Trusting Others

Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,  so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. (Romans 12:4-5)


Trusting in others can be a real challenge for some of us.  The freeonlinedictionary.com defines trust as, “Firm reliance on the integrity, ability, or character of a person or thing.” There are so many people who guard their hearts, and put up walls around themselves – not trusting anyone. They believe that if they don’t become vulnerable enough to trust someone, they won’t be disappointed or hurt. I contend that without trust, you don’t know what it is to live or to grow. I believe that without trust, you will not realize the full potential for your life. We were purposely made with different skills, gifts, and talents. As a result, we must depend on (trust) one another to achieve fullness in our lives.

Of course, there is a risk involved in trusting another fallible human. We can be hurt. We can be disappointed. I guess when that happens, we need to refocus our trust to God, to help us through the hurt and bring some meaning to it. However, without taking a risk to trust someone, we miss out on the fullness of love, on the excitement of working on a great team, on the thrill of achieving a long sought after goal… Our marriages will not be whole and our children may not grow into whole adults.

There is so much to lose in your life by not allowing yourself to trust others. If you struggle with trusting others, I guess the question is how do you begin? Well, I suppose it is like any new discipline. You have to make a conscious decision to begin, and weigh the pros and cons for your life. You need buy-in for yourself that it is worth the risk. Think of areas in your life where you have not trusted someone, and what the consequences were. What good could have happened if you had trusted that individual? Purposely decide on one person to trust – someone close to you. Start small – test the waters. It is about allowing yourself to be vulnerable to others. It may be a bit intimidating at first, but the payoff is so big!

With all that being said, the Bible has much to say about trusting the Lord, and not putting your faith in man. It is important to remember that we all fall short of the glory of God. We are sinners. We make mistakes. You can be hurt when you trust man. Be in prayer over what to be vulnerable about and who to be vulnerable to. But know that we were created to need each other, and as we allow ourselves to trust others our lives will be richer.

“You may be deceived if you trust too much, but you will live in torment if you don’t trust enough.” – Frank Crane

My Defender

How I love you, Lord! You are my defender.  The Lord is my protector; he is my strong fortress. My God is my protection, and with him I am safe. He protects me like a shield; he defends me and keeps me safe.  I call to the Lord, and he saves me from my enemies. Praise the Lord!  The danger of death was all around me; the waves of destruction rolled over me.  The danger of death was around me, and the grave set its trap for me.  In my trouble I called to the Lord; I called to my God for help. In his temple he heard my voice; he listened to my cry for help. Psalms 18:1-6)

Have you ever found yourself playing the game of defense to the point of frustration, discouragement  or possibly full on defeat? Sometimes it can seem we have to defend ourselves more than we wish when it comes to doing the things in life we believe we are called to do. Maybe you feel judged, disrespected, or frankly, just not taken seriously. Being in this position never feels good, and it may cause you to feel like throwing in the towel all-together. Friend, be careful not let anyone or anything stop you from fulfilling the divine call of God on your life.  When God places a certain call on your life it should be considered a great honor.  But with the call will come obstacles and challenges. The bible teaches us to be ready for these. In fact its actually a good thing! The message translation of 1 Peter 4:12-19 reads: 

Friends, when life gets really difficult, don't jump to the conclusion that God isn't on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner. If you're abused because of Christ, count yourself fortunate. It's the Spirit of God and his glory in you that brought you to the notice of others. If they're on you because you broke the law or disturbed the peace, that's a different matter. But if it's because you're a Christian, don't give it a second thought. Be proud of the distinguished status reflected in that name! It's judgment time for God's own family. We're first in line. If it starts with us, think what it's going to be like for those who refuse God's Message! If good people barely make it, What's in store for the bad?
So if you find life difficult because you're doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust him. He knows what he's doing, and he'll keep on doing it!

Fulfilling the call he has placed on your life will often take laying aside your pride, your fear of rejection and your offenses. Emotional sensitivity can often overtake you and be a very tough thing to push through but with the Lord's help you will make it! He is your defender! This battle is not yours, it is his, and it will take a complete surrender of self. We often try to take matters into our own hands and defend ourselves; but a sign that you truly trust him as your defender is letting go and letting him handle the tough stuff. You must ask him: "Lord, what would you have me do?” And then just stand and do the thing that God says for you to do. Maybe it is taking the high road and being silent when someone hurts you with their words, or loving people who have laughed at your dreams or honoring someone who has criticized you. Whatever it may be, when you allow God to be your defender you will find yourself growing in character. You will become more like him and he will reward your good behavior. You must hold on to what God has said about you and not walk away from the path he has placed you on just because others do not understand you or do not like you. Let God be your defender today and everyday!

