God and I had a very candid and vivid conversation the other night. Those are the moments, so consumed by His presence in my life, that I wish I could hold onto forever and never leave that warmth. In those moments I find I am truly at peace and completely calmed by His voice. He is most definitely alive and moving today. To say God no longer speaks audibly an anyone's life obviously hasn't slowed down enough. And even then, it's not like He chooses that method every day. Sometimes He speaks through the smaller, less noticible things in life - a song, a laugh, a ray of sun, a raindrop, a lightning bolt, a tear, a gift.. Still there are other times when He does choose to literally reach out and touch you and speak directly to your soul. Should you be willing to listen.
Our conversation was a relatively short one, but it spoke volumes to my life. Because I had been led to believe my whole life that I was the one in control of my heart. And while I may have influence therein, God is truly the one who has the key to it, greater than any key that I or anyone else in my life may hold. Especially since I have given it to him, my Father, my Lover. Furthermore, He is the one who has the key to your heart. Your loved one's heart. Everyone's. There is nothing I or you can do to unlock the mysteries of another's heart and explore its depths. But God can and will. In His precious timing. Maybe then you will be the blessed one allowed to dive deep into another's soul. What a great gift and terrifying responsibility that would be!
Does this mean we should not ask God to open somebody up to let love flow in because it is already predestined? Absolutely not! Ask all you want. Your Abba wants to know the desires of your heart, from your lips. Besides, who's to say that every breath is forced to be a certain way just because Adonai knows every detail beforehand? Yet He will still plan and work everything to good in His timing, using the good and the bad to mend and create and care for your heart. And His plan is ever so perfect. Not always easy, but definitely flawless--a masterpiece weilded with His gentle and powerful hands. In the meantime we trust with patient hope!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
Defining Moments
I heard once that your life is defined by the moments that make you want to dance around the room. Those things that make you so full of exuberance that you cannot contain it, no matter what circumstance you are in. I would like to emphasize something from this that almost everybody seems to miss... that it does not matter what circumstance you are in. And furthermore, such moments don't define you until you define them. You fight through any pain that may be there. You come out stronger. And just as Scripture says, you praise God in the good and the bad, especially in the trials. The fire does refine. If you let it.
Life is not an accumulation of good and bad days. In fact, I wonder if there are such things. Of course, there are. But do they just happen, or do we make them so in letting them be as such? Because while we may not be able to control the circumstances we find ourselves in, we can control how we react to said circumstances. We must. Should we fail to do so, then life really will be just a bunch of good and bad days, not amounting to much. Where's the fun and fulfillment in that? Life is meant to be more than that. And frankly, life is what you make it to be.. no matter what circumstance you find yourself in..
Life is not an accumulation of good and bad days. In fact, I wonder if there are such things. Of course, there are. But do they just happen, or do we make them so in letting them be as such? Because while we may not be able to control the circumstances we find ourselves in, we can control how we react to said circumstances. We must. Should we fail to do so, then life really will be just a bunch of good and bad days, not amounting to much. Where's the fun and fulfillment in that? Life is meant to be more than that. And frankly, life is what you make it to be.. no matter what circumstance you find yourself in..
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
"Brief" Clarification
I was just realizing that I don't even remember what it was that made me write my first post on hope. I was rereading some of my stuff tonight, and I just wanted to clarify something about this one, because some of the things I put out there could easily sound very depressing.
My focus was on the ever-growing hope we find in Christ and nothing more. I was amazed, still am, at His consistency and love for us. That He will never "let us down" or drop us from His hands that weave and hold all together. Our hopes and dreams for things can only be crushed if we let them. Better yet, as my good friend and counselor Margo once told me years ago, "Chase after the Dream-Maker, not the dream itself." So get caught in the dance of life with your Maker and Lover. Let Him be the Hope He is offering you. Everything else will fall into place one way or the other. As far as the dreams you've made up in your head? I guarantee you that the ones the Dream-Maker has in mind for you are so immensely better that yours would pale in comparison. Let Him write your story, every single stroke of it. His plan is grander. His mind wider. His heart bigger.
In the world's terms, people may let you down. In fact, they will let you down in one way or another. But if your heart is truly in the right place, then nobody can ever really let you down but yourself. You are who you let yourself be. And if you trust in God solely and keep close to Him (James 4:8) and therefore less susceptible to Satan's scheming, then you will be who you were made and meant to be. We are here to worship our Creator, not please others (not meaning that we throw them by the wayside - by no means! Remember, love deeply and do not be afriad). And He will never let you down. Ever. So please, I hope (yet again.. funny how that word keeps coming up) you did not take my earlier post, or this one, the wrong way. The focus was, is, and always will be on the fact that we can hope first in God. He is the only perfect One! And we really can count on Him (I'm not saying we can't count on others. Just not in the same immaculate way as we can our Maker).
Oh, and let me close with this as a quick reminder also, one that brought me to this post in the first place... words are powerful. They can bring life or they can destroy with the result of a gruesome death. As the child's song goes, "Be careful little mouths what you say." E429 FTW!
My focus was on the ever-growing hope we find in Christ and nothing more. I was amazed, still am, at His consistency and love for us. That He will never "let us down" or drop us from His hands that weave and hold all together. Our hopes and dreams for things can only be crushed if we let them. Better yet, as my good friend and counselor Margo once told me years ago, "Chase after the Dream-Maker, not the dream itself." So get caught in the dance of life with your Maker and Lover. Let Him be the Hope He is offering you. Everything else will fall into place one way or the other. As far as the dreams you've made up in your head? I guarantee you that the ones the Dream-Maker has in mind for you are so immensely better that yours would pale in comparison. Let Him write your story, every single stroke of it. His plan is grander. His mind wider. His heart bigger.
