Surrendering to God's Will

We can develop habits over time to create more joy in our life and to eliminate depression and melancholy. However, it takes a change of focus and total submission to God's Holy Spirit.

Many people live in the realm of "what ifs" and/or wanting what they do not have. They think that happiness will finally arrive when they accomplish their bucket list.

We allow circumstances to color our thoughts and feelings, which may diminish our joy. We wait for God to answer our prayers rather than to enjoy the life, which He already provided for us.

His peace and joy are available for us each moment of the day and do not depend on circumstances. It is possible to live in an economically depressed area with impoverished circumstances and still have total peace and joy.

There is no guarantee that we will live to see the next moment in time; so focusing on having possessions or certain people in our life will reduce our peace and joy.

Without surrendering our will to God's will each moment of the day, we hinder our effectiveness both in life and in our spiritual growth and ministry.

Once we repent of our sins and recognize Jesus as our only Savior and King, the very life of Christ saturates our entire body, soul and spirit. As His Spirit sanctifies us, we see more spiritual fruit and less of a draw from our flesh, Satan and the world.

The most critical exercise we can do as a baby Christian is to surrender our will to God's will. Even as older Christians, if we never surrendered, it is time to do so now.

When we totally surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ over our life, we feel less and less tension and stress, and more and more of His rest, peace and joy.

Prayer:

Father God, we tend to regret the past and fear the future. We spend so much time focusing in these two directions that we waste the current moment. This moment in time is all that You guarantee us.

You forgave our past, and it is over and forgiven. We just have to remember to forgive our self too. Remind us that once we do surrender to You, Your Spirit begins replacing our negative personality traits with His spiritual fruit and You flood our spirit and soul with Your love.

Thought for the Day:

Our future is in God's capable hands; therefore, trusting God in the moment provides us with a stress-free life.

God Provides

 

 

When someone asks me how I feel, most of the time I am going to say, “GREAT!” I am well passed the prime of my life, I have flat feet and I have a spine that is so distorted that my chiro does not understand how I am living such a normal life.

I have to pace myself as I age, but I am like the energizer bunny. It is not due to a type A personality, because I do not have one! I am a melancholy and an introvert from birth.

However, I have learned that there is a seed for a miracle in each trial. For instance, while I learned to survive a divorce by my husband of 22 years, God revealed Satan’s lies that I was alone and abandoned. He taught me His truth that He is my husband and that He alone is my strength and my provider (Isaiah 54:5; Psalm 54:4).

Also, I was t-boned in a car accident in 1995 that broke 11 ribs on my left side, punctured my left lung, gave me a concussion, filled the left side of my face with glass and broke the pinky finger on my left hand.

Yet, I was discharged from the hospital the next day after the accident. I was back to work as a full-charge bookkeeper in one week, and I never took one pain pill. God provided for me above all expectations, amazing my doctors and everyone who suffered through even one broken rib.

The Spirit of God continually provides me with supernatural strength and wisdom to combat any physical impairments, and His joy and peace pervade every facet of my life.

Over the years, God taught me to live in the Spirit and not to dwell on the temporal aspects of life for very long, because every instance of tribulation is a new adventure in Christ and a spiritual phenomenon just waiting to happen.

Prayer:

Father God, I prefer peace, order and stability, but life has a way of throwing us curve balls when we least expect it. Even so, You always fill me with Your joy, which is my strength through any tribulation (Nehemiah 8:10). I despise change, but You taught me to handle it with flexibility and joyful acceptance as I witness Your provision for me.

I love the life You gave to me. I enjoy my family and I adore the husband You provided, because he is so adorable! I love people and I never meet a stranger. I enjoy my opportunities of service to You as a wife, mother, grandmother, homemaker, and in the ministry of Your Army as a spiritual mentor and a Pastor's wife. I give You all the praise, which is due to Your name.

Thought for the Day:

God leads us and guides us each moment of the day; and He keeps us on His straight and narrow path, because of the spiritual enemies of His Kingdom. - Psalm 23:3, 5

 

This Life So Often Scares Me

 

Growing up as a melancholy personality, I viewed life from an overly dramatic lens. Intense fluctuations in emotions warped my perception of events in my life.

Living with an overbearing and controlling father made me fear my own shadow. My mom enroll me in Girl Scouting, and even served as troop mom when necessary, to help me to develop self-esteem and confidence.

I still felt like a little mouse in a huge and frightening world. What I viewed as overwhelming difficulties hung like anchors around my neck. Trials devastated me.

As I aged, I viewed life and people suspiciously. I taught people to abuse me because of my insecurities; then, I followed my dad's behavior and used anger to protect myself.

Thankfully, God redeemed me at age 18. He started to sanctify me from one stage of glory to the next (2 Corinthians 3:18) and brought increasing healing to my soul 

( www.theophostic.com ).

I gradually realized that I am already dead, and my life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3-4). I have an everlasting refuge under His wings, which shelter me from life (Psalm 91).

He taught me not to depend on human might and reasoning to solve problems, but to wait on Him and to trust in Him (Matthew 28:20; Proverbs 3:5-6). He will successfully settle every issue for my eventual good (Romans 8:28).

Now, I embrace life's negative events with faith and serenity, knowing that the Lord Jesus Christ dwells within me with all the power of the triune Godhead (Colossians 1:27). 

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for teaching me the Serenity Principle: You give us healing, courage, wisdom and divine revelation to resolve issues, which arise in our life; or the opportunity to give them to You by leaving them in Your capable hands.

(http://www.lords-prayer-words.com/famous_prayers/god_grant_me_the_serenity.html )

Remind us to realize that You already prearranged for a solution for every problem, which would ever happen to us. Help us to realize that we are just fine in this moment of time, and You abide within us to help us in every trial. You know the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), and You have a perfect plan for each and every life (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 2:10).

Thought for the Day:

God gives us a seed for a miracle with every trial He ever permits in our life; we just have to look for it. - Job 42:12

Many thanks to Matt Milligan for the use of his photo.