How often do we ask God to do something, then try to do it ourselves? We ask God to sort out a situation and then lie awake worring about it & trying to figure out how God should fix it!
When we worry, we're saying that God isn't big enough to solve our problems & we don't trust him to do it. Tim Keller says 'Worry is not believing God will get it right'
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
We know that God hears and answers prayer, but for some reason we think he needs our help. We need to feel in control of the situation and have all the answers. But God doesn't work like that - He asks us to hand over the controls and trust him.
I read something the other day, that said something like, worry doesn't change tomorrow, it just steals from today! Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Matthew 6:27
I haven't exactly made a new discovery here, but this has finally started to sink in for me recently! Whilst appearing apparently calm on the outside (to all but close family & friends!) I have spent far too much time worrying & being a bit of a control freak.
I've realised that my worrying doesn't change my circumstances, I need to hand them over to God and trust him to change them (or change me!). This includes trusting God with my children, realising that he will do a better job of looking after them, than I ever will!
Choosing not to worry is a daily (or hourly!) decision, because just when I think I have this sussed, I realise I'm feeling anxious about something else!
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts... Colossions 3:15
Wednesday, 13 June 2012
Monday, 4 June 2012
Trying to do my best & let God do the rest
When I was a kid, my sisters and I listened to KidsPraise (cheesy kids christian music, on a tape, in a walkman, with two sets of headphones between the three of us!). Recently one of the songs keeps coming back to me, the words were something like 'with Jesus and determination, I will do my best, he'll do the rest'.
(I think I probably know more of the bible through song words, than from memorising passages - somehow it sticks in my memory much easier that way. I'm also not very good at remembering where in the bible a passage comes from, so I love having my Bible app on my phone or using biblegateway.com).
This song sums up, some of what I've been learning - instead of trying to do everything, and being stressed, I'm learning to do what God asks me to do and to trust him with the rest.
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. (Psalm 37:5 ESV)
In her book 'you're already amazing', Holley Gerth say ' God isn't interested in how much we can do. If he can create the world in seven days with a few words, then getting it done isn't an issue for him! Instead God is interested in us doing only what he's asked us to do, when he wants us to do it....'
After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? (Galations 3:3)
Holley goes on to say 'a lot of the expectations in my life aren't from my master. I make them up or take them on from someone else. In that case I'm not required to meet them'. She says that 'expectations are laws we place on ourselves and each other'
You are not under the law, but under grace (Romans 6:14)
I'm starting to identify the things that I do because of other peoples expectations (or what I perceive to be their expectations!) and the things that I do for approval for others. For example the past few times we've had visitors, we've ordered takeaway. In the past I would have planned out the whole meal and been stressed about cooking it right, just so that I looked good. Instead we were able to enjoy spending time (the reason they came!) with our visitors without the anxiety or half the washing up. I also accepted the offer of someone bringing dessert!
(I think I probably know more of the bible through song words, than from memorising passages - somehow it sticks in my memory much easier that way. I'm also not very good at remembering where in the bible a passage comes from, so I love having my Bible app on my phone or using biblegateway.com).
This song sums up, some of what I've been learning - instead of trying to do everything, and being stressed, I'm learning to do what God asks me to do and to trust him with the rest.
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. (Psalm 37:5 ESV)
In her book 'you're already amazing', Holley Gerth say ' God isn't interested in how much we can do. If he can create the world in seven days with a few words, then getting it done isn't an issue for him! Instead God is interested in us doing only what he's asked us to do, when he wants us to do it....'
After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? (Galations 3:3)
Holley goes on to say 'a lot of the expectations in my life aren't from my master. I make them up or take them on from someone else. In that case I'm not required to meet them'. She says that 'expectations are laws we place on ourselves and each other'
You are not under the law, but under grace (Romans 6:14)
I'm starting to identify the things that I do because of other peoples expectations (or what I perceive to be their expectations!) and the things that I do for approval for others. For example the past few times we've had visitors, we've ordered takeaway. In the past I would have planned out the whole meal and been stressed about cooking it right, just so that I looked good. Instead we were able to enjoy spending time (the reason they came!) with our visitors without the anxiety or half the washing up. I also accepted the offer of someone bringing dessert!
Intro
I'm writing this blog mainly to record what God has been teaching me & also to take a huge leap out of my comfort zone by sharing it.
This probably won't be grammatically correct (I just scrapped though GCSE English, I have no memory of being taught punctuation or what a noun is, & I have no idea what a ; is for!), but hopefully you'll understand what I'm trying to say & God will speak to you through some of what I've learnt.
This probably won't be grammatically correct (I just scrapped though GCSE English, I have no memory of being taught punctuation or what a noun is, & I have no idea what a ; is for!), but hopefully you'll understand what I'm trying to say & God will speak to you through some of what I've learnt.
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