For the last several days, I have been dealing with my thoughts being scattered and unkind; I have some guesses about why with my mindset, but that certainly did not answer. In prayer, I asked God to help me understand these thoughts and help me overcome them.
My husband and I recently took a cruise to Alaska. It was phenomenal. Besides the travel day home, which we are still recovering from, it was extraordinary. My husband, Tim, and I had a wonderful week with quality time. The photos I took cannot describe what we saw with our own eyes. Throughout the trip, I shed many tears of amazement. It was as "perfect" as I had hoped or imagined.
It doesn't end there. I will be two years into a job that keeps fitting my criteria as time goes by; next month will be my second anniversary. Even down to the slightest details, the Lord has met my needs for quality of life by giving me this job. Tim was able to take a short break from work due to the Lord's provision. This was not planned. In advance of our trip, he would begin job applications. In response to the prayers, God was faithful. The salary was sufficient but not exactly what he wished for. Close proximity to home made it a good choice for him. Aside from other companies and one that fits his expertise, he applied to others as well but got no response. He received a text just before we returned to port. He was to be interviewed the day after we returned. After a successful interview, the position was offered the following day! We were at Wal-Mart purchasing work pants and shoes for the other job lined up, but they weren't necessary. Tim was told it would take two weeks for a response. A double YAY! A very nice salary with great hours and close to home. What a good God we serve!
The blessings keep coming. Despite our shortcomings, God remains faithful.
Honestly, my mind started racing the next morning out of nowhere. My heart and mindset did not reflect anything I have absorbed and grown in with the Lord and the Holy Spirit, which I diligently endeavor to discern. It was difficult for me to find peace and joy. When life goes according to its natural course, it is challenging. Our world is full of troubles, so this is what we expect.
The enemy deceived me... As a result, I experienced all the anxiety associated with anything that went beyond the everyday challenges of life, such as joy in your heart, abundance in your soul, fullness, satisfaction, and delights in life, as well as sweet answers to prayer.
There was a setback with someone I no longer knew. Me as I used to be. The heart of a human is unsteady. We sometimes hear false and meaningless thoughts from ourselves and Satan. Due to my foolishness, I just kept listening. As chaos and confusion crept in, I was fighting an inner battle.
Eventually, my heart was filled with prayer. The initial experience was very childlike. I'm okay with this. My wandering finally came to an end and I found time to be still. A sense of peace returned to me. It was then that I remembered...I am a new creation, I have been transformed.
In John 7:38, Jesus promises that those who believe in Him will have all their needs met and will receive rivers of spiritual blessings that will flow out from them and to others. Being God's child and having a relationship with Jesus has given me hope. For today. For the future. My insecurity, unworthiness, loneliness, or brokenness WILL not keep me from feeling the love of my Heavenly Father. Our lives depend on being loved, cared for, and sustained by God. This is part of our design. This is something I would like to impress upon anyone reading. We were created in this way by Him.
The truth is Jesus wishes for us to celebrate. When we celebrate God's glory in the good things He provides, we serve him best. Any celebration is worth celebrating, no matter how big or small. The victory we have is hard-earned, a result of Christ Jesus in us.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Ephesians 2:8,9
It is through Jesus' resurrection that mankind earns a complete victory over sin and death.
"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
As Luke 15:8-10 explains,
a celebration is Heaven's business.
The Parable of the Lost Coin
"Or what woman, if she owns ten silver coins and loses one of them, won’t light a lamp and sweep the house, searching her home carefully until she finds it? When she finds it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Celebrate with me because I’ve found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, joy breaks out in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who changes both heart and life.”
It is God's gracious invitation for us to come to Him with all our problems, struggles, and weaknesses. My sweet sisters, we must make prayer a priority. {with reference to Matthew 6:6} The presence of God is always with us, even if we can't feel it. Listen and you will hear. When doubts cloud you, seek God's Word, which reveals in every passage how He cherishes His children. During these times, it is a good idea to have for safekeeping the Bible verses that you hold dear. Embrace the love of the Lord and rest in the solid rock that He is.
The Lord is my solid rock,
my place of safety. Psalms 18:2
His loving arms protect and keep us safe. We are His treasures, and He cherishes me and you.
I hope you are having a beautiful Sunday~
In Christ's Love
🥰🙏
What a sweet blessing you are, Kristie. Thanks for sharing and your insight and your vulnerability.