At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee
because of thy righteous judgments.
Psalm 119:62
One thing I didn't like about spending the night with Uncle Bob and Aunt Dora on their farm was how early I had to go to bed. I was used to regular bedtime hours but their bedtime was ridiculous...shortly after dark. What's more, there was no sleeping in when morning came. Uncle Bob told me that too many people are "good-'fer-nothin'" because they went to bed too late at night and slept in too long in the morning. My mother used to tell me that nothing good happens after midnight. However, in Scripture there are some spiritual exceptions to that rule.
Some things have changed for me through the years. Career, marriage and three babies changed a lot with regard to my sleep habits. In the process, I became a night person. I can't say I have a regular bedtime and maybe that's the problem when I find myself waking up at midnight or into the morning hours. It's always hard to go back to sleep and if I do, I don't get a good quality of sleep.
I have often felt guilty about waking up during the midnight and early morning hours. My doctor told me to never just lay in bed wide awake. He said I should get up, read, drink something warm, pray...anything to settle my system down. I don't feel guilty though when I do wake up and find someone coming to my mind. I have learned that at those times, I should pray even though I may not know what is going on in that particular persons life at that moment.
I have to wonder how many people have prayed for me during the midnight hours. Perhaps they couldn't sleep, I came to mind and they decided to pray. I realize there are people with genuine sleep problems, but I wonder if more of us aren't called upon to be prayer warriors during the night when fewer folks are awake or awakened to pray. How many dear folks in my lifetime have held me up in prayer during the night when I too was perhaps awake with a sick child or when in great turmoil. I will not know of them until Heaven, but I thank God for them, whoever they are.
God has taught me some tremendous things from Scripture in those midnight hours when I have taken my Bible out into the living room to read and pray. The Holy Spirit has enlightened my eyes from Scripture during the wee hours of the morning. Would I have grasped those life changing concepts during the day? Perhaps I would have, but alone and in the quiet of the house, the Holy Spirit was able to get through to me when there were no distractions.
Paul and Silas had been arrested. What a shock to other prisoners when at the midnight hour they heard something strange coming from their dungeon area. Acts 16:25 says:
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang
praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
Who can sleep when cast into the inner prison with their feet tight in stocks? They chose the better way. They chose to pray and sing praises and the next verse says that an earthquake shook the very foundations of the prison. When we feel bound by something not of our own choosing, at the midnight hour, do we pray and even sing praises to God? It would never be time wasted. Who knows...there might be other "prisoners" who hear and are encouraged.
I am not discouraging a good night's sleep. I do feel though that there are times when the Holy Sprit has gently awakened me for maybe no apparent reason. Someone in that moment needs me and I may not know who it is, but I should pray anyway.
Late one night, I was awakened and went with my Bible in hand to the living room. It was probably around 11:30 at night. I went to Psalm 119. In the fall I had led a ladies home Bible study on the book of Psalms. Psalms has always been a meaningful book for me, but even moreso now. Just about at midnight, I came to Psalm 119:62 that you see at the beginning of this article. Within moments, I took pen and papar and wrote the following words:
At midnight I will rise
...to give thanks to You,
...for everything You do,
...for a time of praise
...for Your being in my days,
...that I might seek Your face,
...and the blessings of Your grace
At midnight I will rise.
At midnight I will rise
...for You to remove my fear
...knowing You will hear,
...for others urged to pray,
...that they will know Your way
...to clear my crowded view,
...while seeking more of You,
At midnight I will rise.
Dear Father,
Thank you for those times I know you have awakened me during the midnight hours that I might be alert spiritually to the needs of others. I also thank you for those things You have taught me from Your Word during some of those hours. I know I am the better for it. Keep me close to You 24 hours a day. My days and my nights are yours to use as You see fit. I love you and thank You for who You are in my life. Amen
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU
Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do,
and does not do it, to him it is sin.
James 4:17 (NASB)
I loved Saturday afternoons when I was in grade school because Saturday was the day I could go to the "show." That's what we called the movies back then. We didn't have a lot of money, but Mother could usually come up with 25 cents for this Saturday afternoon outing. It took 20 cents to buy a ticket to get into the State Theater. I then had a nickel left over that I used at the concession area. I usually purchased a fat Charms sucker that I could lick on through two cowboy movies and one cartoon. I spent a lot of time on Saturday afternoons watching Lash LaRue, Hopalong Cassidy, the Lone Ranger and Gene Autry. However, my favorites were always Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.
I have never regretted spending most of my childhood in the 1940's and then teen years in the happy days of the 50's. I believe it was about the last I saw of a strong, healthy America. In the 40's, WW II was going on. There were no demonstrations, media tirades, rebellion against authority as we would come to know it in the 60's. Everyone was pro-American, spoke English and basically had a firm footing on what was right and what was wrong. There were no gray areas.
