iShineInMinistry

Luke 24:21

But we had hoped...

 

I was reading one of my devotional books the other day and came across this area of scripture. It stuck out to me as I went through the reading and I thought about all the things I am still hoping for in my life. I have a large group of friends that are still in a holding pattern in one or more areas of their lives...some have admittedly decided that their faith has left that particular area of their life.

 

Will I ever find a job that I love? Will I ever be able to pay off my debt and establish real savings? Why did I end up with this illness? Am I getting married before the rapture? Do I have to stay in this terrible apartment? Why can't I seem to lose this weight? The list goes on...we've heard these questions from our friends, our families and our own mouths time and time again. The drain and pain of some of these issues presses against what we know about our faith and at times can take everything joyful completely out of us.

 

The real question is...are you doing to stay in this season of despair? Are you going to have an Eeyore outlook on life the rest of your days or just wait for the storm cloud to come through even when something good does happen in life? If this is how you are spending your days, might I ask what is the point? Why do you roll around in this complete and utter discouragement? Where exactly is it getting you? How exactly is it making your day to day life feel better? What productivity is coming from this thought process? I can give you the answer...there is no good thing from any of it. So, let us get out of that mind-set and fix our eyes on the truth, the One who is trustworthy, the One who can see the beginning from the end and the One who gives life more abundantly.

 

Won't you join me in getting our eyes off of the "this" that is plaguing us and get our focus back on our Savior? He is the beginning and the end. He is the miracle worker. He is the One that nothing is too hard or impossible for. He is who we shall place our trust in. Let's purpose in our hearts to walk by faith and seek the Lord each day, then let Him decide what is the best option for our lives. He will direct our paths with each set of 24-hour increments we live out and He will do what He has planned for our lives.

 

Psalm 39:7(ESV)

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?

My hope is in you.

For words, for thoughts, for joy, for rest...whatever you are battling we need to get ourselves back on track and get that dulled sparkle back to where it should be. We need to get back where we belong (as the Phil Wickham song says) and make sure we are not blocking anything that God is trying to do in our lives. Here are some ways to get your life back on kilter so we can be joyful and spread the love of the Lord.

 

Repent - Might there be something you did or said that needs to be brought to the Lord. I know that my prideful thoughts and coveting have been getting me in quite the mess lately. What about you? Is there something you need to confess to the Lord so you can get back on track with Him? Pray Psalm 139:23-24 and see what the Lord shows you.

 

Rest - Maybe you are running on empty and can't seem to stop the momentum of go,go, go! This is frequently one of my problems. You may need to sedate yourself or at least get a cup of tea and just take time to sit still. Grab a blanket and lay on the floor of your bedroom or living room and just be for a few moments. Don't force your brain to go into overdrive...maybe even take a nap if you are able. Just calm down a take a mini-Sabbath to regroup.

 

Write - Perhaps there are too many thoughts going about in your head and you need to get them all out to combat how overwhelmed you feel. Get a little notepad and a cute pen and be the hand of a ready writer. Jot down everything that is clouding your mind, whether it be a to-do list, a letter to someone you need to speak with in person or a series of written rants. Whatever the thoughts are, they are taking over and you need to take control of them before they get the best of you. Sometimes just getting them out is all you need to take the first step in getting back on track.

 

Cuddle - This probably sounds like the preschool approach, but sometimes you just need a hug...it's true. Maybe life has drained you and you just want a small moment of affection. Find your best friend, husband, mom, baby nephew or stuffed lion that sits on your bed and give a little hug. A little love goes a long way and could be all you needed to recuperate and get back in the game.

 

Pray - Clearly you should have done this in the first place. However, we sometimes go to our knee-jerk reactions rather than to the One we need most. Hopefully this was your first go-to before you started any of the other ideas I gave you, but I listed it just in case you didn't Talk to the the Lord and let Him calm your anxious heart. Cast your burdens on Him...He cares for you (and me). Also, read Psalm 4:1, it will be helpful!

 

I know that I personally like to do a high-impact workout to get some stress or confusion out as well. What are some of the other ways you get your mindset back on track when you are at a loss? I'd love to hear in the comments below!

 

Lamentations 3:22-25 (NKJV)

Through the lord's mercies we are not consumed

Because His compassions fail not,

They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

"The Lord is my portion," says my soul,

"Therefore I hope in Him!"

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,

To the soul who seeks Him,

It is good that one should hope and wait quietly

For the salvation of the Lord.

So, it is officially the end of the year and our 365 days of great expectations is closing out. I hope that you had an amazing season with the Lord, learned more about His character, grew in your faith and trusted Him even more, having an excited and expectant heart for all of His wonderful plans. This year we also had a great journey with the single ladies praying every Sunday evening. Through all of the wonderful occurrences, times of prayer and fantastic experiences God was faithful to show up many times. I hope you learned a great deal about your relationship with the Lord and an abundant amount of new information about yourself. Here is what I learned.

 

1) God’s sovereign plan is amazing and it doesn’t matter how long “it” takes to get to the desire of your heart.

Many ladies joined me on a weekly prayer for our future husbands and two ladies actually got engaged this year! Some of the girls were able to start new jobs or go on new adventures with God’s provision and timing or do a myriad of other fantastic things. Some of us may have not gotten to get to the “finish line” with very specific areas of our lives, but that does not discount all of the other wonderful things that took place in 2017. Please take note of 10-25 lovely moments and memories from the year (perhaps one from each month) and thank the Lord for His perfect plan.

 

2) Sometimes by asking for something you want, you stumble upon the realization that you really do not want it after all, because it may not be God’s will.

