Ebola. ISIS. Enterovirus. Economic crisis. Government conflict. There are few days in which the Today Show headlines consist of time-fillers and pop culture. I remember a world where major news stories were in the minority. Now it seems a horrific news story comes once a day if not every hour. With a case of Ebola forty-five minutes from my front door, I had to stop, take a deep breath, and reevaluate.
Two or so years ago I cam face-to-face with a mighty giant in my life. I have written about my giant before in a blog entitled, "Crippling" describing what I went through and how I healed. Living in small quarters with a family of five, a large dog, and a traveling husband while building a house in a brand new community left me feeling anxious. Put yourself in that situation and the Lord will most definitely bring the skeletons out of your closet. While I feel I have a handle on and have learned to cope with my anxious thoughts, I can get pulled back there, especially as I watch and read the news. If I am being honest, this mama bear would take her three cubs and papa bear husband and hibernate in our home diffusing all my hippie oils and rubbing them on all our spines and feet. But, I am not that erratic; at least not yet.
As I was thinking about the crazy that is our world, I decided I wanted rest. I want us all to have rest. God doesn't call us to a life of fear and anxiety. He is not surprised by the Ebola outbreak or the terrorists reign in the Middle East so why am I? The Bible talks constantly about fear. Fear is mentioned 365 times in the Bible. Hmmmm....a verse a day perhaps??? The expressions, "fear not," "do not be afraid," and "be not afraid" are used over thirty times. I looked up fear in my handy dandy Holman Bible Dictionary and it said that these phrases refer to us having confidence and trust in our God. This is exactly what got me through my crippling time two years ago: learning to have confidence and trust.
When I sat down to write this blog I had Pandora playing on one of my favorite worship stations. Wouldn't you know that the song that was playing said, "I will not fear the storm," and "My God will come through always." Moments like these are what I look and listen for in my moments of unrest. When I feel anxious or am doubting I look for those little things that God uses to remind me that He is still there, He is still able, He is still the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. This builds my confidence and trust. In life, things happen. Anything and everything can change in an instant. But, BUT, God doesn't. Your faith, hope, and security in Him NEVER changes. Ever. Everything may be swirling around you in complete and utter chaos but who you are in Him and who He is in your life does not change. Even though our circumstances change, He doesn't. Rest. Rest in that!
I was watching Christine Caine yesterday previewing a Bible study and she said this, "We are not a product of time. We are a product of eternity." She went on to talk about how we are alive in this very moment for a very specific calling and purpose. We are not in this place at this time by accident. His love will carry and sustain you no matter what is thrown your way. No matter what.
One way I cope with the crazy that is my thoughts is to look at the ways God has been faithful in my life. My story may not look like what I have written, but it is absolutely perfect because my Creator is the author. I look at big blessings like my boys. If this blog wouldn't turn out to be chapters long I would tell you how each of them is an absolute precious miracle and how I couldn't always see that through the trials we faced having them. I look at the small stuff like feeling a nudge from God to stop working last fall partly because I wanted to get more involved in my semi-new community and get to know other moms of my kids' friends and He has royally come through. I find peace in the little and big blessings He drops in my life throughout the mundane. I find rest.
History can also bring rest. Every generation experiences it's own unrest. You can read the Bible or history books and watch as people overcame. They overcame pain, suffering, illness, persecution, war, and the like. They survived. They persevered. They found rest. Knowing people throughout generations have overcome brings a sense of peace and calm that everything is going to be okay. And what if it isn't? What if the pain and suffering continue you may ask? There is ALWAYS the hope of Heaven and eternity. My best friend's mom, Kathy, knew this. She felt, lived, and breathed the comfort of knowing her eternal security even on her death bed. She knew that if her heart transplant didn't come through and it was her time to go, she would soon be resting with her Savior. How amazingly peaceful is that?
Look, trials are going to come. The Bible tells us this. Heck, history tells us this. How are we going to filter and handle the stresses of a world at unrest? Are we going to fret at every bad news story? What is worry going to get us? Nothing. Are we going to try and control the situation doing what I wanted to do letting fear paralyze us keeping us indoors and not out doing the very work we are called to do? Are we going to sit in our unrest because we are lacking in faith or don't know our eternal destination? When you have the hope of Heaven there is nothing in this world that can bring you down completely. You know that the very worst thing that can happen to you is eternal glory with your King.
As I drove home today I was thinking about this post and overwhelming sensation came over me so I began to pray. My prayer caught me by surprise. I was fervently praying that we find rest. That thousands upon thousands can find rest in such a state of unrest; of turmoil. The words that came out of my mouth took over my whole being and when I was done, I felt rejuvenated. I also felt a need to tell you, dear reader, to rest. It will be okay. Life will be okay. We will be okay. Have confidence in your ever-stable never-changing God Almighty. Rest in your trust that He will carry all of us through. He carries us daily. Why would He stop now.
Have confidence. If He cares for the wildflowers, I promise He cares for you...