As a child, I not only knew about right and wrong from my parents, but it was reinforced everywhere I went...teachers, pastors, Sunday school teachers, neighbors and family friends. Do a bad thing in a neighbors yard and I was just as likely to get a spankin' from that neighbor as from my parents. I even learned a lot from the cowboy movies I saw on Saturday afternoons. You knew the good guys from the bad ones, which is rather hard to sort out these days.
I had a friend three doors up from my house who loved to play cowboys. He had neat guns and holster. I had some old wooden ones that my dad had made for me and they did fine for play. We both had little sisters about the same age. They usually had to either be the bad guys or indians depending on what we decided to play on any given day. We were the best in the West as far as we were concerned. Hours were spent riding the range on pretend horses around the Oak Street ranch (that was the block we lived on). We were only in the first grade so couldn't cross any streets. Even in our play, we put into action those right things so many had instilled in us, doing our best to avoid being the bad guys.
Last September, I went back to my home town for my annual visit to my sister's home. I took a day to just drive around town, especially to drive slowly on Oak Street looking at the old familiar houses, remembering people now long gone Most of the houses still look about the same although there are some major changes. Mrs. Britton's house is still there. (She was one who would give me a swat on my bottom if she didn't like something I did.) I loved Mrs. Britton though. My mind went back to those "wonderful days of yore," when four kids lovingly and actively became western characters. After spending some time just remembering and driving that "old trail," I penned the following:
ROY AND DALE
The sun couldn't come up too early
For a cowgirl and restless cowboy.
Lots of bad guys needed catchin'...
Folks counted on young Dale and strong Roy.
With wide brimmed hats and ropes on belts,
And homemade six shooter gun,
There wasn't nary a bad man
Dale and Roy couldn't keep on the run.
They ran through Mrs. Britton's back yard
That had ever so slight of a hill.
They galloped on down the alley,
Pretend horses running at will.
By end of day, pretend horses were tired;
So were strong Roy and young Dale.
Every bad guy in the neighborhood,
Either fled or were put in pretend jail.
Lessons were learned from such playing,
Reinforcement of wrong and what's right.
You knew who the bad and good guys were,
You knew the dark from the light.
Our culture is quite different now--
Many a soul up for sale.
Perhaps we need turnin' to days long ago,
Of strong Roy and a cowgirl named Dale.
When you come to a fork in the trail, always go the "right" way.
Dear Heavenly Father...
I thank you for giving me Your sweet Holy Spirit at the very moment of my salvation. I thank You, Holy Spirit, for Your promptings in my life when I am tending to go a wrong direction. Help me to always be sensitive to Your leading in my life. Forgive me for the times I ignore Your leading. I desperately need Your direction daily and I thank you for loving and guididng me through all the ups and downs of my life. Amen
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
AROMA...OR...STENCH
Junior high years are tough for so many reasons. There are all types of changes that take place in the life of a young person in those years, especially physical ones. Gym classes in junior high were sometimes rough as many boys and girls had not yet learned the necessity of using deodorant. Teachers would try to counsel young people who refused to address the problem, but anyone having gone through junior high remembers odor that carried over into every classroom.
This last Friday night, Brian and I took a ride through a place called Cades Cove in the nearby national park. We have loved this one-way 11 mile loop road through the most beautiful of places where pioneering families once lived. There are still cabins, barns, old churches with their cemeteries and wonderful, beautiful and fascinating views to behold. As we drove close to the entrance of the cove, it began to pour down rain. That was okay with us. Having come from Texas a few weeks prior, we were still longing for the sights, sounds and smells of rain. Despite the rain, there were wild turkeys and lots of deer were all over the place. As the rain came to a stop, we pulled off for awhile at a turnoff to just enjoy that wonderful place. The last rays of sun that had come out after the rain, just peeked through the trees before hiding behind a mountain. We drove the rest of the way around the loop. but did it with car windows down.
Some park rangers had mowed that day, but had been careful to avoid cutting into wild flowers as much as possible. All of a sudden, through the windows came the most delightful aroma that I couldn't describe to myself let alone to anyone else. It was a combination of rain soaked freshly mown grass, the sweetness of a variety of flowers, with the aroma of rain covered tree leaves all blending, wafting through our windows. No one could ever combine all of those fragrances and put the resulting perfume in a bottle. All of this was mixed into a delightful aroma for just that place and time. I couldn't take in enough of it.