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Decisions, Decisions...

Trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5)

Making good decisions starts with a willingness to lay down your desires to God's perfect will and humbly follow his direction. The problem is that most of us don't know how to figure out exactly what God's will is in every decision we face, especially the big, life-changing type of decisions. 

So what is the correct way to make to make Biblical based decisions?  Well, the first step should be obvious, but we still can find ourselves neglecting the most important key- which is prayer.  We must always begin with prayer!  It is very important to enter prayer with a heart that is ready to obey and trust His direction.  We don’t want to pray just to let God know what our personal plans are.  If you are going to ask for His wisdom then you need to trust His ways will be right even if it means not getting what you pray for.  Remember He has your best interest in mind and He always knows the final outcome of any decision you will make. Be ready to accept God’s answer.  I'm not so sure that God will reveal His plan if He knows already that you won't obey. Submission is hard but there is always a reward with obedience. Decision making often requires us to use our faith muscles quite a bit.  It could be a process, and it takes time; so don't be in a hurry for a concrete answer.  Be patient and don’t move until you have complete peace about the direction.  Also make sure to evaluate and gather information that can help bring clarity for you. Most importantly be sure to search what the Bible has to say about your particular situation. If you have a difficult decision to make it is always wise to seek Godly counsel.   Proverbs 15:22 says, "plans fail for lack of counsel but with many advisers they succeed."   Don’t hesitate to ask for some guidance from a mature believer.  Make sure you choose someone who will lovingly tell you the truth, and not just tell you what you want to hear. Lastly it might be a good idea to make a list of priorities that God would have for you.  Ask yourself if this decision will bring you closer to Him, if it will bring glory to Him, and how it will impact or affect the people in your life.

By this time you should have quite enough information to make that final decision. Be honest with yourself and take the direction that the Lord leads you in.  There will be times when there is no right or wrong answer and you can make your decision based on personal preference.   If you have come to your decision with the sincere intention of pleasing the heart of God, and incorporating Biblical principles and wise counsel, you can then move forward with confidence knowing that God will work out his purposes through your decision. Romans 8:28 says that we know He works all things together for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  Trust Him and trust his process.  He will not lead you in the wrong direction.

**For similar post on making some challenging decisions, read Navigate Uncertainty

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Leave Vengeance to the Lord

Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.  Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.  Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written, "I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it," says the Lord.  Instead, do what the Scriptures say: "If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink, and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you."   Don't let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good.  (Romans 12:17-21 NLT)

Wow.  This is a tough one.  Not only are we to restrain ourselves from seeking revenge on those who wrong us, we are to forgive them.  And not only are we to forgive those who wrong us, we are to do them good!  Now that is going just a bit too far, don't you think?  Why in the world would our God ask us to do good to those who wrong us?

I think it's important to know that the Lord would not ask us to do what He has not already done.  Remember, as He was hanging on the cross to die for our sins- as He was being tormented and mocked- His response was to pray for them,  “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34).  Remember also that His ways are higher than our ways.  He has a greater understanding of what revenge, anger, resentment, and unforgiveness do to our souls.  Forgiveness frees us from so much pain.  Doing good to those who hurt us not only frees us, but it shows them (and others) the love of God, and is a huge testimony to our God's greatness.  You may not think of yourself as a sales representative, but you are.  And the product you are selling is a relationship with your Savior.  You have no idea what your act of obedience will do for the soul of that individual, and for the souls of those who witness your forgiveness.  Doing good conquers evil, rather than perpetuates it.

I do want to clarify that the focus of this devotional is the opportunities you have each day to forgive others.  The focus here is not on violent crimes and what should be done with the offenders.  However, even on a more "everyday level" there are actions that deserve consequences.  There are things that should not go unpunished.  But leave vengeance to the law, and to the Lord.

If being free from the pain of anger, resentment, and unforgiveness is not enough motivation to release the need for revenge, I will provide one more motivator for you: "God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy." (Matthew 5:7NLT).  I'm not sure about you, but I know that I wrong my Heavenly Father daily.  And daily He shows me mercy.  I don't want Him to start giving me what I deserve!