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today." Matthew 6:25-34
Trust. Trust in His hope and the future He has for you. Don't forget to call on Him...
"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”
Love & Restful Blessings,
Meg
Two or so years ago I cam face-to-face with a mighty giant in my life. I have written about my giant before in a blog entitled, "Crippling" describing what I went through and how I healed. Living in small quarters with a family of five, a large dog, and a traveling husband while building a house in a brand new community left me feeling anxious. Put yourself in that situation and the Lord will most definitely bring the skeletons out of your closet. While I feel I have a handle on and have learned to cope with my anxious thoughts, I can get pulled back there, especially as I watch and read the news. If I am being honest, this mama bear would take her three cubs and papa bear husband and hibernate in our home diffusing all my hippie oils and rubbing them on all our spines and feet. But, I am not that erratic; at least not yet.
As I was thinking about the crazy that is our world, I decided I wanted rest. I want us all to have rest. God doesn't call us to a life of fear and anxiety. He is not surprised by the Ebola outbreak or the terrorists reign in the Middle East so why am I? The Bible talks constantly about fear. Fear is mentioned 365 times in the Bible. Hmmmm....a verse a day perhaps??? The expressions, "fear not," "do not be afraid," and "be not afraid" are used over thirty times. I looked up fear in my handy dandy Holman Bible Dictionary and it said that these phrases refer to us having confidence and trust in our God. This is exactly what got me through my crippling time two years ago: learning to have confidence and trust.
When I sat down to write this blog I had Pandora playing on one of my favorite worship stations. Wouldn't you know that the song that was playing said, "I will not fear the storm," and "My God will come through always." Moments like these are what I look and listen for in my moments of unrest. When I feel anxious or am doubting I look for those little things that God uses to remind me that He is still there, He is still able, He is still the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. This builds my confidence and trust. In life, things happen. Anything and everything can change in an instant. But, BUT, God doesn't. Your faith, hope, and security in Him NEVER changes. Ever. Everything may be swirling around you in complete and utter chaos but who you are in Him and who He is in your life does not change. Even though our circumstances change, He doesn't. Rest. Rest in that!
I was watching Christine Caine yesterday previewing a Bible study and she said this, "We are not a product of time. We are a product of eternity." She went on to talk about how we are alive in this very moment for a very specific calling and purpose. We are not in this place at this time by accident. His love will carry and sustain you no matter what is thrown your way. No matter what.
One way I cope with the crazy that is my thoughts is to look at the ways God has been faithful in my life. My story may not look like what I have written, but it is absolutely perfect because my Creator is the author. I look at big blessings like my boys. If this blog wouldn't turn out to be chapters long I would tell you how each of them is an absolute precious miracle and how I couldn't always see that through the trials we faced having them. I look at the small stuff like feeling a nudge from God to stop working last fall partly because I wanted to get more involved in my semi-new community and get to know other moms of my kids' friends and He has royally come through. I find peace in the little and big blessings He drops in my life throughout the mundane. I find rest.
History can also bring rest. Every generation experiences it's own unrest. You can read the Bible or history books and watch as people overcame. They overcame pain, suffering, illness, persecution, war, and the like. They survived. They persevered. They found rest. Knowing people throughout generations have overcome brings a sense of peace and calm that everything is going to be okay. And what if it isn't? What if the pain and suffering continue you may ask? There is ALWAYS the hope of Heaven and eternity. My best friend's mom, Kathy, knew this. She felt, lived, and breathed the comfort of knowing her eternal security even on her death bed. She knew that if her heart transplant didn't come through and it was her time to go, she would soon be resting with her Savior. How amazingly peaceful is that?
Look, trials are going to come. The Bible tells us this. Heck, history tells us this. How are we going to filter and handle the stresses of a world at unrest? Are we going to fret at every bad news story? What is worry going to get us? Nothing. Are we going to try and control the situation doing what I wanted to do letting fear paralyze us keeping us indoors and not out doing the very work we are called to do? Are we going to sit in our unrest because we are lacking in faith or don't know our eternal destination? When you have the hope of Heaven there is nothing in this world that can bring you down completely. You know that the very worst thing that can happen to you is eternal glory with your King.
As I drove home today I was thinking about this post and overwhelming sensation came over me so I began to pray. My prayer caught me by surprise. I was fervently praying that we find rest. That thousands upon thousands can find rest in such a state of unrest; of turmoil. The words that came out of my mouth took over my whole being and when I was done, I felt rejuvenated. I also felt a need to tell you, dear reader, to rest. It will be okay. Life will be okay. We will be okay. Have confidence in your ever-stable never-changing God Almighty. Rest in your trust that He will carry all of us through. He carries us daily. Why would He stop now.
Have confidence. If He cares for the wildflowers, I promise He cares for you...
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today." Matthew 6:25-34
Trust. Trust in His hope and the future He has for you. Don't forget to call on Him...
"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”
Love & Restful Blessings,
Meg
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