There are scents, smells, fragrances that we sniff and smell through our years, many which we don't think much about beyond the moment. However, there are aromas that seem to stick with us for life....the scent of a grandmother's bath soap, baby powder and lotion, Jergen's original scented lotion, fresh apple pie baking in an oven, spring roses near a bedroom window, Midnight in Paris Perfume (youngins' don't know about this), freshly dried sheets from off the backyard clothesline and the list could go on.
Often in Scripture, we find God enjoying the savory aroma's of sacrifices offered by His loving people. Whether animal or an assortment of spices offered to Him out of love, He was made glad by it all. In many places in Scripture, God's delight is mentioned regarding His pleasure in His people who have sacrificed to be rid of sin or who have offered sweet smelling spices out of love or even as symbolic of prayer.
In II Corinthians 2:15, we read of another aroma that is both pleasing to God and a blessing in the lives of others. Paul speaks of our being a sweet aroma or fragrance that comes as a result of our close relationship with Jesus Christ, an aroma that is to spread and rub off on others. Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit says:
For we are unto God a sweet savor (aroma) of Christ,
in them that are saved, and in them that perish.
Please note that in this verse, this sweet aroma of Christ is to have influence in two arenas. Our Christ-likeness should be an encouragement to Christians we come in contact with. But then, this aroma, although not totally understood by an unsaved person, should be something that causes a curiosity in the life of an unbeliever. Perhaps we have had unsaved persons ask, in so many words, "What makes you so different?"..."How are you getting through the difficult situation you are facing?" This aroma encourages, but it can also rouse someone's curiosity as to what makes us different. What a wonderful opportunity that presents to be a witness.
So where does this wonderful aroma originate? This aroma is very real and genuine like those sweet scents coming in my car window Friday night. Oh, it's not a physical aroma...it's a spiritual aroma that becomes a part of us as we come into relationship with Jesus Christ and through our relationship with him, day by day, that aroma gets sweeter and sweeter.
How do we maintain this wonderful sweetness in our lives? Some suggestions along this line might be:
1. First, take a bath.
If we want to smell good physically, we have to bathe regularly. The starting place for we Christians bearing the sweet aroma of Christ also requires a bath. It's a different kind of bath. We have often sung the chorus to an old hymn:
"Are you washed...in the blood
In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb.
Are your garments spotless, are they white as snow
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?"
You see, along with a physial bath or shower, we put on clean clothes that smell and feel fresh and clean. Such is true for the spiritual part of us. To bear the aroma of Christ, we also need fresh clean clothes that have been washed...in the blood of the Lamb. This aroma we are blessed with was/is very costly. Perfume these days are extremely expensive, but nowhere do I see that in the manufacturing of it, someone had to die in the process. This sweet, spiritual aroma cannot be purchased. It has already been paid for through the death of Jesus and is free for the taking as we walk in sweet relationship with the Lord.
2. We must also watch what we eat.
Have you ever been around someone with garlic breath, especially when that person gets right in your face to talk to you? Whew!!! Can't get away fast enough. Spiritually, what do we eat? If we feed on all of the filth of this world, that spiritual aroma God intends for us is going to dissipate in all of that stench. When we open our mouths to speak for Christ, in all probability, we will find our influence for Him has faded.
We should saturate ourselves in the Word of God through reading, good books, sermons and every means possible to keep ourselves strong spiritually. Several years ago after a Bible study, a lady said to me, "Do you think we ought to read our Bibles 8 hours a day?" I knew she was being sarcastic but replied to her: "I don't see how that could hurt any of us." We find time for everything else in life. It's the time we spend with the Lord in His Word that is going to infuse us with the aroma Paul spoke of. Otherwise, we can take on alot of "stinkin' thinkin" that is just the opposite of what the Lord wants of us.
3. We must watch the company we keep.
Ma-maw Clifton babysat our two baby girls for awhile. Because I was on the church staff where we both attended church, Ma-maw who had the girls on Wednesdays, would bathe them, get them all dressed up and bring them to Wednesday night church that she would be coming to as well. Nursery workers would later talk about the smell of the girls. They just reeked of Tabu perfume. That's the only kind of perfume Ma-maw wore. As she dressed the girls, carried them, packed their diaper bags, there it was...Tabu. Why? Simple...those little girls had been very closer to Ma-Maw. She had hugged them, dressed them, wrapped them up in their winter coats, and nuzzled in their little necks. She never did put any of her perfume on them. It just rubbed off on them. That's what is to happen with us...Jesus is to rub off from us onto others.
There are going to be Christians you and I are around who just rub off on us the good things of the Lord. They live Jesus, talk Jesus, serve Jesus...Jesus just rubs off on us and we can't help but be affected in a positive way. When people of the opposite kind of life are around us, they rub off on us as well whether we know it or not. They may be nominal Christians or not Christians at all but either way, we are influenced.
