We continue to see negative circumstances dramatized before our eyes in the news, on social media – seemingly everywhere we look. I was struck by a statement from a minister from California.
“Fear always attracts the information needed to legitimize its existence.”
Bill Johnson
Fear is a powerful emotion. If we don’t keep fear in check, we will see through the cloudy lens of that emotion. Too often we let biases and emotions take over and we don’t view our circumstances through the lens of the truth of Scripture. In crazy times like ours, we need to cling to truth. We need the grace and wisdom of God to guide us through the bombardment of information and opinions.
There are scary things going on. However, God promises to take care of us. We are more important than birds and flowers, but God takes care of all of us. Matthew 6 reminds us of that. So, friend, don’t worry about tomorrow. Allow God’s grace and wisdom to guide your thoughts and decisions each day.
Dear Heavenly Father, we struggle with fear. Please shape our thoughts according to Your truth. Thank You for caring for even the birds and flowers as well as us.
Another week has come and gone with the usual bruises that go with the challenges of life. As I process the circumstances in my little piece of the world, I found myself drawn to a couple of statements posted on Facebook. One reminded me that God’s timing is always trustworthy. The other reminds me of God’s control over and through difficult circumstances. As I looked for a verse to use in today’s blog, the YouVersion Bible app had Psalm 27:14 as today’s verse of the day.
I’m not a big fan of waiting. I would rather keep moving. Maybe not as fast as the waterfall in the picture my friend sent to me, but at least moving. However, sometimes God asks us to wait. His timing is perfect. He has a plan and will bring it about His way, in His time. God IS in control, even when life seems out of control. When I don’t see how things are going to work out…when I start to worry about the big and little things in my life, I need to stop and go to God. Talking to Him in prayer will help me to be strong and allow me to take courage as I wait on God.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for always being available. Thank You for providing the way to have courage. I claim Your promise to promise to provide courage. Please help me to wait on You and Your timing for all the details of my life.
This week has been a doozy. We continue to struggle with the “side effects” of the stay at home orders. As I navigate my piece of this, I have tried to be careful what I read, watch, and share. However, I have been watching and reading about two doctors from Bakersfield, CA who spoke up with their opinion of our current situation. They have been under attack. They weren’t trying to make waves. Their goal was to take care of their patients and be examples in their community. That has stuck with me. I want to make a difference. I’m not likely to change the world, but I hope to be an appropriate example where I live. Hopefully, direct someone to the truth.
As I thought about what I wanted to write this week, the news flooded with the story of George Floyd, a black man who died when a police officer knelt on his neck. Then the city of Minneapolis (and many others) became the site of rioting and looting. People, who are no doubt hurting for multiple reasons, are lashing out at this injustice.
With all that has been going on and the addition of this horrible situation in my home state, words truthfully seem futile. I knew that I still wanted to pursue my original thoughts. Be an example – lead by example – lead towards truth.
I can’t change people’s hearts and minds. The evidence that George Floyd died wrongfully is overwhelming. I don’t know the heart of the police officer, but I pray that he acknowledges his wrong and accepts lawful punishment. I pray that those rioting and looting wake up to their own ugliness and learn of God’s love. I pray that those who manipulated through the pandemic situation are held accountable. I pray that we learn and move forward appropriately.
What I can do is to speak the truth of Who God is. That is my goal with this blog. He does not force us to choose the right path. He has the power to change wrong and ugliness, but He has allowed us to choose. The truth is that we all choose sin at some time. All sin is ugly and deserves to be punished. The truth is that Jesus died to save us from sin (Romans 6:23). If we confess our sin and trust in Jesus, we will be saved from the eternal effects of sin (Romans 10:9-10). We ALL need this.
There are many Bible verses that tell what God does for those who follow Him. I am sharing 3 with this post. We are facing hard times. We need to turn to the truth of the Bible to make a difference that will matter for all eternity.
Dear Heavenly Father, it feels as though multiple powder kegs were lit and blew up. We have so much hurt and pain – all based in sin. Please convict us and forgive us for the wrong each of us has done. We are in desperate need of Your help. Please help me as I seek to show truth – Your truth – the only truth. Please break through the barriers that keep people from knowing You and how much You love them. Please help me to be an instrument of Your peace.
I don’t know about you, but this has been another tough week living through the effects of this new virus. Working from home hasn’t gone as well as I had hoped. I’m an introvert – this should be my dream. There are some fun pieces of working from home, but spending the entire week at home is more than I like.
As I have fought to navigate the barrage of information, media sensationalizing (and negativity), stay at home orders, etc. I have found it difficult to know what to pray. I have my opinions on the situation – my viewpoints based on a lot of things. And, no, I will not post them here. I will, however, seek to challenge everyone’s thinking.
Before you decide that your research has given you the correct data and interpretation of that data, please know – a small detail can change your understanding. Before you think you have looked at it from all angles – know that there could still be a perspective you haven’t thought of – or another detail you don’t have. That is why situations like this are so difficult. No one has the perfect answer. I have appreciated commentary that admits we didn’t know much about this virus to start with and we needed to learn. One doctor said that is why they “practice” medicine – they are still learning. So how do we navigate these sticky situations?
Keep silent? Sometimes we should. Listening is a great way to learn and show respect.
Speak up? Sometimes we should. When we fumble through the huge amounts of information (including misinformation) we will make mistakes. We occasionally need to hear a different view. Maybe we can give that view to someone else.
How do we know what to do? The book of Proverbs gives great wisdom. Today’s verse reminds me to give myself and all I do to God and He will direct me. That includes how I navigate tricky situations like this one.
