God is in Control - Regardless of Circumstances

As our fleshly, carnal appetites decrease, Christ in us increases. Negative emotions, such as: fear, insecurity, anxiety, depression, etc., along with their companion of mental and physical illnesses, decrease in us as well.

We enter God's rest and feel fewer negative emotions. Any negative emotion that does surface is a red flag to draw our attention to some aspect of our life that is overwhelming us or an unresolved conflict.

These unresolved issues paralyze us with fear; they control our thoughts, words and deeds; and they cripple us for the work of the ministry and the quality of our relationships.

As we focus on the presenting emotion, listen to the words in our mind associated with that feeling, and ask God for wisdom concerning the issues causing the emotion, we can find solutions or turn the problems over to God to work out in His way and timing.

God's Word calms our troubled soul, energizes our spirit and empowers our body with health and vitality. We make wiser choices, form more spiritual friendships and enjoy more success in life.

Even if fears and insecurities dog our steps, we learn to trust God's consistent presence in our life. We speak our mind and make sure we have a voice in choices made that affect our life.

There is no reason to fear, because God is always with us. Discouragement holds no place in our life, because He gives us His strength and He helps us. He supports us with His mighty right hand (Isaiah 41:10).

Prayer:
Father God, whenever we are afraid, remind us to put our trust in You (Psalm 56:3). There is no need for us to feel anxious about anything in this life, because through prayer and petition with gratitude in our heart for all You have already done for us, we can present our deepest and most frightening concerns to you (Philippians 4:6).

Then, Your peace, which transcends the issues of life, will guard our heart and our mind in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). This peace is not the carnal, fleeting peace that the world gives, but the peace of Christ within us. We have no need to feel worried, afraid or upset about anything (John 14:27).

Thought for the Day:

Even when life careens out of our control and we fear for our future, we can still trust in our God who is always in control.

I Don't Worry; I Pray

Someone asked me if I was worried about an issue and I said without thinking, "I don't worry, I pray." That comment hit me between the eyes, and I realized how true it has become in my life of over 40 years of learning to have faith in God's faithfulness.

Worry is a negative emotion and all negative emotions are red flags to show us areas in our life where we need attention. We may have a burden to share with someone who cares, a problem to solve or an idol to renounce.

Idols do not come in different shapes and sizes anymore. They are pet peeves, unrealistic goals, unwarranted demands, irritations and worries that do not belong in our life.

They tear us down by whittling away at our joy and serenity. They cause us to respond with irritability and even anger. They spoil our mood and rob us of our witness for Christ.

When we sense a negative emotion in our soul, a searching moral inventory is a good place to start. Ask yourself what is really bothering you and give yourself time to really think about it and to answer truthfully.

When you discover the root of the negative emotion ask yourself if you can do anything about it. If so, do it; if not then ask someone for help or give it to God to solve if it is something beyond human effort.

God can move mountains in our life when we trust in His faithfulness. He may not answer our prayers as we think He should, but He always works them out for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28).

Prayer:

Father God, we often overlook the power of prayer in our life. We worry first, connive through human effort second, ask other people for help and eventually, when all else fails, we remember to pray. Remind us to use prayer as our first defense and offense against the issues we face in life.  

When we trust You completely and put You first in our life, You always direct our steps and lead us to success (Proverbs 3:5-6). Help us not to allow worry to paralyze us into inactivity and to limit or stop our efficiency and initiative as You inspire us by Your Spirit.

Thought for the Day:

When we pray without ceasing, the Lord keeps us from trouble and delivers us in our distress; He calms our storms and smooths the rough seas; He quiets the waves and brings us safely home to our port. - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; 

Psalm 107:28-30; Matthew 8:23-27

The Plague of Loneliness

Too often, a person is devastated by divorce, or tired of the single life, and they will cling to the first person who shows them kindness and love. These "saviors" are often wolves in sheep's clothing and prey on vulnerable divorcees in order to take advantage of their earthly resources, robbing them of their life's savings, car, home and worldly goods.

This disheartens the single person and leaves the divorcee devastated, wounded and disillusioned all over again. Pay attention to every red flag that pops up during your interaction with any new person in your life. How do they respond in a crisis? What is their emotional personality – do they react in anger or do they stuff their emotions?

Are you really compatible with this person, or are you just lonely and not wanting to live alone? It is far better to live alone than to shackle yourself to someone out of the will of God (Proverbs 21:9, 25:24; Proverbs 17:1). Be involved with this new person. Spend time around his/her family and friends. Do they act the same way around them that they do around you?

Are their words, actions and personality, which they are projecting to you, the same around people who know them well? What expressions do you see in their face and body language? What hint of exasperation, meanness or controlling is in their voice inflections and words? If you feel any caution in your soul or spirit about this person, keep the relationship casual.

Wait on the Lord’s direction. He may move you on to someone new. Spend time alone with God and allow Him to be your best friend and the Lover of your soul (Isaiah 54:5; Proverbs 18:24). Develop a friendship and genuine caring relationship with any potential mate, or your new marriage may not weather life’s storms, and it could end in divorce.

Prayer:

Father God, loneliness often drives both single people and divorcees into an unwise marriage. They are as unhappy in this marriage as they were as a single person or in their first marriage. Remind us that loneliness is a choice, not a state of being. We can join group activities to cultivate joy in our life. Help us to send our roots down deeper in our relationship with You instead of looking for love in all the wrong places. We need to wait on You, because You have a perfect plan for our life (Ephesians 2:10).

Thought for the Day:

We can find fulfillment through service to God, His church and our community instead of rebounding or settling, and expecting the illusion of a perfect marriage to eradicate our feelings of loneliness and a lack of contentment.