We aren't to be recluses from the world. We are to be witnesses and to be effective witnesses. We are to be salt and light before people who need Christ. However, we must be cautious that those we choose to make our intimate friends are those who will encourage and lift us up spiritually.
4. Remember that we are called to a life of holiness.
In I Peter 1:15,16, we find a phrase repeated where God gives a distinct command. It is not voiced as a choice but it is meant to be a big thing on our to-do-list as a Christian. He says:
But as He which hath called you is holy,
so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
I must admit that this is a scarey phrase for me every time I see it. It scares me because I am so aware of my shortcomings and proneness to mess up. Oh, let's just call it like it is...SIN. We will sin, we will fall short of God's standards but He lovingly forgives and draws us to Himself. However, our weaknesses can never be used for an excuse for not striving to the holy (or set aside) life God desires for you and me.
There are many other steps that could be suggested for our being that sweet aroma others will desire to be around. We don't walk this path with the Lord to bring glory to ourselves but to bring honor and glory only to Him. We can't lift a spiritual finger without His mercy, grace and strenghening. It is a wonderful life God wants to live through us. Spiritually speaking, who do you and I smell like today? Do we bear the fragrance and aroma of Jesus Christ?
Dear Father...
I thank you for saving me, for giving me Your Holy Spirit Who enables me to lead the life You want me to live. If I try in my own strength to be that sweet aroma that can only come from You, I will only be frustrated and ill-tempered. No one will be blessed by pretense nor will You be pleased. Whatever is in my life right now that is holding me back from sharing Your sweet aroma with others, please forgive me and take it from me. Clean me up as only you can and may I be a willing participant in the process. I love you Father...in my Savior's name...Amen.
This last Friday night, Brian and I took a ride through a place called Cades Cove in the nearby national park. We have loved this one-way 11 mile loop road through the most beautiful of places where pioneering families once lived. There are still cabins, barns, old churches with their cemeteries and wonderful, beautiful and fascinating views to behold. As we drove close to the entrance of the cove, it began to pour down rain. That was okay with us. Having come from Texas a few weeks prior, we were still longing for the sights, sounds and smells of rain. Despite the rain, there were wild turkeys and lots of deer were all over the place. As the rain came to a stop, we pulled off for awhile at a turnoff to just enjoy that wonderful place. The last rays of sun that had come out after the rain, just peeked through the trees before hiding behind a mountain. We drove the rest of the way around the loop. but did it with car windows down.
Some park rangers had mowed that day, but had been careful to avoid cutting into wild flowers as much as possible. All of a sudden, through the windows came the most delightful aroma that I couldn't describe to myself let alone to anyone else. It was a combination of rain soaked freshly mown grass, the sweetness of a variety of flowers, with the aroma of rain covered tree leaves all blending, wafting through our windows. No one could ever combine all of those fragrances and put the resulting perfume in a bottle. All of this was mixed into a delightful aroma for just that place and time. I couldn't take in enough of it.
There are scents, smells, fragrances that we sniff and smell through our years, many which we don't think much about beyond the moment. However, there are aromas that seem to stick with us for life....the scent of a grandmother's bath soap, baby powder and lotion, Jergen's original scented lotion, fresh apple pie baking in an oven, spring roses near a bedroom window, Midnight in Paris Perfume (youngins' don't know about this), freshly dried sheets from off the backyard clothesline and the list could go on.
Often in Scripture, we find God enjoying the savory aroma's of sacrifices offered by His loving people. Whether animal or an assortment of spices offered to Him out of love, He was made glad by it all. In many places in Scripture, God's delight is mentioned regarding His pleasure in His people who have sacrificed to be rid of sin or who have offered sweet smelling spices out of love or even as symbolic of prayer.
In II Corinthians 2:15, we read of another aroma that is both pleasing to God and a blessing in the lives of others. Paul speaks of our being a sweet aroma or fragrance that comes as a result of our close relationship with Jesus Christ, an aroma that is to spread and rub off on others. Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit says:
For we are unto God a sweet savor (aroma) of Christ,
in them that are saved, and in them that perish.
Please note that in this verse, this sweet aroma of Christ is to have influence in two arenas. Our Christ-likeness should be an encouragement to Christians we come in contact with. But then, this aroma, although not totally understood by an unsaved person, should be something that causes a curiosity in the life of an unbeliever. Perhaps we have had unsaved persons ask, in so many words, "What makes you so different?"..."How are you getting through the difficult situation you are facing?" This aroma encourages, but it can also rouse someone's curiosity as to what makes us different. What a wonderful opportunity that presents to be a witness.
