This has been an interesting week! As I continue to adjust to the changes of life and the heart pains of the struggles of my loved ones as well as my own, I have been reminded over and over that God is the same all day, every day! (Heb. 13:8)
I spent Monday in serious self-examination...a scary thing for sure...and came to the major conclusion that I needed an attitude adjustment! So, fine, a good place to start, or so I thought initially.
Later in the week, with few exceptions I fell back into some of the less satisfying but most time-consuming activities since the changes and for a time, remained there. How easy it is to slip back into negative behavior, and the self-recrimination that comes with doing so! So much for adjustments.
Thankfully, the Lord has shown me much from His Word this week about His promises and that His power is made perfect in my weakness. And just how weak I really am, especially when I forsake my personal disciplines via procrastination and prayerlessness.
Much of my reading has been in Romans this week. Such a rich letter! In it there is much to meditate and ponder as well as practical instruction, especially for this prodigal daughter!
During this adjustment period it is right where I needed to be! So much of the "basics" with practical instruction that just happens to deal with much of what I've been struggling with.
At the heart of the entire letter is one passage Rom. 1:16-17 and as I read this, I had to ask myself seriously how much I believed that I was forgiven? Further reading throughout the week assured me that I am, for even though I was in lackadaisical fellowship with my Lord, I hadn't lost my faith in Him. And as previously cited in Hab. 2:4 and throughout scripture-our faith, weak as it may be, is counted as righteousness in God's sight.
In one of the devotional commentaries that I use, the writer explained that this means that when God looks at me (even when I am hiding, He sees), He sees Jesus-the perfectly obedient example of righteousness! He doesn't see my straying off the path, or the stubborn neglect of quiet time, or even the laziness inherent in my running and hiding in television. All He sees is Jesus in me!
How marvelous is that!!! And what a catalyst for the heart-wrenching desire-to change my attitude, my outlook on life as it is and to look ever more devotedly to Jesus.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
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How wonderful. Don't be discouraged, when I was a young woman begining my family. GOD gave me some insight to growth. Maybe this will help you as well as it helped me and as I have shared with so many others who like you began to show signs of growing pains.
ReplyDeleteLook at your salvation and walk with GOD as that of the birthing of a new baby. It does not stop there, watch as you notice how your child evolves with his/her own character and how things you do not have to teach him/her come naturally.
Such as eating, sleeping and the release of waste. New Birth=Salvation; eating = Word of GOD; sleeping = Rest of GOD and waste = the old things that we can easily get rid of ourselves and never look back.
Now your baby is turning; pulling him/herself up; crawling. Now you are turning = From your wicked ways with the help of the Holy Spirit; pulling yourself up and falling and pulling yourself up just like a baby does when he/she is learning to become stable. Crawling = the process prior to walking, we imitate what we see yet we still need to be carried.
Eating on his/her own; walking; tallking and exploring.
You begin to go to the Word of GOD yourself to find the will of GOD for you and your family. You begin to speak like GOD no more cursing but blessings are coming out of that mouth. Explore those things that JESUS said we will do far greater than HE did.
It takes us 18 years to discipline and encourage our child/children to become that in which we desire. It takes GOD as long as you disobey and doubt HIS Word.
From 18 througout your childs life that is if he/she no longer lives in your home depending on you, we can no longer tell him/her what they will and will not do but now we have to make suggestions and step aside.
From day 1 of our salvation until we leave this life GOD will discipline us, if we let HIM. GOD will encourage and motivate us, if we let HIM. GOD will speak with us, if we let HIM. GOD will show you that as long as you rely on HIM for everything, you are okay. We are not in a race to be like someone else other than our great example setter JESUS.
So relax, trust, grow, you release what you can very easily and rely on GOD to remove that darkness that dwells within you and HE will replace it with the opposite of what HE took out. For example depression out JOY IN.
GOD Bless you,
SHAWN Herbin on Twitter