Quiet Time

“But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.”

~ Luke 5:16 ~

Have you ever wondered how Jesus was able to just speak and demons would flee, disease would disappear, and self-condemnation would self-destruct? We are told that we have the same power and authority that Jesus possessed, yet so often we walk in defeat instead of victory. Why do we seemingly struggle so greatly in these areas? Although it is true that we have an adversary that “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8), we do not have to fall prey to his antics, nor do we have to remain oppressed!!

If we want to walk in the same authority and victory in which Jesus walked, we must learn to emulate Him in all His actions. The most important thing that Jesus ever did (outside of His crucifixion and resurrection) was to spend time with His Father. He was in such constant communication with Him that every time Satan tried to tempt Him or to cause Him harm or defeat, Jesus did not have to hesitate or question which decision to make. Jesus made a point to keep His quiet time with His Father. He learned to put His own will and desires aside in order to honor the will of His Father. He knew the will of His Father and He walked in the confidence and full authority of that knowledge.

I encourage you to take an honest look at your own life today. When was the last time you spent quality time with the Lord? When you prayed, did you do all the talking or did you take time to just listen? When you are faced with something that you really do not want, I hope that you can learn to do as Jesus did in Matthew 26:39, when He “fell on His face and prayed, saying…’yet not as I will, but as You will.’” Be encouraged, dear ones, for we were created for relationship with our Heavenly Father and He would love nothing more than to spend time with you today!!

"One Thing"

Have you ever wondered what kind of impact you have on other people’s lives? What kind of impression are you leaving behind? What would be said of you when your eulogy is read? There are times when we get to catch a glimpse into the hearts of those around us. We get to see how they truly feel about us. But more often than not, we are left wondering...Did I live out the life I wanted? Did I represent the “One Thing” I wanted?

We must first learn to define our “One Thing”. Whether we realize it or not, we all have that “One Thing” that is more important to us than any other. For some it may be a person. For others, it may be an object, a hobby, an obsession, etc. But everyone has something that consumes their heart, mind, time & money more than anything else. I know what I want my “One Thing” to be. For me, that is easy ~ Jesus Christ. I want to love Him, serve Him, honor Him in everything I say and do. I want to represent Him in my speech, in my actions, in my daily walk through life. I want people to see Him when they look at me. I want it to be abundantly clear what my “One Thing” is. I don’t want anyone to ever have to wonder where I stand on an issue or what I think about something. I want it to be known that the Bible is my only answer book and my guide to living.

I want to challenge you to first determine what your “One Thing” is. What (or whom) do you most want to represent? After you have discovered your “One Thing”, then begin to live it out. Make your life a true representation of who you are and who you want to become. God tells us in Revelation 3:16, “ So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” Are you hot for God? Do you represent Him in everything you say or do? Don’t be lukewarm. Don’t give Him just your lip service, or just part of you. Don’t just give Him Sunday mornings, or a quick shout out whenever you are in desperate need. Don’t get caught at the end of your life with regrets that are too late to rectify. Don’t get caught having to spend an eternity separated from God because you would not make a stand now. Choose today your “One Thing” and live it out proudly!!

Obedience

When was the last time you knew that you were supposed to do something, yet for a vast array of reasons, you chose not do it? Yes, I just said the dreaded word – chose. Notice I didn’t just say “…yet for a vast array of reasons, you didn’t do it.” Sure, the reasons might each be respectable and valid, thus justifying your decision. However, it is still a decision. It is still a “choice”. Instead, I said the word “chose”. We often don’t stop to realize that all of our actions – or lack of actions – are choices.

We are continually being bombarded with choices. We choose everything from the seemingly mundane and insignificant to the most controversial. What will I wear today? What will I eat today? Will I drive or will I walk? How is my attitude? What are my most secretive thoughts – those of which only I am aware? Oh wait…but I am not. God knows them too!! Yet if I don’t allow myself to be conscientiously aware of His knowledge and interest in me, I can think whatever I want, whenever I want!! And so the dreaded cycle goes. We choose to do what we know is right or we choose to be disobedient. Whether we want to admit it or not, everything we do – or don’t do – is our choice.

