someone on Facebook simply because I can seems petty and sends the message that I'm refusing to forgive this back-and-forth friend.
Now, in my opinion, that scenario is fairly easy to forgive. But what about the tough ones? What about the friend who has run your good name into the ground? Or the husband who cheated on you? Or even the aunt who has cut herself off from the rest of the family and refuses to talk to anyone? Do you have to forgive them? Do they deserve to be forgiven?
Forgiveness isn't about the other person. It's about you. YOU are the one that has been hurt by them. YOU are the one that is carrying their words around as though they are truth. YOU are the one that is reliving that awful night over and over again, growing more and more bitter to everyone around you. Odds are, the person who wronged you isn't as affected by what they did as you are.
"But they OWE me an apology!" No, they don't. The apology isn't for you! We have this so backward in our society. While the forgiveness is meant to make the offended feel better, the apology is about making things right in the offender's heart. You can forgive without an apology!
Forgiveness is about freeing yourself from the hold that negative event has on you. It's about saying "I refuse to dwell on this any longer and I refuse to be bitter for the rest of my life. I am NOT going to let this person destroy the rest of my life."
By not forgiving, you are giving your betrayer the power to hurt you over and over again. Does that mean that you have to allow the offender back in your life? That's not what we're talking about here. I'm talking about simply letting go of your anger and hurt toward that person and forgiving them.
So who are you feeling moved to forgive? What event have you been holding tightly to? Are you ready to let go? Have a talk with God! It won't be easy, but it will be right! Good luck on your journey toward forgiveness!
In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can't get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God's part. -Matthew 6:14-15
I got a friend request this morning on Facebook. I'm sure you're thinking, "so what?" at this point. Well, this friend request is a person I have been friends with on Facebook and then NOT friends with (because this person keeps unfriending me and then sending me a new request) at least 4-5 times now. Again, I'm sure most of you already have the easy answer at the ready for this: hit "decline."
That would be the simple way of dealing with it, I suppose. Except that this person is a good friend to one of my best friends and odds are, I will see this person at her house, at church, and all sorts of other mutual functions. And besides, declining someone on Facebook simply because I can seems petty and sends the message that I'm refusing to forgive this back-and-forth friend.
Now, in my opinion, that scenario is fairly easy to forgive. But what about the tough ones? What about the friend who has run your good name into the ground? Or the husband who cheated on you? Or even the aunt who has cut herself off from the rest of the family and refuses to talk to anyone? Do you have to forgive them? Do they deserve to be forgiven?
Forgiveness isn't about the other person. It's about you. YOU are the one that has been hurt by them. YOU are the one that is carrying their words around as though they are truth. YOU are the one that is reliving that awful night over and over again, growing more and more bitter to everyone around you. Odds are, the person who wronged you isn't as affected by what they did as you are.
"But they OWE me an apology!" No, they don't. The apology isn't for you! We have this so backward in our society. While the forgiveness is meant to make the offended feel better, the apology is about making things right in the offender's heart. You can forgive without an apology!
Forgiveness is about freeing yourself from the hold that negative event has on you. It's about saying "I refuse to dwell on this any longer and I refuse to be bitter for the rest of my life. I am NOT going to let this person destroy the rest of my life."
By not forgiving, you are giving your betrayer the power to hurt you over and over again. Does that mean that you have to allow the offender back in your life? That's not what we're talking about here. I'm talking about simply letting go of your anger and hurt toward that person and forgiving them.
So who are you feeling moved to forgive? What event have you been holding tightly to? Are you ready to let go? Have a talk with God! It won't be easy, but it will be right! Good luck on your journey toward forgiveness!
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