In His Word 6-6-2016
(Readjusted from 2012)
Good Morning Lord...what a simple way to
start your day, and yet it brings a smile to my face when I remember to do so.
Sing praise to the
Lord you saints of His and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For
His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for
the night but Joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:4-5
Some days I still wake
up worried, wondering how I will make it through such a busy or tiresome day
ahead. Do you do that? I think it is
easy to get 'stressed out' or 'all worked up' over our daily troubles but if we
stop to look at Paul's and Peter's journeys we can find that they knew what to
do with worries and troubles of the days ahead.
The Word of God tells
us;
Be anxious for
nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving , let
your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all
understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally
brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things re noble, whatever things
are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things
are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything
praiseworthy, meditate on these things...for I have learned in whatever state I
am, to be content. I now how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere
and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound
and to suffer need. I can do all tings through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:6-13
Some times it may seem
like we can't take any more trouble, any more suffering or that our results are
not what we thought we would get. But just the same we will find that there is
help in the Name of Jesus. Whether it is throbbing pain or piles of dishes,
broken cars, and dirty laundry; stressful finances or illnesses can add to the
pile of troubles but God can take us out of them all.
Sometimes God will
heal us and make us still walk through the trial in order to build trust in Him
to do as He said.
Several years ago, I
tore my right rotator cuff. I had been really enjoying activities with my
children at that point considering that my youngest was about 9 or 10, my
oldest 15 or so. We played baseball and went to a water park and between the
two I tore it really bad.
After months of Physical Therapy I was sent to
get it MRI tested to see what was going on in there. The tear they found, and
showed me on the screen was quite big. I have the shape and zig-zag picture
embedded in my memory because between that day at the doctor and the day of my
surgery to fix said tear God healed it.
I was at a prayer
meeting for a retreat I was blessed to be a part of when my friend Joanna
announced that we should pray for my shoulder. I was at a loss for words, but
my thoughts sent to God was something like, “ Ok, here we go again, Lord I have
been prayed for by so many people I have prayed, and even had my life
questioned by a well meaning person who thought I was not healed because I must have in my life. But God, if it will make her feel
better they can pray again.” I remembered the ‘few close friends’ story in the
Bible and humbled myself as my friends prayed.
This may sound weird
to you but, I felt the 'holy hot glue gun' as it was sealing up the tear. I was
ready at first to toss off as my imagination but when another friend, Claudia, asked me if I had received my healing I
stopped and said I would not know until the doctor said he could not find it.
My shoulder was healed
then, but the muscles still froze and anyone who has had a shoulder injury
knows a frozen shoulder is not a good thing. So we went on with surgery, trying
to trust God that I would hear the words, yet wondering why I had to go through
with the surgery at the same time. This left room for doubt that I really had
been healed, all the way up to the point that I awoke from the surgery,
“Honey, the doctor
said he couldn't find the tear...” These
were the first words I heard as my head cleared from the anesthetics; my
husband said them to me without knowing
anything about the words I had spoken. So I had received my healing!
I wondered about why I
had to go through it all as I worked through getting range of motion back.
They did fix a few
other problems and my shoulder has never been better! Of course I had to endure
hardship and suffering for the glory of God to be revealed in my shoulder. The
scar is a daily reminder that the Holy Spirit was at work in me. I have an h
shaped scar, so I like to say the Lord left His initial.
The amazing thing to
me was not just that I had to walk through the surgery knowing I was healed;
but that I was healed in such an amazing way. We do not always feel the healing
in such a clear concise manor but this time I did. God knew what He was doing
in proving that He had healed me and that yes you can feel the 'fix' as it
happens. My trust of His direction has taken me this far in life and it will
take me all the way through.
Now when I go through
similar pains, I remind myself He was there for me then and He is here for me
now. I try to use the past results to influence the future production in my
life. It’s a bit of statistical math: if this then that.
If I trust God; then
He will carry me through the problems.
If I follow Christ's
example; then He will direct me in the way that I should go.
If I allow Him to use
me: then I will learn what to do when I fall under temptation.
If I walk in His path;
then He will make a way when there seems to be no way.
If I Love Him; then He
will cause me to have reason to love Him more.
If I seek Him, then I
will find Him when I seek Him with my whole heart!
My God is able to
deliver me from the enemy, to direct my path, to heal me, to restore me to full
living. He is God, Great and Mighty, wonderful counselor, Glorious, is He.
I know today that what
I have walked through in the past will strengthen me in the future. I will
choose to put my trust, my hope, my faith, and my love in Him.
So why make a changing
of the calendar year anything different? Why not take that trust, faith and
hope and love that has brought me thus far and bring it in with me? I choose to
continue to follow God's direction in the new year.
I will choose to be
blessed, not stressed.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I choose life in Christ; hope of glory, joy unspeakable, and strength
unmeasured; all in you and through you Lord. In Jesus name, amen.
Suggested reading: Philippians 4:1-23, Psalm 1:1-6, and Romans 12:1-21.