As we draw closer to God, He begins to show us that He really is all that we need. Even through frustration, tears, heartache, sadness, discouragement and despair God will use things, circumstances, people and other seemingly inanimate things to bring us to the truth that God is our all in all. Sometimes it takes everything else getting taken away to see that…or sometimes we have the “aha” moment before we get to that point. Either way, that is a great place to be in!

 

3) Every single day is an opportunity to find joy, hope and greatness.

When you are truly trusting in the Lord, everything can come up roses because we know that God is in the details, whether or not we understand. God can stretch us, allow certain instances to happen or maneuver our lives in such a way that we will have to cling to His promises and choose joy in storms and hard times. When this happens, it gives us the upper hand over the enemy. He will not be able to throw anything at us that will thwart our faith or make our trust in God falter. Even as chaos ensues, we can find joy; not be in denial, but truly chose to be joyful and thankful in all circumstances, for this is the will of God for us in Christ Jesus!

 

4) Life is shorter than we think – make sure to tell people you love them!

Be a kind friend, a loving family member, a fabulous coworker, a listening ear, a prayer partner, a confidant, a genuine fixture in someone’s life. Be someone that reminds people that kindness still exists. Do it through God’s power and not your own strength. Do it without ulterior motives, do it without expecting something in return. Have the heart to be the hands and feet of Jesus and do all to His glory. Let your love abound so much that the overflow is a blessing to all those who encounter you!

 

I hope that you were able to find joy in this year even in the midst of all the mayhem; the sadness, heartache and craziness that we have seen take place over this year. I know that sometimes it can be hard to look for the joy in the middle of hurt, but don’t let your heart get stuck in the pit of despair. As we get ready for 2018, let’s start the year off right…with prayer! And if you need prayer for anything specific, please do message me. Have a wonderfully blessed New Year!

Psalm 51:3-4 (ESV)

 

For I know my transgressions,

 

and my sin is ever before me.

 

Against you, you only, have I sinned

 

and done what is evil in your sight,

 

so that you may be justified in your words

 

and blameless in your judgment.

 

 

 

I remember occasions in my childhood, college and even last week where I have had to apologize for the things that I have done. From coloring on the wall, to running up yet another credit card bill for my mom to pay, to changing plans on a friend last minute because (in my absurd opinion) they move too slow for my pace…or even for not showing my mom my final grades in college when my GPA lowered by two entire points.

 

 

 

During some of those times, I know I was genuinely apologetic about the situation and what I had done. Other times, I may have just said sorry because I knew that’s what the other person wanted to hear. Then there were times (like the grades) when I was genuinely repentant and sad that I had let my mom down. As I think through those moments and all the things that we see that happen around us on the daily basis, my thought is…are we truly sorry all the time? Or are we just sorry we got caught?

 

 

 

I think about this often when I’m around children. They know the right thing to do is say sorry, because it’s what they have been taught. My question is, would they just continue as is if no one ever mentioned their wrongdoing? Then my thoughts come to us as adults. As we hear so many stories of wrongdoing and years of secret sins, are people truly sorry for what they have done? Or, do they know, as little children, that this is the correct thing to say when we get caught doing wrong?

 

 

 

I want each of us to take a personal inventory this week and notice each time we apologize to someone. Do we really mean it? Are we coming forward or waiting for them to “catch us” before we apologize for our actions? Then, I really want us to think about how our hearts are when we pray for forgiveness to the Lord for our sins.

 

 

 

He already knows what we did, there’s no hiding. Are we like David and genuinely realize the depth of what we’ve done or are we like a darling little three-year old that just say “sowwie” because we know we should?

 

 

 

I pray for all of us (myself included) that we will have hearts ready to confess, repent, turn away and desire to obey the Lord. Let’s be transparent before God and let Him make us clean, new, joyful and faultless as we walk this journey of faith, waiting for the day when we will be like Him and no longer need to apologize for our fleshy natures.

 

 

 

Read Psalm 51 in its entirety sometime this week! Then make that your prayer as you seek to stay close to the Lord. Do you need prayer for something specific? Do you need to confess to someone or the Lord something you have done? Feel free to email me your request!

 

 

 

Psalm 51:10 (NKJV)

 

Create in me a clean heart,

 

O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

 

 

Mark 14:36

“…nevertheless, not what I will but what You will.”

Lord Jesus, it is so easy for me to be joyful and trust Your plan when everything is going my way or when I am able to settle in a place of comfort during the season I find myself in. I know that sometimes Your plans for me are completely different than what I think my life should look like right now and that can be frustrating as I try to understand why my plans are not aligning with my current situation. Lord, I ask that my heart’s desire will be for your will to be done in my life and that I will be content as that perfect will unfolds each and every day of my life. I ask for a heart of worship, a sense of Your presence and an extra measure of faith that reminds me that Your way is perfect and I can trust in You with all of my heart.

Lord I ask for my hopes and dreams to be what Your purpose and plan is for my life. I pray that I will not step out in disobedience and that I will trust Your perfect plan, I will trust the Creator of the universe, the Author and finisher of my faith. I pray that You will comfort me in times of doubt and remind me of Your precious promises in times of discouragement, dismay, sorrow and sadness. I pray that I will remain in You and that You will remind me to delight in You.

Lord, I thank You for being my heavenly Father, the one that knows all, the God who sees me and the one that loves me most and knows what’s best for me. I thank You for being my all in all, my everything. Please remind me of this when I start to get off track and help me to fix my eyes back upon You. I love You Lord Jesus and pray these things in Your name…so be it, Thy will be done, amen!