I know it is a long and challenging road to become more Christ-like.  But as we seek the Heavenly Father and His Kingdom, we become more like Him and lead others to a relationship with Him as well.

Don't Be Discouraged

So be strong and courageous!  Do not be afraid and do not panic before them.  For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you.  He will neither fail you nor abandon you. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

If you are feeling discouraged, you are not alone. And even though God makes many resources available to us, Christians are not immune from discouragement.

Discouragement is defined as the opposite of, or the absence of courage.  It makes us less confident and less hopeful; and our obstacles can seem even bigger than they truly are. When a person is discouraged they are easily saddened by failure or criticism.  Fears grow and hope for the future seems to fade.  We can lose our interest in things we love and even become doubtful of our future- wondering if we’ve gotten it all wrong up to this point, or if our goals and dreams will ever be reached.

Is that where you find yourself now?  Take heart friend!  God's Word can help you cope with, and even conquer discouragement.  But before we look at His Word, let's look at some potential reasons you may be feeling discouraged.

A very common cause of discouragement is delay of desires.  For example, if a loved one promises to help you with a project that is very important to you and delays for a day, there may be disappointment, but not likely discouragement.   Discouragement only comes as day after day passes and the thing you expected never happens.  Delay of a promise or an expected situation is at the root of discouraging feelings.  Proverbs 13:12 says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when desire comes it is a tree of life." Has your hope been deferred due to certain things that never seem to happen in your life that you thought would? Does it seem your desires keep getting delayed?

Other causes of discouragement may include fatigue, relational or work related difficulties, frustrations, loneliness or past failures- just to name a few. We all face these feelings at one time or another, so what does God’s Word teach us we should do in these times?  I have three words for you today: Faith, Hope and Love!  

Faith lifts you up when life lets you down. "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." (Hebrews 11:1)  Faith keeps us strong when things get rough, when life lets us down, when people disappoint us, and when dreams go unfulfilled.  Faith sees past what we feel and how we see ourselves. Jeremiah 29:11 says "For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Yes, He said hope!  We must continue to have hope no matter what does or does not happen in our lives.  Keep connected to the Lord even through your discouragement, knowing that he has a plan that is greater than your own. In addition, ask God to keep your heart filled with love.  Always love the Lord, even in suffering through difficult seasons.  Never forget his love for you, and his willingness to die on the cross and suffer a brutally painful death for you. If God allowed his own son to suffer, why, then, would he keep us from suffering?  There is a purpose for your pain as well. He loves you more than you can ever imagine and he didn’t bring you as far as he has, just to let you down permanently.  Trust him today, friend.  Hold onto faith, don’t lose hope, and always remember and trust in His love! 

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Break Free!

For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do this I keep on doing. (Romans 7:18-19)

Perhaps you have felt like Paul at times. You Love the Lord and desire to please him, but you find yourself falling again and again to the same struggles. Your flesh always seems to win.  Addiction is a lie and a trick from the enemy to keep you from living a free life.  Addictions can come in many different forms.  Your battle may be with food, sex, prescription drugs, shopping, or alcohol, to name a few. Whatever your personal battle may be, please know that the addiction is lying to you.  It entices you, and you begin to believe you need it to make it through the day. You say to yourself: it will be the last time; just one more; I’ll stop tomorrow; I simply can’t control my impulsive behavior; it won’t hurt anyone.  NOT TRUE!  DO NOT BE DECEIVED!  God knows the choice you made, and every choice you make has consequences. Addiction is bondage, and can cause depression, anger, anxiety, and low self esteem. Addiction holds you back from reaching your dreams, in fact addiction usually kills your dreams!  Addiction can separate you from your loved ones.  You may have less love to offer them, and at the same time it can be hard to accept their love due to your guilt and shame. You are not the only one involved in your addiction.

Addictions are a powerful force, but the Lord has promised to give us the strength and wisdom to overcome.  God knows our sinful nature, and nothing we battle takes him by surprise. It is natural for the desires to come, but He wants us to make right choices.  Remember that all temptation starts with a single thought.  What you do with that thought is up to you. The Bible teaches us to take captive our thoughts. When the thought comes you can immediately choose to replace it with a new healthy thought. Do not allow yourself do dwell on the addictive thought.  What we put into our minds determines what comes out!   In the book of Philippians, Paul tells us to reprogram our minds with pure, honorable and admirable thoughts.  Take inventory of what you are watching on TV, the music you are listening to, and the people who you surround you. Ask yourself if these influences help you avoid the addictive behavior, or cave into it.  We live in a world that is so filled with self- indulgent quick fixes. However, overcoming addiction is not done with a quick fix. It usually takes dedication and hard work to break free. Pray and ask the Lord to help you to indulge on the pure things in life.