Dear Heavenly Father, I have many times prayed that I would be an effective tool to serve You. I need Your help to navigate the difficulties. I want to be used for the best purpose possible – to further Your work. I commit my life to You. I am Yours anyway. Please help me to navigate this situation in a way that honors You and shows others Who You truly are.
As I tried to figure out what to write for today – another day in the life of COVID-19 changing our lives – I went back to verses I have put on pictures and found this one. We need to seek wisdom to navigate the changes this virus has brought. We should pray for wisdom for those making decisions. We should evaluate the wisdom (or lack thereof) in the “news” that we hear. None of us will figure everything out. Only God knows everything – everything that has happened, will happen, or even could have happened. We can’t even keep track of everything that has happened. Our finite minds and intellect have limitations.
The people that I have appreciated the most – the stories that I have followed are from those who look at the facts and seek to interpret them with a calm and gentle spirit. Pandemonium doesn’t help our situation. Gentle wisdom is provided by a God Who cares enough to allow trials to mold and shape us. Read the book of James.
As you go along whichever path God has you walking, don’t forget to seek “the gentleness that wisdom brings.” You’ll find blessing even on the roughest parts of the road.
Dear Heavenly Father, please give the wisdom You have promised. Please help our hearts to be open to the true wisdom that only comes from You. Thank You for all You have done and all You will continue to do in our lives.
When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.
Psalm 94:19 ESV
Let’s face it – this week was rough. The media often sensationalizes the truth – no matter how big or small it is. COVID-19 is the news story for right now. As usual there are numerous opinions – and few agree. No matter where you stand on the issue – no matter your vantage point, I think you’ll find that mass hysteria and overwhelming fear don’t help anything. If you study emotions, you will find that emotions can take over our rational thinking. That doesn’t mean we suppress our emotions; we just need to make sure they are in balance with the rational thinking God gave us.
We all have cares. There were many things people faced before we heard about COVID-19. This has added to some of those cares in different ways. No matter what your cares are, God has comfort and help available. The best thing to do with any care is to take it to God first and ask for His help. Then as we are able, we can share those cares with others who can help us. I have been blessed with a church family that I can pray and share with. If you don’t have one, I would encourage you to look. There are many good churches and many resources available to help you cling to Christ. We need one another.
Dear Heavenly Father, we have so many burdens weighing us down right now. It feels like the world is in a shamble with the varied effects of this virus. We know You are ultimately in control and have a plan for us. Please help us as we wait on You. Thank You for all You have done and all You will do.
Living in Minne”snow”ta, I expect bad weather. Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, we had a lot of heavy, wet snow. I confess that after getting over 50” of snow last February (plus more the rest of the winter), I did not look forward to snow this winter. So, in order to remember thankfulness this week, I had to do a lot of praying.
I enjoy
having snow on the ground in the winter.
The ground looks prettier – and let’s face it, who doesn’t like a white
Christmas? It is the difficulty of
clearing the snow from my driveway that I don’t like. It can be hard to do.
When I encounter
tasks like snow removal, that cause me difficulties, I spend time in
prayer. I have to admit, clearing my
driveway at the end of a hard day can be therapeutic. I can burn calories and negative emotions in
the same shovel swing.
We know in this life there will be things that attack our attitude of gratitude. We know from the Bible and many life blessings, that God is good.
Health issues can be so heavy they topple
us. Some health issues are a tough
inconvenience, while others change the course of our lives. Being sick challenges our desire to give
thanks to God.
While health issues can make it hard to be thankful, God has shown me ways to find gratitude. I can start with the fact the Jesus Christ died for my sins. His gift of salvation is easy to be thankful for.
2 Corinthians 12:9 gives us help in
our weakness. “But he said to me, ‘My grace is enough for
you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ So
then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of
Christ may reside in me.”
Health issues cause physical
weakness. When we lose what we are used
to having, we are more likely to cry out to God for help. Then He shows us so
much more to be thankful for.
Work can provide us with an income, a purpose, a ministry, but let’s face it. Work can be hard. I am thankful that God has provided jobs for me over the years. At times those jobs have wonderful and other times I thought they were going to be the end of me. Our work can be rewarding or painful.
I have a very good job, but I still
have bad days. When life is tough, I
look at reminders that God has given me along the way.
“A day hemmed in prayer is less likely
to unravel.” A good reminder for this
year when prayer is what I am writing about.
Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do in word or deed, do it
all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” When I look at my job as something that I do
for Christ, I find it easier to be thankful.
I have made a tradition of posting 5
days of being thankful the week of Thanksgiving. I want to continue that tradition, but in a
little bit different way. This year, I
am going to write about times when I struggle being thankful. Don’t worry.
This won’t be a negative week. I
will also share what God has taught me about being thankful when it is hard.
Today I want to start with James 1:2 “My brothers and sisters, consider it
nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials”.
I
definitely struggle counting trials joy.
They hurt; they are uncomfortable; they are not easy to navigate. I prefer what I know and understand. Trials are territory that I do not know. However, God tells us to “consider it nothing
but joy”. How do I go from the struggle
to joy? By looking at what James 1 tells
us next. Verses 3-4 say, “because you
know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect effect, so
that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.” We can’t always see the benefit of the trial
while we are going through it. However,
God has promised that our trials will help to perfect us. God always keeps His promises. Read His word and talk to Him (pray). You will see God’s faithfulness.
When I
struggle with difficulties, I remember what God has said in His word and look
back at how He has fulfilled that in my life.
That thinking draws me closer Christ and helps me think about how I can
be thankful.
Pleading in Prayer 