God
absolutely cares about us and the matters, which are important to us (1 Peter
5:7). He has our best interest at heart. God's
discipline is a proof of His love for us (Hebrews 12:6).
He helps
us to cast down the idols in our soul (2 Corinthians 10:5). I know that I have
an idol in my life when my feelings get hurt and when other negative emotions
start popping up in my heart.
If
something irritates me, angers me or stresses me out, I can be sure there is an
idol at the root of the issue, which I need to surrender to God.
Many times
the issues, for which I am crusading, are best left as a matter of prayer,
rather than trying to influence someone to accept my ideas or to act a certain way.
Another
idol of mine is organization and schedules. I keep lists and calendars. I love
order and proficiency. I feel secure and they keep me from forgetting
appointments. They help me to have what we need, when we need it.
However,
other people in my life are more impulsive and extemporaneous. They live a
fluid life, and my need for order restricts them.
I had to surrender
this idol to God and then learn to be more adaptable, flexible and spontaneous.
This helped me to have more fun.
Of course,
my ability to keep schedules helps us to stay organized, but I had to learn to
be less inhibited and to lay down the idol of my need to attempt to control life.
God is also healing me from codependency. I am learning not to serve others by putting their interests and needs above my own to the point of depriving myself of the peace and joy of walking in God’s Spirit. ( http://www.amazon.com/The-Christian-Codependence-Recovery-Workbook/dp/1936451050 )
God is
teaching me to live interdependently with other people and to hear His will for
my involvement in their lives. Many times, the discernment He gives me is a
matter of prayer rather than action.
Prayer:
Father God, I am learning to trust that You are faithful to restore balance and peace in our life in Your own way and time. Thank You for reminding me that You love the people I care about more than I do.
Father God, I am learning to trust that You are faithful to restore balance and peace in our life in Your own way and time. Thank You for reminding me that You love the people I care about more than I do.
You have a
perfect plan for each life, and You will work out everything in their life for
their good (Romans 8:28). You may use me to help in some situation; but more
often than not, You choose to do the work in their lives as I pray for them.
Thank You
for the freedom from idols that You provide for us. Help us to walk in Your
Spirit, so that we will not fulfill the carnal impulses of our flesh (Galatians
5:15-21).
Thought
for the Day:
As we
monitor the negative emotions, which disturb the peace of God in our soul, we
can rely on God to reveal the issue at the root of them, so that we can lay down
these idols at His feet.