... but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6b-7)

It’s time to break free today!  Freedom will come from making right choices.  For some of you, this will mean seeking professional help.  For others, help from a friend or accountability partner.  Ultimately, it will come from putting God’s words into practice!  You can do it!  And when you DO over come the addiction, please know that your story can empower another person with the same struggles.  Note that I said WHEN you do, not if you do. God will use you and your story!

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. (Romans 6: 12-13)

Field Guide

Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them.  Nothing will injure you. (Luke 10: 19)

Yesterday we spoke about the reality of the spiritual warfare you are in.  Today we wanted to show you just a snip-it of the field guide (AKA - the Bible) and how you can use the Word to combat the enemy.  Remember, this is a battle in your mind.  Satan is a manipulator and will slowly erode your faith with lies and partial truths.  This started back in the garden of Eden when he spoke to Eve, "Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?" (Genesis 3:1b).  Unfortunately for Eve, she did not remember God's actual words, "You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden - except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die." (Genesis 2:16b-17)

Today, let's peek into the field guide, and see how God's Word can address some of the lies we face today.

LIE:  I cannot be loved by God.  I am a sinner.  My sin is too big to look past.

• TRUTH:  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

• And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. (Ephesians 3:18-19)

LIE:  No matter what I do, I cannot break free from this debt.  I just have to accept that some of us were made to be poor.

• TRUTH:  Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty!  Wealth is a crown for the wise; the effort of fools yields only foolishness. (Proverbs 14: 23-24)

• Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8)

LIE: I am not good enough. I am unattractive, too heavy, too thin, too tall, too short...

• TRUTH:  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 139:14) 

• TRUTH: For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

LIE:   I am too good to be doing this job - I deserve better than this.  I deserve promotion or more responsibility.  It isn't fair that he got the promotion instead.

• TRUTH:  Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' (Matthew 25:21 NIV)

LIE:  I will never get anywhere in life.  I am a failure.  I have no future.

• TRUTH: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

This is such a small sampling.  There are over 3000 truths and promises in the Word of God, but the only way to discover them is to sit down each day and read.  As you begin to find and speak these truths into your own life, it may feel strange.  You might not actually believe what you are saying.  But remember, God's Word is a sword.  He has given you authority over the enemy, and in speaking His truth, your are beginning the process of changing your thought patterns and discovering victory over the lies.

This is War!

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12 NIV)

Did you know you are under attack?  Satan is the enemy of your soul, and he has you in his crosshairs.  He has a variety of methods, but his battleground is always the same - he attacks your mind.  Financial problems, sicknesses, jealousy, self-doubt, and pride are just a few of the ways he will start to unravel your faith.

The first step to fighting the battle is to recognize you are under attack.  If you understand that our God is a God of peace, order, and freedom, that will help bring some clarity to your situation.  Doubt, uncertainty, and anxiety are a few clues that things are not of God.

Once you recognize the attack, got ready to battle!  You should be prepared for battle at all times.  God supplies the armor, and He tells us to put it on and keep it on.   

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:14-17 NIV)

In any battle, there is offense and defense.  The verse above teaches us that our faith and our salvation protect us from the attacks of the evil one (defense).  The Word of God is what we use to fight back (offense).

Some Guidelines for Battle:

1.  Put on the garment of praise. Isaiah 61:3  Praising God through your battle has been proven time and time again to lead to victory.  The Battle of Jericho is a great example.  "The seventh time around, as the priests sounded the long blast on their horns, Joshua commanded the people, 'Shout!  For the Lord has given you the town!'" (Joshua 6:16)
2.  Fellowship with the Lord. In John 15:5, the Lord says, "I am the vine; you are the branches.  If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
3.  Walk in love and selflessness. Satan's goal is to steal, kill, and destroy.  It is easier to accomplish this when he separates you from relationships.  Love confuses him a bit, and frustrates his plans.
4.  Repeat and memorize scripture.  Whether spoken out loud or to yourself, the Word of God destroys the lies of the enemy.  This is your greatest weapon.