So where does this wonderful aroma originate? This aroma is very real and genuine like those sweet scents coming in my car window Friday night. Oh, it's not a physical aroma...it's a spiritual aroma that becomes a part of us as we come into relationship with Jesus Christ and through our relationship with him, day by day, that aroma gets sweeter and sweeter.
How do we maintain this wonderful sweetness in our lives? Some suggestions along this line might be:
1. First, take a bath.
If we want to smell good physically, we have to bathe regularly. The starting place for we Christians bearing the sweet aroma of Christ also requires a bath. It's a different kind of bath. We have often sung the chorus to an old hymn:
"Are you washed...in the blood
In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb.
Are your garments spotless, are they white as snow
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?"
You see, along with a physial bath or shower, we put on clean clothes that smell and feel fresh and clean. Such is true for the spiritual part of us. To bear the aroma of Christ, we also need fresh clean clothes that have been washed...in the blood of the Lamb. This aroma we are blessed with was/is very costly. Perfume these days are extremely expensive, but nowhere do I see that in the manufacturing of it, someone had to die in the process. This sweet, spiritual aroma cannot be purchased. It has already been paid for through the death of Jesus and is free for the taking as we walk in sweet relationship with the Lord.
2. We must also watch what we eat.
Have you ever been around someone with garlic breath, especially when that person gets right in your face to talk to you? Whew!!! Can't get away fast enough. Spiritually, what do we eat? If we feed on all of the filth of this world, that spiritual aroma God intends for us is going to dissipate in all of that stench. When we open our mouths to speak for Christ, in all probability, we will find our influence for Him has faded.
We should saturate ourselves in the Word of God through reading, good books, sermons and every means possible to keep ourselves strong spiritually. Several years ago after a Bible study, a lady said to me, "Do you think we ought to read our Bibles 8 hours a day?" I knew she was being sarcastic but replied to her: "I don't see how that could hurt any of us." We find time for everything else in life. It's the time we spend with the Lord in His Word that is going to infuse us with the aroma Paul spoke of. Otherwise, we can take on alot of "stinkin' thinkin" that is just the opposite of what the Lord wants of us.
3. We must watch the company we keep.
Ma-maw Clifton babysat our two baby girls for awhile. Because I was on the church staff where we both attended church, Ma-maw who had the girls on Wednesdays, would bathe them, get them all dressed up and bring them to Wednesday night church that she would be coming to as well. Nursery workers would later talk about the smell of the girls. They just reeked of Tabu perfume. That's the only kind of perfume Ma-maw wore. As she dressed the girls, carried them, packed their diaper bags, there it was...Tabu. Why? Simple...those little girls had been very closer to Ma-Maw. She had hugged them, dressed them, wrapped them up in their winter coats, and nuzzled in their little necks. She never did put any of her perfume on them. It just rubbed off on them. That's what is to happen with us...Jesus is to rub off from us onto others.
There are going to be Christians you and I are around who just rub off on us the good things of the Lord. They live Jesus, talk Jesus, serve Jesus...Jesus just rubs off on us and we can't help but be affected in a positive way. When people of the opposite kind of life are around us, they rub off on us as well whether we know it or not. They may be nominal Christians or not Christians at all but either way, we are influenced.
We aren't to be recluses from the world. We are to be witnesses and to be effective witnesses. We are to be salt and light before people who need Christ. However, we must be cautious that those we choose to make our intimate friends are those who will encourage and lift us up spiritually.
4. Remember that we are called to a life of holiness.
In I Peter 1:15,16, we find a phrase repeated where God gives a distinct command. It is not voiced as a choice but it is meant to be a big thing on our to-do-list as a Christian. He says:
But as He which hath called you is holy,
so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
I must admit that this is a scarey phrase for me every time I see it. It scares me because I am so aware of my shortcomings and proneness to mess up. Oh, let's just call it like it is...SIN. We will sin, we will fall short of God's standards but He lovingly forgives and draws us to Himself. However, our weaknesses can never be used for an excuse for not striving to the holy (or set aside) life God desires for you and me.
There are many other steps that could be suggested for our being that sweet aroma others will desire to be around. We don't walk this path with the Lord to bring glory to ourselves but to bring honor and glory only to Him. We can't lift a spiritual finger without His mercy, grace and strenghening. It is a wonderful life God wants to live through us. Spiritually speaking, who do you and I smell like today? Do we bear the fragrance and aroma of Jesus Christ?
Dear Father...
