We were never meant to figure things out on our own. Trust me, I’ve tried. I am a classic overthinker. I make informed decisions by weighing the pros and cons and determining the best course of action. Unfortunately, things don’t always work out the way I thought they would. So I end up going to God and pleading for help.
“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.” Hebrews 13:15 (NIV) Do you know what our greatest weapon is? Let me explain. There have been days when…
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5 (NIV) Why must I reach the end of my rope before I utter…
I do it all the time. Maybe you do, too. I speak negative words about myself. Sometimes, I make a joke: “Oops, I did it again! I am so clumsy!” Sometimes, I grumble in frustration: “I’m so scatterbrained. I must be having a senior moment.” But sometimes, I am just not kind to myself: “I’m so fat, ugly, stupid…”
But, dear one, our words have power.
I saw this inspiring quote on Social Media: “Be bold enough to use your voice, brave enough to listen to your heart, and strong enough to live the life you’ve always imagined.“ Initially, I thought, “Wow, that’s good.” But the more I thought about it, the more I realized this is instructing us to put our hope in ourselves. And I thought, “Nope, that’s not where I want to put my hope. I want to put my hope in God.”
Have you ever read something that made you stop in your tracks? Recently, I read this phrase on a social media meme: “You’re not failing; you’re learning.” It hit me so hard I began to cry because I knew God was speaking to my heart. The omnipotent (all-powerful) and omniscient (all-knowing) God showed up in my ordinary scrolling.
I have a fear problem.
A couple of years ago, I was in a terrible car accident on a rainy day. I totaled my car and broke my back.
And now I have an unbelievable fear of driving, especially in the rain.
My biggest question was, “Why God?” But my biggest mistake was allowing my questioning heart, hurt, and anger to distance me from the only One who could direct my steps in dealing with this difficulty.
Our expectations often lead to disappointment. We expect our life to follow a particular trajectory, but it doesn’t. We expect life to be easy. But it is anything but. So we pray and expect God to answer our prayers the way we think He should, to give us our dreams, and to fulfill our expectations. But He has another plan.
Are your fears holding you back? Perhaps they are holding you back from:
Speaking up for yourself
Meeting that person
Applying for a job
Going for the promotion
Taking a trip or adventure
Writing a book
Sharing your faith