Satan may be a crafty manipulator.  But once you recognize his strategy, you see that he hasn't changed his tactics much over the years.  We have the most effective strategy to overcome him in our hands - it is the Word of God.  Don't get off course by trying to use physical or worldly solutions.  The battle is of a spiritual nature.  You need to fight this one differently, but with God as your General, you will see victory.

Steadfast Confidence

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. (Hebrews 10:35-37)

Sometimes life has a way of throwing the unexpected at us. The Bible teaches us to be ready in season and out. He wants us to be prepared spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Being ready and prepared for any season will help to build our confidence in our relationship with Him and also our confidence in ourselves. The Bible promises us many blessings when we follow Him, but it in no way promises that our lives will be picture-perfect or that everything will always run smoothly.  God wants us to seek him not only when times are bad but when times are good as well. Sometimes when unexpected, negative experiences occur, our confidence in the Lord slips.  We wonder why He would allow us to struggle with that certain situation. We also can lose our confidence in ourselves and think that maybe if we were more spiritual these things would not have happened. Or maybe we have just messed up too much for God to even care. On the other hand, life might be going just fine but you may be dealing with insecurities or negative thoughts that can be hindering your confidence as well. Either way, God wants us to seek him not only when times are bad, but also when times are good. He wants us to maintain confidence in who He is and he wants us to maintain it in ourselves as well.

Why is confidence so important? First of all, when our confidence is rooted in Christ, we can have stability and peace when tests and trials come. Confidence allows us to step out and be bold in doing the things He has called us to do. It will help us to take appropriate risks without being held back in fear. It will help us try new things, meet new people, and get ahead in life; and we can live our lives not being overly concerned about what others may think of us. Wow! that sounds very freeing doesn't it? 

The scripture helps us to understand that we should not look to the right or to the left when things begin to happen that we did not expect. Keep your focus and keep your confidence strong in the Lord.  Hold on to your trust and your faith in who he is. God already knew what you would face in life and nothing catches Him by surprise! He knows the day and time you live in. He is with you each and every step of the way, and He always knows the final outcome of your situation. He is your strength. He will uphold you. He is your defender. He is your problem solver; and your security comes from him. There is no need to over-analyze your situation if you have complete confidence in Him. He is the author of your story so trust that he already knows what will happen in the next chapter. Trust his process. Ask him what you can learn from each experience in life. The good and the bad. Ask Him how you can grow.  Choose to have full assurance and rely on him to meet your needs. 

For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught. (Proverbs 3:2)

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Where is Your Focus?

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

You know how it is.  You are driving along the road, when off to the side you notice something - maybe a kid flying a kite, a beautiful home, a red 1965 Pontiac GTO parked in a drive, or maybe some commotion with police cars and firetrucks.  And before you know it, your car is veering in that direction.  You can't help it.  It's because wherever you focus your eyes, you are automatically drawn.  The longer you focus on something, the greater the chance you will be drawn to it.

This is such an important principal.  It's why the Lord told us to keep our focus on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy.  He knew the danger we would be in if we allowed ourselves to be consumed by this world.  We are chosen to be set apart from the world.  We must actively choose to focus on things above.  Think about yourself for a moment.  Would you consider yourself to be a positive person, or more on the negative side?   Now think about what fills your head each day.  What you see and hear everyday impacts your thoughts, your beliefs, and ultimately, your life.  I'm not suggesting that you should live in ignorance to the world around you, but I am suggesting you keep your negative intake to a minimum- as much as possible- and balance it out with a much heavier dose of the positive.  Perhaps you are a very positive person, surrounded by positivity - great!  But this does not only apply on a spiritual macro-level, it also applies on a micro-level to the details of your life.

For example, if you are on a "diet" [blech!  I hate that word], and you focus on the things that you can't eat, where is your focus?  On the very things you wish to AVOID!  So how long do you think you can restrict yourself?  Instead, focus on the positive.  Whether your goal is improved numbers in your lab work or pant size, focus on that goal.  Focus on new, healthy foods that bring life and vitality to you.  You'll make mistakes.  That is okay!  Just continue to pick yourself back up and focus on the positive.

Are you miserable at your job?  If you are, chances are that you come home day after day listing all of the irritating things that occurred that day.  You don't miss one piece of everything that is wrong with that place!  Focusing instead on the positive can make your day so much easier.  This will look different for everyone.  Maybe it is developing skills while you are there (free education) that can carry you over to a better job.  Maybe you can focus on small changes that you can make where you are at to improve the current atmosphere.

