"When you weep, your Father beholds. Like a father pities his children the Lord also pities them that fear Him. Your sigh is able to move Jehovah; your whisper can incline His ear unto you. Your prayer can stay His hands, your faith can move His arm! Oh think not that God sits on high in an eternal slumber, taking no account of you."
-Charles Spurgeon
On several occasions lately, I've been encouraged and challenged by quotes and thoughts shared by friends. This is one of those. These are my doubts and my struggles at present... praise God that even men like Spurgeon are familiar with such thoughts.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Guided by a God outside of time
"God, outside of time, has already faithfully provided, even though my eyes are limited to the present circumstances."
-A much-needed encouragement from a friend today
I wait and wait for the future to be unfolded before me, hoping for certainty, for guidance as to the next step, for any sign of where to go or what to do or how it is all going to come together.
But even as I feel trapped in inaction, God knows and is already guiding me to where I need to be. Trust is my portion, and faithfulness in what He has given to me for now.
-A much-needed encouragement from a friend today
I wait and wait for the future to be unfolded before me, hoping for certainty, for guidance as to the next step, for any sign of where to go or what to do or how it is all going to come together.
But even as I feel trapped in inaction, God knows and is already guiding me to where I need to be. Trust is my portion, and faithfulness in what He has given to me for now.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Seasons changing
"For years I have dreamed of a life that would allow me ample time to read and reflect and pray and meditate for hours about things of the Lord, and at the same time I have consistently filled my schedule with busyness and proceeded to wonder why I never have time to develop all of the spiritual disciplines I pray for... I don't know how long this time will last. But I do know this: I enter every situation in life purely by the grace of Jesus, and the only appropriate response is to live it for His glory. So I will strive, in this time of empty days, of hours and hours stretching out before me, to build the discipline I never had before."
- from my first entry in this blog, August 8, 2009
10 months and 100 entries later, and the seasons are changing. I have found myself scrambling these past few weeks to get my feet under me. My days of empty hours and unlimited solitude are drawing to a close, and new things are on the horizon (though still far enough away that I can only watch and wait until they come into closer focus). But the wind is picking up, the tides are changing, and off I go.
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under Heaven."
-Solomon, in Ecclesiastes 3:1
I have loved this season. I have loved the hours of silence, prayer, delving deeper into God's Word, depending on Him to supply the needs the world could not meet. It has been a time of rest and healing, of training, of preparation, of building habits that I pray I will carry with me on the next leg of the journey. May I greet the future with the fondness I have for the past.
- from my first entry in this blog, August 8, 2009
10 months and 100 entries later, and the seasons are changing. I have found myself scrambling these past few weeks to get my feet under me. My days of empty hours and unlimited solitude are drawing to a close, and new things are on the horizon (though still far enough away that I can only watch and wait until they come into closer focus). But the wind is picking up, the tides are changing, and off I go.
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under Heaven."
-Solomon, in Ecclesiastes 3:1
I have loved this season. I have loved the hours of silence, prayer, delving deeper into God's Word, depending on Him to supply the needs the world could not meet. It has been a time of rest and healing, of training, of preparation, of building habits that I pray I will carry with me on the next leg of the journey. May I greet the future with the fondness I have for the past.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Intentionality
"Godliness is never accidental. Neither is victory coincidental. Both stem from up-front, daily resolve." -Beth Moore
If we are not intentionally pursuing God, we will accidentally be pursued and caught by everything else. Not making a decision is a decision in itself. Are you actively seeking God or passively being ensnared by the world?
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." - Hebrews 12:1
If we are not intentionally pursuing God, we will accidentally be pursued and caught by everything else. Not making a decision is a decision in itself. Are you actively seeking God or passively being ensnared by the world?
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." - Hebrews 12:1
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Choosing today
His mercies are new every morning.
I was talking with a friend today (preparing for teaching lessons at camp) about choices, habits, character development. In everything, we have a choice. In every day, every circumstance, every next step we take is a choice. Whether we are on the mountaintop or in the valley, flying high in victory or brought to the ground by our own mistakes or someone else's, there is no time when we are left without a choice. Lying face-down on the ground as a result of our own intentional rebellion, we are still not beyond the reach of God's mercy.
The choice is this: will I let God have the glory? In my accomplishments and greatest joys, will I give God the glory and take none of it for myself? In my failures and times of broken confusion, will I let Him glorify His name by redeeming my situation?
And the time is now. We could wait until tomorrow, but every action we take is one step toward a habit. Do we want to build the habit of waiting until tomorrow to ask God into our circumstances? Or do we want to build the habit of inviting Him in the very instant that we recognize our need for Him?
I choose Him, I choose now, I choose joyful submission today.
I was talking with a friend today (preparing for teaching lessons at camp) about choices, habits, character development. In everything, we have a choice. In every day, every circumstance, every next step we take is a choice. Whether we are on the mountaintop or in the valley, flying high in victory or brought to the ground by our own mistakes or someone else's, there is no time when we are left without a choice. Lying face-down on the ground as a result of our own intentional rebellion, we are still not beyond the reach of God's mercy.
The choice is this: will I let God have the glory? In my accomplishments and greatest joys, will I give God the glory and take none of it for myself? In my failures and times of broken confusion, will I let Him glorify His name by redeeming my situation?
And the time is now. We could wait until tomorrow, but every action we take is one step toward a habit. Do we want to build the habit of waiting until tomorrow to ask God into our circumstances? Or do we want to build the habit of inviting Him in the very instant that we recognize our need for Him?
I choose Him, I choose now, I choose joyful submission today.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
The best place to be
"We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You."
-Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah, in 2 Chronicles 20:12
The people of Judah face a great army coming to invade and take possession of their land. They do not have the forces to defend themselves or time to come up with a solution, and so they stand unified before the Lord, fasting and pleading with Him as they wait on His guidance.
Do they know that they are in the best possible place? That their weakness is their strength, for God's power is made manifest in their weakness?
When we come to times of crossroads and crisis, I pray that our response will be the same. We do not know what to do, Lord, but our eyes are upon You.
-Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah, in 2 Chronicles 20:12
The people of Judah face a great army coming to invade and take possession of their land. They do not have the forces to defend themselves or time to come up with a solution, and so they stand unified before the Lord, fasting and pleading with Him as they wait on His guidance.
Do they know that they are in the best possible place? That their weakness is their strength, for God's power is made manifest in their weakness?
When we come to times of crossroads and crisis, I pray that our response will be the same. We do not know what to do, Lord, but our eyes are upon You.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Abandon
Abandon. Surrender. Taking up your cross.
These are not once-and-for-all decisions. With every new day and each new situation, we decide again whether we will cling to control or relinquish it into the hands of God. My soul belongs to God, but will I give this day, this choice, this worry over to Him?
These are not once-and-for-all decisions. With every new day and each new situation, we decide again whether we will cling to control or relinquish it into the hands of God. My soul belongs to God, but will I give this day, this choice, this worry over to Him?
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