beloved road:

bus-stop-musing:

It’s not about me.

What I’m going through is not about my pain or insecurities; the attention is not meant to be put on me. Fighting the urges to complain and pour out my racing thoughts on others is the beginning of my finding ways to glorify God through my weakness. Putting more emphasis on wisdom and less emphasis on emotion creates stable ground for a seemingly unstable heart. My aspiring to love those around me—even those inadvertently hurting me—comes solely from God, and this proof of His working in me gives me reason to rejoice. Rejoice! I’ve found more reasons to rejoice in this season of uneasiness than during any past season of calm.

God has made me incredibly aware of His hand moving in my life. From instances of my sensing His Spirit’s whisper to His using others to confirm or deny certain things, I know His will is being done. How can I sulk or give an ear to Satan’s twisted accusations when God Himself has intervened? The Creator of the cosmos has stooped from His high place and into my life in order to assure that my (and others’) feet are on the straight path leading to Him. That’s so awesome! Literally awe-inducing. I have nothing to fear or pout over.

I thirst for wisdom and understanding in countless new ways after this seemingly small (but spiritually challenging and testing) trial. The questions flowing from my heart pushing me to search deeper, to love harder, and to discover practical ways to practice wise-living have been beautiful blessings of grace from God. This newly planted zeal in my heart has been, from where I stand, God’s means of comforting me, leading me, and providing me with His unsurpassed peace. I’m finding fruit in areas of my life that I had hopelessly abandoned or ignored, the signs of God’s handiwork is branded all over it. When pangs of confusion sparked by the actions of others emerge in my heart, God has taught me to pray. These prayers are different, obviously led by His Spirit, and not my own; they remind me of the Psalms, and I can’t begin to explain how. I’ve never prayed like that, and to think—pain brings out the most beautiful of prayers.

During camp, one of the speakers, Juan, spoke about Psalm 148—a Psalm meant solely to remind all creation to bring glory to God. The power behind Juan’s words and the words of Psalm 148 struck me to the core. If all creation, the animals, the stars, the mists of the air, and even the weather, brings glory to God, how am I joining in on the praise, if at all? Aren’t I part of creation? So how do I—right now, right here—glorify God with my real-life circumstances and real-time actions? The animals can do it! What I needed to do was to confess my distractions, to face them, and to make concious effort to turn my stubborn heart to God in all I do. Every day, during every quiet moment I experience, I need to begin evaluating my heart’s place and where it’s pointing. Is it wrapped up and suffocating in the folds of my current situation or is it dwelling on the peace of the Lord? Is it yearning for worldly attention or thirsting for wisdom? Is it pointing to my selfishness or His righteousness?

Ask these questions in your own heart, and be honest with yourself. I urge you to pay attention to where your heart is pointing and to confess and cry out to God to change you, to heal you, and to strengthen you in His ways.

Remember His promises and take hold of them. Grip them with everything you have and never let go—His promises are your strength. And a Christian SURE of God’s promises is a force to be reckoned with.

“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:12 ESV)

chasingphotos:

We repent from our sin not because it’s the moral thing to do but because we have been presented with the opportunity to turn away from that which has brought death and destruction and to look into the face of the Creator who loves us, wants to do relationship with us, and wants to proclaim His glory through us.

Boom.

chasingphotos:

Just so you know.

This Jesus stuff is for everyone. I feel like a lot of people look at believers and conclude that it’s cool and all but just not for them. No. Jesus is alive and real and conquered death and extends that victory to us, to you, as his chosen people. The Creator of existence is madly passionate about you and wants to do relationship with and declare His glory In you.

I cannot possible stress enough how important this is. To everyone. It’s so much more than religion or church or beliefs. It is literally everything.

Please know that. No matter who you are or where are you are or what you’ve done or what you thi about the God deal, Jesus wants to do awesome stuff in your life. Legit.

snorlex:

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.