Here is a quick experiment:  I'm sure you have been to a zoo once or twice in you life, right?  Well right now, I want you to NOT think about a giraffe with his long neck and brown spots, munching on some leaves of a tall tree with those big lips of his.  Well?  Do you have that image in your head... even after I told you not to think about it?  The only way to change your thoughts is to change your focus.  Change your focus... change your thoughts... change your beliefs... change your life.

 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2)

Freedom Awaits

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  (2 Corinthians 12: 9-10)

I wanted to shift gears for today, and share a personal story with you.  It was such a powerful moment for me, and I pray you will be blessed.

My daughter is 7 years old and is graduating first grade this week... and she is still a thumb-sucker.  She has tried and tried, and has been unable to break this habit.  So last night I casually mentioned that she really needs to quit sucking her thumb by the time she goes into second grade.  This led to a complete melt-down.  She struggles with this so deeply.  She desperately wants to stop sucking her thumb, but believes she is powerless to do so.  She has all of these terrible thoughts about herself and how "stupid" she is as a result.  It is such a battle within her, it's painful to watch her go through it.  Just like anyone else may struggle with addiction, this is hers.

Last night she was inconsolable.  I decided that it was time to abandon the trite "please help me God" prayer, and teach her what it really means to turn to God in a time of need.  I had her cry out to God for help - out loud, not in her head.  She was a little embarrassed, but she did it.  And her prayer was simple, sweet, and pure.  It was honest and from her heart, and she melted mine.  She asked for His help because she wants to stop and she can't.  When she was done, I prayed over her, casting out the lies that Satan has put in her head.  I filled her head with the truth of Almighty God.  When she is weak, she is strong because His power is made perfect in weakness.  She can do all things through Christ, who gives her strength.  By the end of the prayer, her spirit was light and free.  It was such a defining moment in her little life.  I know this will be a struggle, but last night she chose to believe in God for her freedom.  I stand with her and will do the same.  She has the honor to see the power of her God in a meaningful and tangible way at age 7!  When her freedom comes, she will know that it was only by the love and power of her Heavenly Father, and not by her own strength.  Think of what that will do for her in the future when she faces something else that she feels hopeless in.  She will remember how her God came through for her when she couldn't do it on her own.  She will know that she is loved in a mighty way, and that it will turn out okay.

As I shared this story with a couple of friends, it was interesting to me how they each pulled a different message to apply in their own lives.  I am resisting the urge to wrap this story up with a point, because I think there are a handful of points to be made.  Instead, I will let the Holy Spirit work it out in you.  I would love to hear what this means for you. Be blessed and know that you are all in our prayers.  Our God is so good.  His glory will shine through my daughter's life, and His glory will shine through yours... if you let it.

Gain Your Passion Back!

“How can we gain our passion back?”

“Why do we feel different?”

“Is being different a bad thing?”

“How can I feel free?”

We all have had passion at one time. If it was as a child, a teenager, or young adult, you have had it. Passion for God, your loved ones, your children, or your career. Passion is a compelling emotion of feeling and desire. Passion and love play hand and hand. If we want our passion back, we need to understand how to love and how to receive love. Passion gives us meaning and purpose for life and it is freeing when we know what our true passion and destiny is. We need to meditate on God's Word and be still to hear the whisper of the Lord. When we stop seeking the Lord and take our eyes off of Him, we lose sight of what His Word says about us. The enemy slithers his way into our thoughts, and how we feel about ourselves. We start to mold and conform to stereotypes that we aren’t. The first step to gaining our passion back is to go back to the place in our life were we once felt that passion.  The second step is to understand what God wants for us and who we are in Him. We need to understand that God made all of us different. If you have children, then you know what works for one may not work for the other. Feeling different is a good thing. God’s Word says to set ourselves apart from the world. I bet there are some people that have walked through life feeling different. Feeling different with friends, family and even in their own church family. I understand those who feel that way. I also felt that way at one point in my life. But, I got GREAT news. You are CHOSEN (that is why you feel different). Stop fighting with being different and just embrace it. Start being REAL with people! People, start accepting those people for who they are and not what they do! Love them because that is what our God does. Remember our GOD is LOVE!

 1 John 4:16 “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” You are ADOPTED into God’s Kingdom! He made you special. You are fearfully and wonderfully made!

 (Psalm 139:14 “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” I think you get my point. 