I have recently faced this dreaded dilemma in my own personal life, trying to spin and justify my actions (or lack thereof) in anyway that seemingly allows me to get away with my own disobedience. God has placed something on my heart for a really long time that He wants me to do, but I am constantly trying to explain away my choice to not do what I know He has asked of me. In my mind, the reasons that I have given are completely valid and therefore justified. However, deep down I know that it really does not matter what reason I set forth, it is never okay to disobey God!! So with this realization and understanding, and my desire to please Him over my over-zealous ability to rationalize away my disobedience, I choose today to make different choices. I choose to be obedient!!

What has God asked you to do in your life that you have not yet chosen to do? Will you join me in living out Joshua 24:15? We must each choose for ourselves today whom we will serve. I choose to serve the Lord, knowing that in that choice I must also choose complete obedience – even when I don’t feel up to the challenge!!

Seeking Approval

I cry out from the depths of my soul, yet feel like my calls go unanswered.  Why can’t anyone hear me?  Why can’t anyone see my pain?  Why am I all alone?  Maybe I am not looking in the right places…

I’m gonna go visit my friend up the street.  She is one of the most spiritual people I have ever met in my life!!  Surely if I just hang out with her, then God will have to notice me too.  I begin to spend every waking minute with her and her family.  I sit in during their family devotions and we share our meals together.  Weeks pass, yet there doesn’t seem to be any changes in my current circumstances.  God, I even went to church with her!  Why am I still stuck in this same place?

Still feeling all alone, I make my way down the sidewalk and toward the park.  The sun is shining today.  God must be in a good mood.  I look around at the sea of people, yet they are all strangers to me.  No one can see me.  They pass by me as if I am invisible.  Am I supposed to just be okay with this?  I reach out, begging for someone to notice me – yet it is to no avail.  If they do listen, they do not hear me.  If they do hear me, they do not care.  “Hi, how are you?”  Fine.”  And then just move on. 

God, are you here?  Do you see me?  I am looking for you, but I can’t seem to find you…

Back in the quietness of home, I hit my knees with my open Bible before me.  Lord, you said that you would never leave me nor forsake me, yet here I am feeling all alone.  No one ever calls me.  No one ever comes to see me.  I am always by myself.  How is this the abundant life of which you spoke?  Where is the joy that I see in the faces of others, yet always seems to allude me?

I sit quietly and begin to just listen.  Several minutes pass, and although I have yet to hear anything tears begin to stream down my face.  Without warning, I am sobbing uncontrollably.  It makes me angry to feel so out of control, yet it feels so good too.  I can’t seem to stop crying and I am not really sure that I want to right now.  It is so refreshing!  My shoulders begin to feel so much lighter.  My anger begins to subside, and I suddenly realize I am no longer feeling completely alone.  For the first time in a really long time, I feel hope.  For the first time in a really long time, I feel peace. 

I must learn to stop looking to someone else to discover the freedom that God has for me.    The sooner we all learn this truth, the sooner we can walk the path that God has set before us.  Let their walk be their walk – it was not meant for you!  You have your own path on which to travel.  When we start comparing ourselves to other people, our gaze is then horizontal instead of vertical.  If you want to continue walking straight, you must keep your eyes upward.  We must look to the Lord for our freedom.  We must go to Him to find our way.  We are all on this journey, but we each have our own path on which we must travel.  There will be times when our paths may cross, but that will only be for a season.  We will eventually go our own way, and that is okay.  Sometimes our paths get bumpy and we run into several potholes.  We have all heard the old adage “the grass is always greener on the other side”.  The same is true for our life paths.  There will be times when someone else’s path seems smooth.  But what you cannot see is the giant rut that they were stuck in just a mile back!  Don’t get caught up in the comparisons.  The truth is we are all different, and we all have various trials through which we must travel.   But when we look to God for our validation, He will never let us down.  It is only in Him that we can truly find ourselves, our healing, and ultimately, our way in this world. 

