This has been rewritten from 2004. I found a lot that was relative to today and I hope that you enjoy these thoughts to ponder, In His Word.
Have you ever had a day when things were going along just
fine and dandy then suddenly something happens to cause you to stumble? What do
you do when this happens? Where do you go to get out of the gloom or even
depression or despair? Lets look-
In His Word!
Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 But He said to them, "Where is your faith?" Luke 8:24-25
So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in
God.” Mark 11:22-23
Do not put your trust in princes, Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help. His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; In that very day his plans perish. Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God, Ps 146:3-5
Isn’t it nice
to have a God who we can run to when there is a storm raging around or even
inside us? Maybe you let the circumstances of your day get to you, or maybe you
tripped and injured yourself one too many times and are limping around with a
torn heart? Whatever it is that you are suffering through God is there with
you. He wants to take the controls and let you ride along.
The problem is we want to take control of our lives. We are taught from childhood that we need to be our own man or woman. So, if we are supposed to take charge and control our destiny, when something comes along that jars our plans we often respond in either anger or desperation.
First we may try to
defy the circumstances by denying them and trying to make them go away by
ignoring the situation. Of course we can not always do that. Most of the time
we just end up fussing and fuming and not really getting anywhere. This usually ads to our problem instead of helping.
I suppose eventually that we will realize that it is not about us but about Him in us. His will in our lives. His direction and control will guide us safely to the shore, with peace and stillness. We really just need to put our trust and our faith in Him to do what He said. Plain and simple, that is it.
We need to trust God to help us keep our tongues from lashing out at those who try to trip us up in life. We need to trust that He will repay as His Word says; vengeance belongs to Him not us.
We need to accept that we are who we are in Christ because it is who He created us to be. Yes, God has created you to do His work, His will in your life in His way. Maybe you might think that makes Him selfish, well if it does then its okay by me.
God has a plan and a purpose for each of us, but it's not just for His glory, but for us to have an abundant life. A life that is full of peace and joy. The thing is we don't always get it because we do not reach out for it, or trust that His will is for us to live in peace with all men.
Though it is first of all for His glory, not secondary. Him first us second. He loves us and He wishes us to have life abundantly! More
abundantly it says in His Word! He wants
things to work out for us. He does not wish for us to suffer in the storms of
life.
Jesus said "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep" John 10:9-11.
Watching the wind
and the rain, and the dark clouds come and go bye today I thought about God and
His peace. I was safe and warm in my peaceful surroundings yet, outside it was
buckets of rain and wind that caused thoughts of building an ark come to mind!
It was coming down in torrents! Still, it did not bother me at all because I was safe and
warm.
I think that is how we need to look at our spiritual or
emotional storms as they come to us. We need to realize that they are only
blowing at the outside of us, and if we remain calm, secure inside trusting God to do what He will. We learn that the storms of life will usually pass without much danger to us if we stay calm and focused. We just need to stay safe in His arms, warm and dry.
When we choose to fight back at the
storm, sometimes we can do more harms than good. Sometimes it is possible remove ourselves
from the situation causing the storm, such as going to the place we know is safe and warm. Other times we ride it out like Jesus did until he was asked for help. He was calm remember? The same way the disciples did, we
need to seek Him. Ask Him what to do and then we can make a good choice to
follow God’s path.
Sometimes when things are going wrong around us we get caught up in the moment and allow our emotions to rule in our hearts and minds. This can spill out of our mouth rash and harsh words. A wise person once said that we speak what we put in our minds, hearts and ears. What comes in will go out. If it comes in nasty it will go out nasty. We need to surround ourselves with people and places that will complement us, encourage us to be kind to one another. If your storm is a person who is pushing all the wrong buttons in your life that cause you to get upset, pray for them.
As the Word of God says, we are to build one another up in Love. (Hebrews 10:24)
In order to build one another up we need to dig into the Word of God daily and think on what we have read.
Write about it in a journal if it helps you remember it.
Sing it in a song to remind you of His direction for your life.
Teach yourself to speak the Truth in love, not in harshness.
Remind yourself to do unto others, as you would have them do unto you.
Remember, if you want someone to be a friend, be his or her friend first.
If you wish someone would text you asking how you are doing and letting them know they are praying for you, write to someone and tell them that you are praying for them.
If you want to hear someone encourage you in your days, then encourage someone else in his or hers!
God is awesome and He knows just who need a word of encouragement, if you listen to Him each day He will direct you to the person who you are supposed to help to smile. The person you are to pray for, or the person whom you can help physically.
Sometimes we try to take things into
our own hands, just as the disciples did in the boat, they tried to let Jesus
sleep, and battled the storm on their own. But look when they called on Him,
when they were about to perish. Then Jesus spoke to the storm and calmed it.
Dear Heavenly Father, I do not wish to perish, calm the
storm in me today. Help me to do Your will in my life today and every day. Help
me to give you the hurts that are tossed my way and to allow you to heal me.
Help me to keep my mouth from speaking hurtful things, but instead to speak
kindness and healing on my brothers and sisters. Bless me in all that I do
today, let it bring You glory. In Jesus name, amen.
Suggested Readings for
this week;
Monday: Luke 8-all
Tuesday: Mark 11-all
Wednesday: Hebrews
11-all
Thursday: Psalm
146-1-10
Friday: Psalm 35-all
Weekend readings: Psalm 101
***If for any reason you choose ever not to receive this
devotion again please remember that all it takes is replying with a
"Please remove me from this list." I do ask that if there is a
problem with anything I write for you to feel free to write me back and let me
know what the problem was, that we might go over it together and seek the truth
in love.
In His love,
Teresa M. Wilson
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If
God is for us, who can be against us?
(from New International Version)