Oh you know, the devil’s just creepin around the corner…

Last night, I was talking to my mom and we were discussing drama that’s been going on recently and the upset that has followed the drama (even if most upset is below the surface, it’s still there).  Well Susann made a very valid statement,

“Our God isn’t a god of upset and unease. He’s a god of peace.”

So often we get caught up in everything that is going on and completely forget to open our eyes and see God.  God loves us and wants no pain for us.  All conflict, disagreement, and pain caused by drama, or anything else, is attack from Satan. Especially when people are trying to do something great, something that Christ has called them to do, the devil will attack.  All throughout the Bible there are stories, as well as personal experiences we each have, that show this.  So during these times that the devil is sneaking in and causing trouble, we need to remember this,

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition,

with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6-7

I realized today that I keep forgetting something that is very important. There may not be peace in a situation at this particular moment, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t be at peace.  I should never lose sight of the fact that Christ is continuously working and I can be at peace simply because I know that everything will work out how He wants it to, even if that isn’t what I had wanted, because He wants the best for me. I’ll leave you with this passage, Colossians 3:12-17, in The Message translation to think about:

” ^12-14So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

^15-17Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.”

This passage has humble me and changed my heart.  I hope it has the same effect on you!

Let the Word of Christ have the run of the house!

Short and Sweet

This week I’ve learned the importance of being still and spending time alone with God.  There have been more moments in these past two weeks, then I can ever remember, where I was so frustrated or stressed that I literally couldn’t do anything.  I’m very laid back so I don’t usually stress or if I do it’s not much.  However, I’ve learned that instead of getting stressed out externally, I just shut down and can’t get anything done and then I get aggravated because I don’t know what to do to be able to get stuff done.

I’ve been praying for Christ to make me broken and fully reliant on him.  I think that this has been how he’s been doing that.  Last night I was so close to being finished but I just could not figure out what to do or how to do it and I was in rare form because I was so frustrated, you can ask Shannon or my mom if you don’t believe me.  My mom told me that maybe even if I had already had my quiet time, which I had, that I should take some time to just be still and pray.  Since I wasn’t getting anything done, I took her advice. As I sat on my floor, I prayed and asked Christ to give me motivation to be able to finish and to give me peace and make me calm.  Not even ten minutes later, I was finally working and getting everything finished.  It’s funny how stubborn and set in my ways I am, that God has to almost push me to the edge so that I remember that I can’t do it on my own.