"I must get rid of the life I've planned so as to have the life that is waiting for me." What a powerful quote. I don't ever want to cling to the life I have planned. I want to be willing to daily let go and then EMBRACE the life and plans that God has waiting.
Lord, let me experience the White Martyrdom DAILY!
My Scripture reading happened to fall in the book of Ruth today. Coincidental? I think not.
Ruth left everything comfortable to her - her birth family, her surroundings since childhood, her way of life and culture, her gods - to follow Naomi, a woman of the people of God. Her loyalty strikes me as remarkable: "Where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people; and your God my God."
I am coming to realize that the only place I can really feel "at home" is where the Presence of God is in my life. So, wherever that Presence leads is where I must be. Oh, Father, grant me grace that my loyalty to You may be as Ruth's! Where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people; and you shall be my God.
Being willing is hard when you feel like you are so inferior, But God! I've been hearing that a lot but hearing something and taking it to heart are 2 different things. How bad do you want God and taking that step almost paralyzes you. How hard is it? With man it's impossible but with God all things are possible. Is eveything caving in, yes, But God. Is your life falling apart, has God been still so good to you and all you can do is screw something up again..But God. Never give up. I have always thought that everyone else should do something but there comes a point where God says stop trying to give it to everyone else. I want you to do it. My plan is not for someone else to go or give or help or talk to. My plan is for you. You are a light, a city set on a hill. Let your light so shine before men so that they may glorify your Father which is in heaven. I want your light to shine but I know mine has to shine as well..I have to download some music and get my voice ready:-)
Interesting enough as I work through the lessen today, i find myself trying to sort through the plans that i had for my life BC. For me it was sort of an opposite effect that Christ had on my life. I had no plans and didn't see any particular future for myself. I was dead inside and craved things that made me feel alive at the time...drinking, drugs and other things of the flesh. God gave me a hope and a future and made me realize that my days here are important, I am important. I thank God so much for making me a better person everyday and I can even confidently say that even when I mess up. In my mind i think I mess things up to prove I still have a long way to go and messing up helps me be better person only if i learn and repent from it.
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"I must get rid of the life I've planned so as to have the life that is waiting for me." What a powerful quote. I don't ever want to cling to the life I have planned. I want to be willing to daily let go and then EMBRACE the life and plans that God has waiting.
Lord, let me experience the White Martyrdom DAILY!
My Scripture reading happened to fall in the book of Ruth today. Coincidental? I think not.
Ruth left everything comfortable to her - her birth family, her surroundings since childhood, her way of life and culture, her gods - to follow Naomi, a woman of the people of God. Her loyalty strikes me as remarkable: "Where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people; and your God my God."
I am coming to realize that the only place I can really feel "at home" is where the Presence of God is in my life. So, wherever that Presence leads is where I must be. Oh, Father, grant me grace that my loyalty to You may be as Ruth's! Where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people; and you shall be my God.
The last line of reading today was so convicting. Is my heart willful or willing? I want to be willing - committed to His purpose; not mine!
Kathy, thank you so much for your words! I needed that word of truth today.
Being willing is hard when you feel like you are so inferior, But God! I've been hearing that a lot but hearing something and taking it to heart are 2 different things.
How bad do you want God and taking that step almost paralyzes you. How hard is it? With man it's impossible but with God all things are possible. Is eveything caving in, yes, But God. Is your life falling apart, has God been still so good to you and all you can do is screw something up again..But God.
Never give up. I have always thought that everyone else should do something but there comes a point where God says stop trying to give it to everyone else. I want you to do it. My plan is not for someone else to go or give or help or talk to. My plan is for you. You are a light, a city set on a hill. Let your light so shine before men so that they may glorify your Father which is in heaven.
I want your light to shine but I know mine has to shine as well..I have to download some music and get my voice ready:-)
Rosemarie - praying for you during this "quite a stretch" period.
Thanks for speaking into our lives and challenging us to let the willful spirit inside of us die.
We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned to get the life God has for us...
Thinking on this today.
Interesting enough as I work through the lessen today, i find myself trying to sort through the plans that i had for my life BC. For me it was sort of an opposite effect that Christ had on my life. I had no plans and didn't see any particular future for myself. I was dead inside and craved things that made me feel alive at the time...drinking, drugs and other things of the flesh. God gave me a hope and a future and made me realize that my days here are important, I am important. I thank God so much for making me a better person everyday and I can even confidently say that even when I mess up. In my mind i think I mess things up to prove I still have a long way to go and messing up helps me be better person only if i learn and repent from it.
Today is actually Day 19. As I reflect back on this week, I am drawn to, haunted by, challenged by those words - willful or willng?
What am I willing to do?
How far am I willing to go?
My will or God's will?
My excuses or God's plan?
I sing the song "All to Jesus I surrender. All to Him I freely give."
Am I truly surrendered?
Am I giving my all to Jesus?
I think not.
Do I feel God tugging at my heart?
Yes
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