My prayer for all of you is this: Let’s Gain Our Passion Back.  Embrace who God says we are and ignite the Flame. The Holy Spirit had spoken through a great friend of mine and said “Fan the Flames.” A lighter doesn’t ignite itself. You have to ignite it on your own. Once your Flame ignites, start fanning the flames. And pray that the people that are around you will catch it. But they have to be open to the Flames. So I want to challenge you “Ignite your Flame and Fan the Flame.” Let’s start a WILD FIRE to the world around us. I hope this will motivate you to understand Gods LOVE so you can LOVE yourself, LOVE others, and with that, your passion will come back. Because that is God's promise. I truly Love you all!!!!!!!! Also remember, for some, this may not come over night. Baby steps and setting a good foundation will build great balance!

Rest for the Weary

"Then Jesus said, 'Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you.  Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.'"
Matthew 11: 28-30

Are you weary and burdened? 
Are you physically, mentally or spiritually overworked? 

Do you want to run from everything?

Are you a slave to your own sin?

Our Master said, "I will give you rest."  He is not going to force this rest upon us, however.  We have an important part to play in this equation.  To better understand that part, let's look at the purpose of a yoke.

     A yoke is wooden harness that joins together a pair of animals, like oxen. A head yoke is secured directly behind the horns of the oxen, and the animals transfer their power to the yoke beam.  The yoke serves several purposes:  It helps to secure the animals in position, it prevents them from looking back, it helps the oxen to learn to operate together as a team, and it also corrects the oxen by pinching their ears when they misbehave.

 In this verse, He promises rest for our souls.  But He requires three things of us to receive that rest.

1. "Come to me" - We must seek the Lord first in our time of need.  Not our friends or family, or even professionals.  First seek Him.  Let Him show you who will be able to help you in your situation.
2. "Take my yoke upon you" - Looking at the definition of a yoke above, we are to secure ourselves together with Christ and transfer our power together with Him to the burden;  we are not to look back; and we are to operate together as a team.  We should also be aware of some "pinching" or correction if we start to stray off course.
3. "Let me teach you"- He already knows the solution to our problems.  He already knows the challenges that lie ahead.  Why wouldn't you want to hear what He wants to teach you?

The three calls to action above require relationship and time with our Savior.  It means we need to be in the Word, and it means we need to be in prayer.  In "Navigate Uncertainty" (http://faithmotivated.blogspot.com/2012/05/navigate-uncertainty.html) I discussed how to obtain guidance from the Lord, so I won't belabor that point again here.  But what I will mention is this:  In order to have that load of yours lightened, you must be obedient to the leading you receive.  If you fight the direction in which He is taking you, you will not receive rest.  You will struggle, and you will make your journey longer.

His desire is to walk with you through your burdens and to help carry the load.  When you take His yoke upon you, He promises love, healing, peace, and rest for your souls. 

"I am the vine; you are the branches.  If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
John 15:5

Develop Endurance

For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what has been promised.  (Hebrews 10:36)

Have you ever run a marathon? Have you ever thought about it?  Well, let's say you have trained hard and are running strong in a marathon, and actually are in a position to finish in first place (although most of us would just be happy to finish at all!), but then your belief starts to waiver.  Deep down you believe that you could never win first place in anything - especially a marathon.

Half-way to the finish line, you start feeling tired, and begin thinking to yourself, "Well, I guess second or third place would be okay."  But what you don’t realize, is that over the next hill there are only 2 other people ahead of you... and they are losing steam.

Do you see your biggest challenge in this scenario?

It's YOU!!!

It’s easy to let  your mind play tricks on you.  You begin to tell yourself you can’t possibly make it to the end. You begin to visualize your defeat and start believing that it would be okay if you do not cross the finish line running.  And you are right.

Remember this… Your mind is very powerful.  If you visualize failure, you will fail.  If you visualize success- whether it’s a marathon, a business venture, or a ministry you’ve started- you can succeed!  The fact is, if you want it bad enough and God has called you to it, you should never let anything stop you from reaching your goal.  God’s word tells us that all things are possible through Him who strengthens you!  But often times, the bigger the dream, the more endurance will be required.  To endure and finish the race, you will need determination and belief in yourself.  These are choices you can make, even in the face of negative emotions and feelings.  And you must decide that you will not quit.  If all you can do in a given moment is to take just one more step, then take that step.  Then take another.  Keep focusing on just one step at a time until you get your rhythm back.  Lean on Christ at all times, and keep moving.  You can do this!

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7) 

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