Remember the Desert

It has been a couple of months now since I have written anything here.  During this time, a lot of "life" has happened.  After moving from Texas back to Kansas - which is where my husband and I are both from - we helped our three boys enroll in a new school, watched them go through the process of making new friends, Steve started a new job, I adjusted to only having one child at home during the day, we watched my uncle lose a year long battle with cancer, searched for a new home church, and struggled with a few other obstacles too personal to share here.  Yet through it all, God remained faithful and we learned as a family to lean on Him a little more each day.

We are slowly but surely finally coming out of our desert experience, but many harsh realities and reminders still continue to linger.  My biggest realization, however, is that I never want to forget.  I want - and need - to always remember the desert.  Without understanding how bad things really were during that time, I would not understand or appreciate how much God really brought us through.

I pray daily that God will not only remind me, but also my family, that He is the only reason we have been able to enter into a new season in our lives.  He is the one that brought us through the darkness, and He is the one that continues to deliver us daily from going back to that terrible place.  Although there are still daily struggles with which we must contend, this is merely a result of us living in a fallen world.  I know that God will continue to allow things to happen to us whenever He wants to teach us something new, but regardless of what happens, "I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you [me] will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ." ~ Philippians 1:6

Trusting God...

This seems to be such a difficult concept for me to comprehend.  In my last post I talked about how trusting God is not the same as having faith in Him.  For most of us, believing that God exists is the easy part.  Yet trust somehow seems to elude me.  It is so easy for me to trust that God will deliver someone else from their circumstances, yet when it comes to my own situations I allow my insecurities to rule and steal away any joy that complete trust would afford me.  I am beginning to learn that I need to break this down into simple steps that I can not only understand but also allow myself to follow.

First and foremost, I must remain steadfast in God's Word and in His presence.  Unfortunately, this is a lot easier said than done.  As a stay-at-home mom of four - at which time this is also currently summer break - "quiet time" seems to be a mere illusion.  I have discovered that if I want to spend time with God, I must be deliberate in making time for Him.  He is always ready and willing to meet me whenever and wherever, but I must take the initiative.  Whenever I do make the time to spend with Him, I am always reprimanding myself for not doing it more often.  Immediately His Holy Spirit pours over me and I receive a gift of refreshment and renewal.  Oh the sweetness!! 

Although I may not have the luxury of spending as much quantitative time with Him as I would like (unless of course I would make myself get up earlier each day), I make sure that the time I do give Him is quality time.  I am learning to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  As I go about my day, regardless of what I may be doing, I simply have an ongoing dialogue with God.  It's okay to talk to God while I am doing the dishes, folding the laundry, or even changing a diaper.  I just need to keep reminding myself to do a lot less speaking and a lot more listening.

I am also learning to be extremely cautious as to whom I let fill my head and heart with counsel.  With so many well-meaning people, advice comes in droves.  Everyone seems to have an opinion.  Although most have pure intentions, it is only Godly wisdom for which I am looking.  "For the despairing man there should be kindness from his friend; So that he does not forsake the fear of the Almighty." (Job 6:14).

We were created to worship our Heavenly Father, to praise His name in loving adoration.  When we get down and out, our first instinct is to grumble and complain.  That is when we need God the most!  Yet sadly, it is during these times that we feel the least like praising.  If I am to turn to my friend and say, "I am really struggling right now", I want someone that is going to say, "Let's pray".  Then we drop everything then and there and we do it.  In turn, I also want to be that kind of friend.  Sure, it is easy to say, "I will be praying for you", or "You are in my prayers".  And yes, while this may be true, why not pray right now?!  We should always be seeking God's wisdom and encouragement, not only for ourselves but also for one another.  He is the only way that we are going to get through our times of desperation and struggles that become too unbearable for us to carry alone.  He tells us that He wants us to come to Him!  Sadly, He is oftentimes the last place we turn instead of the first.