In the world's terms, people may let you down. In fact, they will let you down in one way or another. But if your heart is truly in the right place, then nobody can ever really let you down but yourself. You are who you let yourself be. And if you trust in God solely and keep close to Him (James 4:8) and therefore less susceptible to Satan's scheming, then you will be who you were made and meant to be. We are here to worship our Creator, not please others (not meaning that we throw them by the wayside - by no means! Remember, love deeply and do not be afriad). And He will never let you down. Ever. So please, I hope (yet again.. funny how that word keeps coming up) you did not take my earlier post, or this one, the wrong way. The focus was, is, and always will be on the fact that we can hope first in God. He is the only perfect One! And we really can count on Him (I'm not saying we can't count on others. Just not in the same immaculate way as we can our Maker).
Oh, and let me close with this as a quick reminder also, one that brought me to this post in the first place... words are powerful. They can bring life or they can destroy with the result of a gruesome death. As the child's song goes, "Be careful little mouths what you say." E429 FTW!
Lesson 978
I usually don't do blogs on Scripture passages, but I cannot get this one out of my head, and it is so hitting home right about now. Check out Romans 8:24b-28:
"But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
Not quite sure what to say after that, the passage speaks for itself. I know for me... even in this season of life, a season I once thought I would never face, I will continue to hope for what I know is Right and Good. Right now things may seem cloudy and out of my reach. But that is what hope is. (Yet at the same time it is not out of my reach because Christ is my Hope, who is in me)! And with it comes patience. And oh, how God has been teaching that to me over the years, in so many different ways. Now ensues lesson 978 (ok... that may seem a random number... but you get the point). As waystation said, hope makes you strong. It's when you throw it out the window that you are not strong any longer. Which seems quite ironic since you do so in attempts to look and be strong.
And furthermore, in the times that all we can do is lie in our beds and moan, sprawl out on the floor and groan, or sit unknowingly in shock.. it's then that the Spirit in us knows exactly what we're going through and where we're at. He knows. And even greater, He knows what we need and goes directly to our Father with it. He turns those grunts and whimpers into words, into a prayer, and lifts them before our Creator. And They work it together into a wonderful masterpiece, all within Their will, not our own. They have your and my best interest in mind. And the best, it will be.
Besides, it doesn't matter how long or hard you run towards or away from God's will (which has your best in mind).. it WILL happen. Regardless. No matter what. He has a plan that will absolutely come to fruition. We need to trust Him in that and let Him lead us. We need to trust the path, even with all of its bumps and bends and bows. Trust in Him, rely on Him, lean into Him, talk with Him (or moan if it comes to that), and He will give you peace! (Philippians 4:4-7). Praise Him through it ALL! And believe me, I know, it's not easy. It can hurt. It does hurt. But it is right and good. He is Supreme above all else! He is GOOD!
"But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
Not quite sure what to say after that, the passage speaks for itself. I know for me... even in this season of life, a season I once thought I would never face, I will continue to hope for what I know is Right and Good. Right now things may seem cloudy and out of my reach. But that is what hope is. (Yet at the same time it is not out of my reach because Christ is my Hope, who is in me)! And with it comes patience. And oh, how God has been teaching that to me over the years, in so many different ways. Now ensues lesson 978 (ok... that may seem a random number... but you get the point). As waystation said, hope makes you strong. It's when you throw it out the window that you are not strong any longer. Which seems quite ironic since you do so in attempts to look and be strong.
And furthermore, in the times that all we can do is lie in our beds and moan, sprawl out on the floor and groan, or sit unknowingly in shock.. it's then that the Spirit in us knows exactly what we're going through and where we're at. He knows. And even greater, He knows what we need and goes directly to our Father with it. He turns those grunts and whimpers into words, into a prayer, and lifts them before our Creator. And They work it together into a wonderful masterpiece, all within Their will, not our own. They have your and my best interest in mind. And the best, it will be.
Besides, it doesn't matter how long or hard you run towards or away from God's will (which has your best in mind).. it WILL happen. Regardless. No matter what. He has a plan that will absolutely come to fruition. We need to trust Him in that and let Him lead us. We need to trust the path, even with all of its bumps and bends and bows. Trust in Him, rely on Him, lean into Him, talk with Him (or moan if it comes to that), and He will give you peace! (Philippians 4:4-7). Praise Him through it ALL! And believe me, I know, it's not easy. It can hurt. It does hurt. But it is right and good. He is Supreme above all else! He is GOOD!Monday, June 1, 2009
Hope Come Again 2
Hope is so strong and so innately good! One of the best things out there, along with faith and love. Yet somehow I find that when life gets tough I feel like throwing hope out the window because I feel as though I've failed or that it failed me... yet it's those times I need hope the most... And along with it a peace straight from God's heart to mine, so immense that I could never ever begin to even think of fathoming it...
Think of Casting Crown's lyrics in Every Man:
Think of Casting Crown's lyrics in Every Man:
"Seems there's just so many roads to travel; it's hard to tell where they all will lead. My life is scarred and my dreams unraveled. Now I'm scared to take a leap. If I could find someone to follow who knows my pain and feels the weight. The uncertainty of my tomorrow, the guilt and pain of yesterday.
"There is hope for every man. A solid place where we can stand in this dry and weary land. There is hope for every man. There is love that never dies. There is peace in troubled times. Will we help them understand? Jesus is hope for every man."
"There is hope for every man. A solid place where we can stand in this dry and weary land. There is hope for every man. There is love that never dies. There is peace in troubled times. Will we help them understand? Jesus is hope for every man."
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