I thank you for saving me, for giving me Your Holy Spirit Who enables me to lead the life You want me to live. If I try in my own strength to be that sweet aroma that can only come from You, I will only be frustrated and ill-tempered. No one will be blessed by pretense nor will You be pleased. Whatever is in my life right now that is holding me back from sharing Your sweet aroma with others, please forgive me and take it from me. Clean me up as only you can and may I be a willing participant in the process. I love you Father...in my Savior's name...Amen.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
CHANGE...NOT AGAIN
Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8
Several years ago, I was preparing to speak at a ladies seminar. The leadership of the seminar asked me to select a topic on anything I felt appropriate for ladies at that particular time. A familiar buzz word of that day was "stress." (By the way, that word is just as appropriate today as it was over 20 years ago.)
In preparation for this project, I found a paperback book in a Bible bookstore with the theme of women dealing with stress. In this book I found a list of what was considered to be the top 25 causes of stress among women. Of course, the first few things listed were obviously the most serious such as death of a spouse, child, parent or close friend. The further down the list one went, the less serious the factors. I don't remember all of them nor their places on the list but I do remember some of them, in no special order such as: financial crisis, severe illness, new baby, car accident, new job, menopause, loss of job, moving to another city, state or different house, wedding, divorce, empty nest, family problems, wayward child, starting a new business, abuse of any kind, child late for curfew and the list went on.
There was no organization of topics with this list...it was just a general hodge-podge list. However, as I went down the list, I saw one thing that seemed to tie all of the stress-causing factors together. That thing was: CHANGE. With every item on that list came some kind of change for people involved...some drastic, some minor, but CHANGE was blowing in the wind of their lives.
As I thought of such changes in my own life, I thought of how I reacted as opposed to responding in one way or another and came up with the following acrostic:
C--conflicted (feeling ready to fight)
H--heartache (hurting to the very depth of self, heart broken)
A--agitated (feelings constantly being stirred)
N--nerve shaking (nervous, edgy)
G--grieving (sad, sorrowful)
E--emotionally draining (tired, distracted, weepy, grouchy)
All of those things might not apply all at once, but they are feelings we may feel at times especially when negative changes are taking place. Perhaps change doesn't affect you like the above traits, but changes in life can bring many types of emotional responses to the surface. I hate moving...it yanks me around to my very core but I talked with a friend about 25 years ago who told me at church one morning that in her marriage of 27 years, she and her husband had moved 15 times, sometimes locally and at other times out of state. She said, "I just love the smell and feel of U-Haul boxes." If I hadn't known better, I would have said that she was nuts.
I have often thought of women in Scripture who had difficult moves to make, changes they never could have totally understood at the time. What about Mrs. Abraham? Her hubby came home one day and told her to pack up and fold the tent. I'm sure she asked about location but Abraham couldn't have told her much. He was simply going at God's command. Then there was Mrs. Job. She lost everything in one big swoop, and to top it off, her husband became very ill. She probably went through every emotion possible but the last we hear from her for a time was when she asked Job, "Why don't you curse God and die." Wow, that will carry a man through the hard times. Remember Esther? She was living with her cousin Mordecai, minding her own business. The king had a beauty contest looking for a new queen and in a matter of weeks, she was IT. She couldn't have known at the time that in God's plan, she would save her people. Don't forget Mrs. Noah. No U-Haul for her...she was going by boat. She didn't know what an ark was or even rains/floods as we know them and at this point, what would have been our level of patience. Oh yes, back to Mrs. Abraham....a baby when you're close to reaching the century point of life. That would throw me more than most of the other ones mentioned. I see young women today with their babies and toddlers and believe me, there isn't one jealous bone in my body. Those ladies from Scripture who, by the way, were very real and breathing women who had major changes in their lives, and yet we now see God's purpose for each one. God knows that changes brought about in our lives are also for purpose, blessing and perhaps to bring about the furtherance of the Gospel in some way we can't see at the time.
What might be some things that could help get us through times of change. I am suggesting things strictly from a spiritual standpoint. I know the world has it's own solutions to calm our anxious thoughts, but you and I have learned that it is God with the answers and thus, with the capability to get us through our changing times.
1. Realize that in every change in your life, God never changes. He is our "constant" that we can rely upon in all circumstances. God's Word says in Malachi 3:6a:
" For I am the LORD, I change not..."
I don't know about you but I need someone to hang onto who DOES NOT change. The Lord is my stability. We recently moved to Tennessee. Guess what? He's here...yep, the Lord is in Tennessee. He was in Arkansas as we traveled across that state. He is wherever I am and, good new is that He isn't moody...He isn't up one day and down another. He is steady and constant. We all need someone in our lives like that and He's the only one I've met Who does not change.
2. Realize that God is always with you in the middle of your changes. Paul repeats a phrase in Hebrews 13:5 that God first said in Genesis. There God said:
'' I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
I have always noticed the word "forsake" but I see anew that He also will NEVER leave me. Both are promises we can claim at any time under any circumstances. Friends and family can only do so much. Our dear ones often cannot be present when we find ourselves in our greatest need. There is just so much they can do....God is on duty 24/7.
