“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” This is advice we should all heed. Or should we? There was a point in my life when I thought if I just tried harder, I would stop letting God down. I knew that He forgave me when I sought forgiveness. But I was convinced that because I kept making the same mistakes again and again, I was a huge disappointment to God.
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29 (NIV) What do we say to comfort…
Wisdom is a treasure greater than human impulse, intelligence, or information. So, not only is it okay to ask God for help, He encourages us to seek His wisdom. Seeking wisdom means searching for God’s perspective. Once we’ve found it, we can apply His directions to our lives.
Sometimes, we all just need a little reminder. I was losing my mind and taking it out on the poor security alarm repairman when he gave me a half-smile and pointed towards me, indicating I should look down. That’s when I realized I was wearing my “Be A Nice Human” T-shirt. So, I immediately shut my mouth, burst into tears, then apologized profusely. The kind repairman handed me a Kleenex and said, “It’s OK.” I try to remember to always offer kindness because you never know what someone else is going through.
A skewed perspective can also make our problems seem worse than they are. A pebble appears huge when viewed up close. But when viewed from a distance, it looks small. Similarly, while we perceive our difficulties as insurmountable boulders, even mountains, God sees them as mere pebbles on our path. God even tells us “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.’ declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 55:8, NIV)
Perspective can cloud our judgment about people and make our problems seem worse. But we can seek a Godly perspective about people, places, and problems in life.
Women in today’s culture wear many hats. We cook, clean, and care for the family’s needs, all while balancing a career, ministry, or volunteer work. Some say women are genetically predisposed to caregiving. Others would say it’s because we are socialized from the time we are born. But regardless of why this is the case, women are under a lot of stress. In fact, we should wear a cape instead of our many hats. It’s no wonder self-care has become such a hot topic in today’s culture.
I woke up from a bad dream feeling stressed, yet again. In my mind were all the things I’d done wrong and all the things I needed to do. I cried out to God for help, Yet that anxious feeling remained as I dragged myself out of bed.
People say we won’t change unless the pain of remaining the same is greater than the pain of changing. But why is it people hate change so much? Change is inevitable. Circumstances, finances, homes, jobs, people, relationships, and seasons all change. “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, NIV) However, there is one thing we can rely on that does not change: God and His love.” For I the Lord do not change.” (Malachi 3:6, ESV) “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end” (Lamentations 3:22, ESV)
I am unfortunately prone to a pattern of giving my problems to God, then immediately picking them back up and refusing to let them go. Over the years I have e learned that God doesn’t always answer my prayers when and how I ask, I’ve also seen how He always shows up and acts on my behalf. In fact, when I look back on my life I see countless times where He has worked His good plans even out of seemingly bad situations. Yet, my obsessive need to find a solution on my own persists. Instead, I need to trust God. Trust is letting go.
Have you ever run away from God? I have. When I became a Christian I kept hearing about how I was supposed to behave. But because of my rocky childhood, I was a survivor. My coping mechanisms were keeping busy ,being perfectionistic with myself and others, and being angry when I and others couldn’t live up to my impossible expectations. But even worse, I saw God as a judgmental parent who rejected me because I wasn’t good enough.
