Learning and Leaning in the Stillness

Learning to be content, learning to be still, and learning to lean are all difficult for me. I wonder why I get so easily discouraged sometimes, and then I remember - I have a punk that whispers lies in my ear, "you can't actually be successful in things and remain humble," "do you really think God wants to use someone as dirty and vile as you have been?" or, this subtle, but daily, inflection, "your dreams are too big." <insert angry sigh> The struggle is real folks, real I say. But, as I was listening to a Tony Evans sermon today, I heard him say this, "God's perspective changes the way you look at things.," and I thought, "oh my word, YES, it does, it does!!" So, I wanna take the lies, right now, and see them in light of God's truth.
 1. Success, ability, blessings...none of these are ever about us, they are given by God! Joseph followed after God and God prospered him in his spirit and blessed him in life (just read Genesis 38 and 39.) The key to remaining humble is keeping your focus on Christ and not yourself, or the blessings. “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it  is He who gives you power...Blessed  is the man who trusts in the Lord , And whose hope is the Lord." (Deut. 8:18a, Jer. 17:7) It is all Him.
2. God uses the messy to create beauty, He made us out of dirt didn't He? Rahab, a prostitute. David, an adulterer. Saul, a murderer. Peter, a liar. All called out from the muck of sinful attitudes and lives to be used mightily of God. Shall I continue Satan, really, let the Word put things in the right perspective. I am washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. (I Corinthians 6:11) Jesus redeems, His blood cleanses from all unrighteousness. Enough said.
 3. When my dreams are centered in His will, they can never be too grand because it is the Father's good pleasure to give His children the kingdom. It is when I am not looking at things from His perspective that my desires become inundated with the world's expectations, and my ideas of what big and small are become distorted. We are more than conquerors through Christ, (Rom. 8:37) and when we seek to make Him foremost in our lives, nothing is impossible with Him. (Luke 1:37) Nothing.

So, my friends, I end today resting in the great and capable hands of my Father - learning, and leaning, in the stillness.

❤t 

He Will Go With Me...

"Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:5‭-‬9

So many times I struggle to overcome things in my own wisdom and strength - that only resluts in me growing fearful,  frustrated and frozen. When I picked up a friend's Sunday school book this morning, I was encouraged by the Lord's admonishment and promise to Joshua and the people of Israel. It is a wonderful truth - if I would only observe God's word, live in His ways, and simply surrender to His will, His promise is to always lead me, and to deliver me from the enemy. As His child, I have the promise of His unrelenting love, but as a faithful servant and observer of His word, I have the promise that He will go with me wherever I go. There is truly no reason to allow fear to overwhelm me - walking with Him has the definite potential to bring boldness, fevor and freedom. I will be chewing on this truth for a while. Happy Friday!!

♡t

"Joshua would accomplish the mission God had given him, not through superior strategy or personal strength, but by leaning on God's perfect character." Tony Evans

He Believes in Me...

"Weaknesses do not depart us from mercy; rather they incline God to us more... (a bruised Reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out [Is. 42:3])" -Ann Voskamp



But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, And did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, And did not stir up all His wrath; For He remembered that they were  but flesh, A breath that passes away and does not come again.
                                                      Psalms 78:38‭-‬39


What a humbly sobering truth ... we can never weaken God's mercy, we can't stop the Holy one of Heaven from loving us with His glory and grace. Everyday it's a new and fresh, overwhelming love, He believes in us, so much so that He makes the sun rise everyday with a day full of possibilities. He believes in me - even when my faith and belief in Him is so very small. He believes in me even when I fall down and struggle getting back up.  He believes in me even when I don't believe in myself. He believes in me so much He died on a cross for me. He loves me so much that He wants to spend an eternity with me, yes, broken, messed up, sinful me. Thinking about that touches my soul with joy, and encourages me in a way that I desperately need. Oh that I would believe in Him like He does me.


♡t