3. Maintain your spiritual habits.
This is a hard one for it's often during all of the negatives of change you might not feel like praying, reading your Bible, or being a person of praise. It will be these things that strengthen and carry a Christian through the most difficult of times, especially during times of change. Even if you feel like you are just going through motions, those motions will be more strengthening than you can believe. Stay faithful to the following:
PRAYER --God hears no matter how weak and drained you feel.
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests
be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all
understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6,7
PRAISE--This gets eyes off of self and circumstances onto the One who wants to turn your pain into His glory. Paul encouraged the Ephesians (5:19):
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing and making melody in
your heart to the Lord.
This admonition is appropriate for any circumstance in life whether positive or negative.
PSALMS--I use this word purely for the purpose of suggesting that you stay in Scripture even if it seems at the time not to be beneficial. During difficult times, read in places like the Psalms for a time where you might receive a special peace and stability for the moment. I love to turn to Psalm 91 and Psalm 27. Stick with it...in fact, soak in God's Word every moment you can no matter the circumstances.
4. Rest in the fact that God has a plan in the change He's allowing in your life. Cling to promises from God's Word such as:
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you.
saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil,
to give you an expected end.
Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and
pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall
search for me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:11-13
5. Make God THE constant in your life...be fully committed to Him.
In today's world, there is so little we can count on. The best of people in our lives will let us down even though they don't mean to. Cling to the Lord for dear life. Allow Him to be your best friend Who will always have your best interest at heart through every change or stressor you face. Very often when in the middle of an emotional mess, it's very difficult to get a good spiritual grip on things. Be committed on a day by day basis to be in full and right relationship with the Lord Who will never let you down and Who is the only security you and I have.
Commit thy way unto the Lord;
trust also in Him, and He shall
bring it to pass.
Psalm 37:5
Dear Father,
Thank You for loving me and for all of the ways you show that love. I know things are going to come into my life I don't understand, things that usually bring changes that are uncomfortable. Help me to rest in You and in Your plan for my life. Help me to know how to accept changes that come but, allow You to teach and use me as You see fit. Forgive me for not trusting in Your wisdom. In it all, I do want to know You better. I want every circumstance in my life to somehow bring glory to You as You work Your will and way in me.
In the precious name of your Son, Jesus............Amen
Several years ago, I was preparing to speak at a ladies seminar. The leadership of the seminar asked me to select a topic on anything I felt appropriate for ladies at that particular time. A familiar buzz word of that day was "stress." (By the way, that word is just as appropriate today as it was over 20 years ago.)
In preparation for this project, I found a paperback book in a Bible bookstore with the theme of women dealing with stress. In this book I found a list of what was considered to be the top 25 causes of stress among women. Of course, the first few things listed were obviously the most serious such as death of a spouse, child, parent or close friend. The further down the list one went, the less serious the factors. I don't remember all of them nor their places on the list but I do remember some of them, in no special order such as: financial crisis, severe illness, new baby, car accident, new job, menopause, loss of job, moving to another city, state or different house, wedding, divorce, empty nest, family problems, wayward child, starting a new business, abuse of any kind, child late for curfew and the list went on.
There was no organization of topics with this list...it was just a general hodge-podge list. However, as I went down the list, I saw one thing that seemed to tie all of the stress-causing factors together. That thing was: CHANGE. With every item on that list came some kind of change for people involved...some drastic, some minor, but CHANGE was blowing in the wind of their lives.
As I thought of such changes in my own life, I thought of how I reacted as opposed to responding in one way or another and came up with the following acrostic:
C--conflicted (feeling ready to fight)
H--heartache (hurting to the very depth of self, heart broken)
A--agitated (feelings constantly being stirred)
N--nerve shaking (nervous, edgy)
G--grieving (sad, sorrowful)
E--emotionally draining (tired, distracted, weepy, grouchy)
All of those things might not apply all at once, but they are feelings we may feel at times especially when negative changes are taking place. Perhaps change doesn't affect you like the above traits, but changes in life can bring many types of emotional responses to the surface. I hate moving...it yanks me around to my very core but I talked with a friend about 25 years ago who told me at church one morning that in her marriage of 27 years, she and her husband had moved 15 times, sometimes locally and at other times out of state. She said, "I just love the smell and feel of U-Haul boxes." If I hadn't known better, I would have said that she was nuts.
