God Is Looking For Endurance, Not Eloquence

108196178-2I just don’t know what to do.

That really difficult situation that is ripping you apart, you don’t have to figure it out, friend.  The decision is not your responsibility, but The Lord’s.  Talk to Him.  Don’t worry about how you sound.  There are no style points for perfect prayers with The God.  A simple yet powerful calling of His name, Jesus, Father, Lord, Abba, how dear those words must be to His heart to hear His children calling His name.  He hears you.  He knows the posture and the passions of your heart.  God does not require eloquence, He recognizes endurance.  Ask Him to clearly show you what path to take.  He will answer. The answer may be scary, but once you walk in the shadow of His light, you will find an unexplainable peace insulating your heart.
Psalm 29:11~The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.

The Real Trinity

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What trinity are you operating under today?

I opened one of my books this morning and read this: In nothing be anxious. ~Philippians 4:6
That is a tall order for me most days. In really difficult and threatening situations, it is much easier to be a victim than a victor. It is common to profess to live under the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. However, in the refining heat of life’s challenges it is effortless to become a casualty of the wrong trinity; fear, anxiety and worry.

What is easier can insidiously become a place of comfort. When getting honest, the wrong trinity can mascarade as a self-southing blanket of safety. This is one of the enemy’s biggest lies. He wants you and me operating under the wrong authority.

Walking in the shadow of Father, Son and Holy Spirit as our compass is not the effortless way, but it is the effective way. We are not called members of God’s army metaphorically; but literally because we are in a battle with the forces that are always preying on our hearts.

As 1 Corinthians 16:13 says, we must always be on alert; standing firm with strength and courage in our faith. May we all pray for sufficient grace to live that command every day, because we cannot do it out of our strength.

Be encouraged friends, the presence of fear, anxiety and worry does not mean we have no faith; it means because of the fall we need faith.

Twice or thrice a day, look to see if your heart is not disquieted about something; and if you find that it is, take care forthwith to restore it to calm. ~Francis De Sales

Parent’s Prayer

 

As the beginning of a new month and week dawns, bless all of us moms and dads, Father.  This parenting gig is hard, but you already know that.  You know every battle, grief, and gratitude of each parent.  Remind us these are not our children, but yours, God.  It is easy to beat ourselves up over their vices and puff ourselves up with their victories.  Give us wisdom to understand that while we play a role in every aspect of their lives; ultimately we cannot take responsibility anymore for their feats than their failures.  As it is with us, their struggles and their successes are yours, Father.  Us moms and dads, though, we bear them, too.  Performance becomes a heavy cross that burdens our hearts and blurs our gaze.  You often use the unexpected to change the expected.  We are prone to forget we are not in control, being quick to angst and slow to assurance.  Parenting is fertile ground for insidious places of unbelief to gain a foothold in our loving hearts.  Wrongly, “certainty” allures us into comfort and uncertainty into chaos.  May we remember we are our children’s earthly shepherds, not their eternal Saviors.  We play a part in the objective but do not direct the outcome.  In our limited insight, defeats can seem doom, and accomplishments are assuring.  These are the things that we use to misshape our peace and righteousness, Father.  Assist us in quick recognition and repentance of the deceptively, filthy rags we dress in.  Continue whispering in our ears; it is not about the accomplishments but You-The Author.  It is not about defeated paths but divine pictures.  We lose sight of this when it is all up to us, God.  That is just it.  We forget it is less about us and our “stellar” parenting and more about You and Your sovereign plan.  Allow us to love each child as you made them, not as we imagined them.  As try out season, course card decisions,  college and career selections, and so much more are all occupying our minds, God unburden our hearts with the weight of determined desires.  Allow our freedom from the obligation of expectations, and gift us with rest in Your destination.  Amen.