God's Comfort

The Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. II Corinthians 1:3-4

No matter what trials, troubles, or stresses we are going through - God is there to comfort us. When people let us down - God is there to comfort us. When we feel all alone - God is there to comfort us. 

I know this truth in my head but it is sometimes difficult for me to always feel and experience God's comfort. I realized that this is hard for me because God is not always the first one I go to when I need comfort. I run to people or comforts of this world. Instead, I need to run to God first with my hurts and my troubles. He is faithful, he is the only one that can provide ultimate comfort in difficult situations.  

I sometimes forget the end of theses verses. God is our ultimate comfort but we should not neglect comforting those around us. When we feel true comfort from God,  that comfort should be a natural overflow of our heart impacting those around us.  

So is God the first one I run to when I need comfort? Does comfort overflow out of my heart, helping others? I pray that comfort will become more evident in my life day by day.  

Love without Stopping

This entry is somewhat similar to my previous blog. So I apologize for any repetitiveness but this has been on my heart lately.

Often I struggle with knowing God's will for my life. I pray that God will show me his will for my future and wait for the "next big thing" he is calling me to do. I find myself getting hung up on knowing the exact will of God that I miss all of the daily things that God is calling me to do. 

As I read the Bible, God clearly shows me how I should live everyday and how should I interact with people on a daily basis. I love Jesus' words in Matthew 25:35-36; 40:

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. . . I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you do for me.  

It is recently becoming more and more clear to me. This is what God is calling me to do. There is so much hurting, suffering, and need all around me. I need to act instead of ignoring. I need to love instead of being selfish. I need to leap out in faith instead of standing still. 

Yes, I continue to pray daily for God's will in my life. God continues to be faithful in directing my paths is some very specific ways. But I must continue to walk daily with God and not miss the "small" things he puts in my path. Sometimes the smallest acts of kindness can make the biggest difference! I need to go out there and Love without Stopping!

Waiting

Lately, I have started to realize that much of my life has been wasted in waiting. Waiting is not always a bad thing, The Bible tell us to wait on the the Lord. But for me waiting often gets in the way of doing the things that God has called me to do. I wait for all of the right doors to be opened. I wait for everything to line up and be "perfect." 

I often feel like I don't know what God wants me to do in situations. I sometimes live in fear of doing the wrong thing or making the wrong decision. So instead of acting - I wait. Instead of going - I wait. Instead of obeying -  I wait.  

Much of my waiting is simply a lack of faith. If God only allowed situations in my life that were risk free, I would become faith free. Instead of always waiting, I want to live a life obeying God, taking risks and allowing God to work in mighty and incomprehensible ways. 

Imagine

I Corinthians 2:9 - "No one's ever seen or heard anything like this, Never so much as imagined anything quite like it—What God has arranged for those who love him."

God loves each one of us so much. I know that he has a perfect plan and purpose for each one or our lives. So then why do I often find it so hard to trust him and give him all parts of my life – especially my dreams and desires. I find myself often praying for my own desires and my own wants. I find myself praying and “talking” God into how I think my life should go. But when it comes right down to it – why do I want things my way when God has arranged a life for me that is so much better. If I can imagine the best life ever for myself God can do even more - I am not able to imagine anything quite like it! How often do I settle for my own desires and miss out on what God has arranged for me? How often do I settle for what I think is great for myself instead of what God knows is great for me?

God's Ways

I have so many thoughts racing through my head right now. So I hope that this entry makes some sense and is not just a jumbled mess! I have been feeling a little bogged down with life lately. It doesn’t always make sense and isn’t always “fair.” But throughout my confusion and frustration God continues to reveal himself to me.

I have been praying a lot lately and when some of my prayers were not answered I was crushed. I didn’t understand and began to doubt God’s working in my life. But then God quickly showed me that he is always with me and has never left me. Just because a prayer was not answered the way I thought it should be answered doesn’t mean that God didn’t answer it. His ways are perfect – I don’t know what it is going to take until I realize that.

Isaiah 55: 8 & 9 - For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

I don’t know why but I sometimes find it easier to trust God when trials come into my life compared to when trials enter the lives of those around me that I love most. I talk myself into believing that I trust God but am just worried how others in my life will handle these trials. Then I realized that I don’t underestimate others I underestimate God. I was afraid to admit this and disguised it in my care for others.

So all of this to say – Do I have a right view of God? Do I trust God with all areas of my life? Do I trust God to answer my prayers his way opposed to my own way? 

I continue to work on my view of God. I need to stop limiting God and putting him in a box. I must continue to trust God and claim his power and might in all areas of my life. Nothing is impossible for my God!

Romans 15:13 – May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Thank you God that your ways are perfect and that you give me hope and power as I journey through this life you have so graciously given me. 

Welcome Back

Matthew 18: 12-14 - “If someone has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders off, doesn't he leave the ninety-nine and go after the one? And if he finds it, doesn't he make far more over it than over the ninety-nine who stay put? Your Father in heaven feels the same way. He doesn't want to lose even one of these simple believers.”

 I have heard the parable of the lost sheep many times. As I read it this time, I loved the fact that even after we are saved God continues to seek us out. He doesn’t just seek or “go after” non believers. He wants to have an on going relationship with us even after he saves us. Although we sin, make mistakes, and choose not to seek God, he is always there. He never leaves us or forsakes us. He continues to draw us back to him through convictions, people, circumstances, and ultimately his love and Holy Spirit.

 Thanks you God that even after we wander off over and over again you come after us and bring us back to you. You don’t just allow us to come back but you want us back. You welcome us back with arms wide open full of grace and love.

 

Compassion

Throughout the Gospels Jesus performs many miracles and heals people. The Bible often says that Jesus had compassion on them. He over and over again showed people compassion. Not with an agenda, not with the hopes of getting something in return. No matter how tired he may have been, no matter if he had other things to be done he stopped and showed people compassion. He showed people compassion because of the simple fact that he loved them and they needed it.

This made me think - how often do I show people true compassion without having an underlying selfish ambition? How often do I see people that are in need of true compassion but choose not to act? How busy do I get with my own life that I don't even see people around me that need compassion?  

I love the words to this song and think that it sums up compassion perfectly - "Give me your eyes for just one second.
Give me your eyes so I can see.
Everything that I keep missing,
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted.
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the once forgotten."

Hope

Romans 4:18, 20-21

“Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed. . . Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”

Wow I love these verses. When life is hard and all hope seems to be gone I have the hope and privilege of leaning on God’s promises.

As I read these verses, I asked myself - How strong is my faith in God’s power? Do I feel strengthened by this hope and power or does my faith waver and trials begin to drag me down? I need to have true faith that God and His power will help me in any situation however hopeless it may seem.

I love that the verses also say that Abraham gave glory to God. Often times I pray to God when I feel hopeless, I plead with him for help. He graciously answers my prayers and helps me and then I forget to praise Him and give God the glory. But he is still faithful to me even when I am not always faithful to him – thank you God!