The sermon at church yesterday felt like it had my name written all over it. It was on being a good servant of Christ Jesus - 1 Timothy 4....We all like things easy, but there has to be rigor in your life. Rigor--meaning diligence, precision, accuracy, and meticulousness. Rigor takes extreme focus with a purpose. We work hard and struggle continuously. But it is good to struggle because we have our hopes on the living God. Then a question was asked, "Do you really have your hopes set on the living God...or on family, career opportunities, being fit, health, etc? I realized that I need more spiritual rigor in my life. Because it promises benefits in this life and the life to come, while physical discipline benefits are only in this life. All of this comes the day after I receive my lab results in the mail. There were several abnormal results, which I have no clue what any of them mean until I go back on October 29th. So instead of fearing the unknown, I believe that Jesus has been saying to me...just like He said to Martha..."There is only one thing worth being concerned about." My relationship with Him...So I will sit at the feet of Jesus and wait. Read his word...worship Him...praise Him...and be still before Him. I believe if I do my part...He will do His.
Don't regret or detest what stretches you....God sees us the way we will become. He is not interested in where we were, only where He longs to take us. Everyday forces me to get uncomfortable (to be stretched), to seek God, and to do the very best that I can. Some days, I screw up. Some days, I knock it out of the ball park. But if I was never in over my head, if I was never forced to get uncomfortable, I'd never grow. You see, life's troubles refine me into exactly who God wants me to be. In the midst of messy circumstances, God is stretching my heart to trust Him. He challenges me to show up daily to sit at His feet to be fed. When I do so, I recognize God's hand in the details. I am also learning that God's story doesn't revolve around me and having my journey unfold smoothly, but that I am privileged to play some part in God's greater plan. If I will be patient, I will discern just how the details fit at just the right time. Be encouraged today.... Even when you feel like you can’t take one more thing or one more day, He will give you the power and strength you need to make it through.
Never give up on God. The favor of God comes to us in the midst of life's challenges. In less than a year Job lost everything. He lived in perpetual pain. But Job told God that he didn't care how bad the situation got, his favor was going to turn around. No wonder God restored Job twice what he had before!
What you will receive is directly connected to how you believe. It's time to quit limiting God. Start thinking big! Doors of opportunity will swing open for you. His dream for your life is so much greater than you can imagine. If God showed you everything He has in store for you, it would boggle your mind! He can open doors that no man can shut.
Blessings,
Dalinda
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