James 4:10
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Funny -- so many times we commit our ways to the Lord and it still seems we get the shaft or we lose or the bad happens.We can easily see those other people around us that don't seem to care about anyone and treat God like He is only needed in real emergencies and THEY seem to have it all together!! Their prayers seem to be answered.
Funny --- sometimes it seems that the one who is hurting the most, the one who is fighting the battle the most, and the one who has been SEEKING God the longest is the one whose prayers did not get answered.
Lies - really. From our perspective the enemy will make us see and believe what he wants us to hear so that we doubt. I have been there - doubting.
Lately I don't have doubt that God is not there ---- I just want God to come in on HIS white HORSE and fix things FASTER than what we are praying for .....so, I can find myself thinking that God maybe is not hearing my prayer. But I know that is a LIE.
The enemy does not stop. So what has been going on in my heart and brain since the last blogged prayer -- MUCH!
January came and went. WHERE did it go?
God hasn't been absent or not listening - in the past two months I have SEEN such great victories and blessings but I have also had several DEEP and hurtful attacks.
And there have been several funerals ...and sickness... and daily struggles with just work or other stuff. But over and over, I continue to see how God is faithful and as we get closer to the coming of Christ, I truly can see that we as His believers and followers are going to have to get stronger in our resolve to be patient. We will maybe have to wait longer and hold onto the hem of HIS garment with a strong grasp.
There are many struggling - but as I make a list of prayer requests the requests are not that different -- many want a change of some sort. Many need a healing. And many are hurting because of others choices.
Tonight - today -- there were several on my heart --there is one facing a judge tomorrow and he doesn't want his marriage to end.
There is another -- allowing her husband to be more in control when he has just gotten out of a long term care program...can she trust him?
There is another - holding onto every memory because it hurts too much right now to experience the pain of death.
There is another that the enemy has SO deceived - it hurts her family to watch.
There is always a lot.
But God's Word is our standard and He is the ROCK of my strength -- do we believe those words?
If we believe those words, then are we placing God before all other gods?
Do we love HIM first?
What is first in our lives -- where is our time spent?
Then if we do -- do we TRUST HIM at all times?
Do we trust even when He has allowed hurt or pain within our circumstances?
I trust God now -- I didn't always because I needed the time to see HIM as faithful. Yet in reality -- my LOVE and allegiance to God should not be 'earned'...HE dies for my sins. THAT should be enough reason to worship HIM.
But .... Trusting God -- with everything?
A few weeks ago, a question was asked in church ..."what do you love more than Jesus?"
What do you?
I had to stop -- and that question filled my head and reasoning for several days - even a few weeks.
I think - being human - it is easy to get sidetracked.
Cause... I knew I was not spending the TIME in HIS Word to fill me. So, I can or allowed the enemy to creep in and stay a bit.
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| I do a LOT of praying while trusting my life in Bren's hands as we ride. And we have to trust that oncoming vehicle as well. IT is funny how so many times we can trust others more than we can trust God -- even when HE is allowing hurt to happen... But I still believe HE will win. |
Being obedient and getting into HIS Word - causes me to question and it builds me up. There is much that I know -- HE is changing in me. Even now -- when it "seems that I kind of am in a good spot".... Danger...pride comes before a fall.!
Trusting God and being obedient is key and I admit -- I don't think we are believers are DOING this well -- we must step it up.
We are not called to be HAPPY -- but to be HOLY --
But this eve -- the focus is HOPE.
There is STILL hope -- God will win and HE can make a way when there seems no way. But we have to be obedient and obey ...and trust.
I do believe in hail Mary passes and winning in the 11th hour -- so, I am going to believe that tomorrow -- those most desperate will FEEL HIS guidance and see HOW HE moved.
I am also going to believe that one - teeter-totting back and forth between obeying and 'doing it her way' instead of God's way ....that tomorrow may just be the day she GETS it and understands and truly humbles herself.
Lord, tonight - we humble ourselves before YOU --
I humble myself before you ----
---- and YOU will lift these people -- those upon my heart and those that read this -- may YOU lift them UP. IN JESUS name.. Amen.
Michelle