We become so angry with God for allowing certain situations to happen to us.  We question everything from "Why"? to "How long will this last"? to "Do You even care about me"?  We rationalize that He must not really care or He would not have allowed these things to happen.  Yet we do not stop to think that maybe He allowed these things to happen because He does love us so much.  Whatever His reasons, we will not fully understand them this side of Heaven.  We cannot comprehend His reasons, nor His love for us.  Which brings us back full circle - We must unconditionally TRUST HIM.

Heavenly Father, please teach me to trust You.  Show me, Lord, everyday what that looks like.  Help me, Father during my times of doubt and unbelief.  Do not leave me in this mess in which You have found me.  Pull me out of this miry clay and mold me into the person You want me to become.  I want to be a person that reflects You and Your love for others.  I want to be a person that trusts You with her whole heart and does not doubt Your love.  Father, I confess to You my fears and uncertainties.  Please meet me right where I am and do not tarry another moment.  Father God, no matter what the outcome of my current situation, I choose You.  From the depths of my soul I cry out to You.  I want to go deeper - to the next level - but I know that takes walking through the fire.  Carry me, Lord, through the flames.  Burn off my disbelief and my confusion.  Father I ask You to create in me a hunger and thirst for You that is never satisfied.  I want You to be my all-consuming passion.  I don't want to live another moment in my limited understanding or beliefs.  I want You to teach me Your ways, Father.  Teach me to walk in them, teach me to live by them.  Whatever You have for me, Lord, I want - whatever the cost.  Thank you Father for never giving up on me.  Thank you for loving me so completely and so unconditionally.  Thank you for calling me friend.  Amen.

Faith vs. Trust

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things unseen."  Hebrews 11:1

Ask most people if they believe in God and they will tell you yes, they have faith that God exists.  Some will even tell you that they have a personal relationship with Him and that they talk to Him on a regular basis.  Through reading the Bible and through prayer, they will say that they can hear God's voice and know what He wants for their lives.

Now, take those same people and ask them if they trust God. Again, without hesitation, most would tell you yes.  Now ask them what trusting God means.  Not many can define trusting God so easily.  What does it really mean to trust Him?

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding."  Proverbs 3:5

The Hebrew word for "Trust" in this verse is: ba ̂t ̣ach  (baw-takh'), which means to be bold, confident, secure, sure.

Bold?  Confident?  Secure?  Sure?  Really?  Did I read that right?  Did it really say Secure?  Ironically, those of us that say we trust God do not usually feel very bold...confident...secure...sure.  If we did, not only our attitudes but also our actions would be completely different.

I have recently been confronted with this unsettling reality myself.  Circumstances in life have been excruciatingly painful, yet I keep saying that I trust the Lord to take care of me.  I have said it so many times, in fact, that I actually start to believe it.  Sadly, however, my actions prove my words to be nothing more than idle talk.  You see, if I truly trusted Him, I would not need to question every choice He makes, because honestly the reasons would not matter.  God does not have to justify Himself to me.  And most of the time His answers would probably not make a lot of sense to me anyway.  Then what?  I stand in judgment of Him and why He has allowed certain things to happen?  That is one thing I can say boldly, confidently, securely, and with all assurance - I do not want to ever be in that position!!  Yet sadly, that is exactly where my actions place me.  I am continually asking God why He has not only allowed these things to happen, but more importantly why they continue to linger and cause so much hurt and pain.

"'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' declares the LORD.  'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.'"  Isaiah 55:8-9

If I truly trusted Him, I would not allow depression to sweep over me so easily and take control of my entire being.  When depressed, I become rather dysfunctional, much to the detriment of my husband and my children.  It is during these times that I am learning to claim the truths I have found in Psalm 42 & 43.  I encourage you to look these verses up and study them.  Pray over them and ask God to give you wisdom and revelation as He speaks to you through His Word.  There are only sixteen verses between the two chapters, but so much truth and promise rests inside of them.

After you have studied them, I would love to hear back from you.  I would love to hear how our Lord is teaching each of us through sharing with one another.  "As iron sharpens iron", I encourage you to sharpen me with your insights.  I cannot wait to hear what truths God has for us as we dig into His Word together...