As I sit here frantically typing on my computer, I need to take my own advice. It is the advice and truth that I am about to give to you. Are you ready for the truth? Here it is: you are not God. You’re not meant to be God, and if you try to act like God, you will become anxious, a chronic worrier, frustrated, or…. (insert the long list of bad/negative things here.) David describes the life that God had given him in Psalm 16, when he says,
“LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;
you have made my lot secure.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I have set the LORD always before me.
Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure.”
This doesn’t sound like a bad life does it? Look at verse 8. Who does David say he puts before his life? He always puts God before everything he does. That means in order to find peace for our lives and to feel like our days are secure and our inheritance is pleasant, we must put God before EVERYTHING. He must go before our ministries, before our families, before our friends, and before our very lives. Are there any areas in your life that you do not let God go before you? I’ll tell you mine: it’s my dreams. I am a visionary. I am a feeler, and I have great ideas for the health of the church and for ministry, but I often do not seek God for continued direction. Sure, I seek him in the beginning, but for everyday guidance, I run ahead of him and forget his vision. I STEP OUT OF THE BOUNDARY LINES HE HAS PLACED FOR ME, and I do not find any kind of rest. Oh, and I am also always wrong when I do this. Truly, when I do something without seeking God, I act out of my own ideas and my own opinions. Ekkks!
So if you find yourself busily working with little love in your heart and a patience fuse that is about 2mm in length, think if the story of Mary and Martha in luke 10:41. Jesus tells Martha, the one frantically working, to slow down and come sit at his feet. He tells Martha that her sister Mary is the one doing the right thing. So what was Mary doing? Nothing. What?! No ministry, no service. Exactly, no work unless God has first been sought after. Unless our faces have first been turned to him today, we will not find the peace we are looking for. This means sometimes we will not get everything done, and some people may not understand. But, are we a slave to man or are we a slave to God? God tells us to rest and listen to his voice for EVERYTHING.
Take the time to get away. Slow down your constantly turning head, and think on this:
“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."
The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.”
Psalm 46:10-11
Ramblings from an anxious free heart,
Jessica Perkins
Refuge College Ministry
Post by:
2009-09-29 13:29:23
“Oh, how I love my mornings! Nothing like a cold bowl of cereal, fresh ground community coffee and time with Jesus to start my day. I want to take this brief moment to plug “Kashi” cereals. You might recognize that name as the healthy grainy stuff. But don’t knock it till you try it. The stuff stays crunchy and has a ton of flavor, not to mention it has more protein than a lot of cereals and sticks with you throughout the morning. My husband and I love the vanilla shredded wheat and honey toasted o’s. Yum in the tum!
Enough about cereal, let me get back to the true source of satisfaction, Jesus. Lately, He has been teaching me a lot through reading the Bible and of course through the “newlywed status”. My husband and I just got married on August 1st! I am married to the most wonderful man , but rest assured even though I love him so much, I can be impatient at random times. It’s crazy! God has been showing me how important it is to ask for forgiveness and openly communicate with my husband often. Sure it can be easy to just avoid the reality of a little tension between us and just hope it goes away the next day, I mean he loves me anyway. But let’s be honest-that relationship would be awkward and we would grow more distant and become numb.
This is reminds me of my relationship with God. God loves me regardless of whether I do good or screw up, it’s unconditional. God has forgiven all my mistakes. Because of that devotion, I find it is so pivotal to keep close to Him by being in communication with Him all day long, whether I am doing great and want to tell him thanks or even when I screw up and cut someone off on the road . I find more intimacy with God when I am quick to admit when I was wrong and I acknowledge His grace in my life by sending His son Jesus to die for me.
Just like when I have wronged my sweet husband, my Heavenly Father most certainly deserves my communication and openness. What a privilege we have in knowing God in such a personal way!”
1 John 1:9-2:2
Post by:
2009-09-15 09:32:17
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