I have often thought of women in Scripture who had difficult moves to make, changes they never could have totally understood at the time. What about Mrs. Abraham? Her hubby came home one day and told her to pack up and fold the tent. I'm sure she asked about location but Abraham couldn't have told her much. He was simply going at God's command. Then there was Mrs. Job. She lost everything in one big swoop, and to top it off, her husband became very ill. She probably went through every emotion possible but the last we hear from her for a time was when she asked Job, "Why don't you curse God and die." Wow, that will carry a man through the hard times. Remember Esther? She was living with her cousin Mordecai, minding her own business. The king had a beauty contest looking for a new queen and in a matter of weeks, she was IT. She couldn't have known at the time that in God's plan, she would save her people. Don't forget Mrs. Noah. No U-Haul for her...she was going by boat. She didn't know what an ark was or even rains/floods as we know them and at this point, what would have been our level of patience. Oh yes, back to Mrs. Abraham....a baby when you're close to reaching the century point of life. That would throw me more than most of the other ones mentioned. I see young women today with their babies and toddlers and believe me, there isn't one jealous bone in my body. Those ladies from Scripture who, by the way, were very real and breathing women who had major changes in their lives, and yet we now see God's purpose for each one. God knows that changes brought about in our lives are also for purpose, blessing and perhaps to bring about the furtherance of the Gospel in some way we can't see at the time.
What might be some things that could help get us through times of change. I am suggesting things strictly from a spiritual standpoint. I know the world has it's own solutions to calm our anxious thoughts, but you and I have learned that it is God with the answers and thus, with the capability to get us through our changing times.
1. Realize that in every change in your life, God never changes. He is our "constant" that we can rely upon in all circumstances. God's Word says in Malachi 3:6a:
" For I am the LORD, I change not..."
I don't know about you but I need someone to hang onto who DOES NOT change. The Lord is my stability. We recently moved to Tennessee. Guess what? He's here...yep, the Lord is in Tennessee. He was in Arkansas as we traveled across that state. He is wherever I am and, good new is that He isn't moody...He isn't up one day and down another. He is steady and constant. We all need someone in our lives like that and He's the only one I've met Who does not change.
2. Realize that God is always with you in the middle of your changes. Paul repeats a phrase in Hebrews 13:5 that God first said in Genesis. There God said:
'' I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
I have always noticed the word "forsake" but I see anew that He also will NEVER leave me. Both are promises we can claim at any time under any circumstances. Friends and family can only do so much. Our dear ones often cannot be present when we find ourselves in our greatest need. There is just so much they can do....God is on duty 24/7.
3. Maintain your spiritual habits.
This is a hard one for it's often during all of the negatives of change you might not feel like praying, reading your Bible, or being a person of praise. It will be these things that strengthen and carry a Christian through the most difficult of times, especially during times of change. Even if you feel like you are just going through motions, those motions will be more strengthening than you can believe. Stay faithful to the following:
PRAYER --God hears no matter how weak and drained you feel.
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests
be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all
understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6,7
PRAISE--This gets eyes off of self and circumstances onto the One who wants to turn your pain into His glory. Paul encouraged the Ephesians (5:19):
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing and making melody in
your heart to the Lord.
This admonition is appropriate for any circumstance in life whether positive or negative.
PSALMS--I use this word purely for the purpose of suggesting that you stay in Scripture even if it seems at the time not to be beneficial. During difficult times, read in places like the Psalms for a time where you might receive a special peace and stability for the moment. I love to turn to Psalm 91 and Psalm 27. Stick with it...in fact, soak in God's Word every moment you can no matter the circumstances.
4. Rest in the fact that God has a plan in the change He's allowing in your life. Cling to promises from God's Word such as:
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you.
saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil,
to give you an expected end.
Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and
pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall
search for me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:11-13
5. Make God THE constant in your life...be fully committed to Him.
In today's world, there is so little we can count on. The best of people in our lives will let us down even though they don't mean to. Cling to the Lord for dear life. Allow Him to be your best friend Who will always have your best interest at heart through every change or stressor you face. Very often when in the middle of an emotional mess, it's very difficult to get a good spiritual grip on things. Be committed on a day by day basis to be in full and right relationship with the Lord Who will never let you down and Who is the only security you and I have.
Commit thy way unto the Lord;
trust also in Him, and He shall
bring it to pass.
Psalm 37:5
Dear Father,
Thank You for loving me and for all of the ways you show that love. I know things are going to come into my life I don't understand, things that usually bring changes that are uncomfortable. Help me to rest in You and in Your plan for my life. Help me to know how to accept changes that come but, allow You to teach and use me as You see fit. Forgive me for not trusting in Your wisdom. In it all, I do want to know You better. I want every circumstance in my life to somehow bring glory to You as You work Your will and way in me.
In the precious name of your Son, Jesus............Amen
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