Piece by Piece
As I journey through this adventure towards wholeness of body, soul, and spirit, I find myself in circumstances that push me straight into the arms of God. What do I do now? God knows. So I look in His word to find out what He says to do. What does a Christian think about this? What does God think about that? Is this what God thinks or is it my personal opinion? Into God's Word, the Bible, I go again and again, further and further, until it is only He, me, and His Word. It is there I find solace, inspiration, and the answers for which I search. The answers I find are rarely new. Most of them are verses I learned years and years ago. It seems as if my life right now is one big jigsaw puzzle that God is putting together using bits and pieces from here and there throughout the years. It is difficult at times yet rather fun to experience as well.
So far through the searching and study I have discovered God to be even more gracious, more lovingly extravagant in His affections, and more wondrous than I ever knew. The deeper I study and search His Word, the less appealing I find other sources of wisdom. The more I get to know Him, the more I want to know. The closer I walk in His ways of doing and being right, the less enticing other ways are. The more of His kindness I experience, the more kind I want to be. I want to pass on Him and His ways.
Before I share a mini word study, I want to share something God did for me recently. Last Sunday I was heavily burdened about something and seeking God for answers concerning a situation. I was trying to pray in faith, but just kept ending up crying and asking why instead. Now I know that asking why is not obedient to Proverbs 3:5,6 so I kept repeating those verses over and over and well, basically I was still one big ugly-crying mess of a mama. I finally told God I wanted to have faith and I was trying to lean on Him, but I really needed an answer on this. Could He please give me something? Anything? Quietly I felt a scripture reference impressed on me and looked it up. The words I read poured over my raw emotions like a healing salve. "Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God." Philippians 4:6
I wish I could tell you I immediately began walking in perfect faith and went on my merry way refreshed, but I didn't. I was still crying; this time though it was in relief and wonder instead of intense sorrow and frustration. The grief and sorrow over the situation still cut deep, but there is a deep settled peace in my soul that God heard my cries and when I asked, He answered. He didn't cut me down or chew me out about having little faith. He heard my cry for help, and He told me not to fret. So, I did what He said. I prayed, petitioned, and let Him know my definite requests. The situation hasn't changed, but I am personally at peace with God. No matter what is or is not going on God hears and answers me. He loves and cares for me, and that is enough. God loves me, and I love Him. My relationship with Him is not only alive and well but growing deeper and deeper every day. Every day I search through His Word, I am searching through Him who is the Word. I am gorging myself on the Bread of Life and in the doing am personally being transformed.
The following mini word study comes from something I found while studying one morning. It was in a book that used to belong to my mom. It is a unit study on the family by Chuck Swindoll. What I am sharing today is not plagiarism or any form of copyright infringement. I am simply sharing definitions and scriptures. Not all of the scriptures come from the same study either so no laws are being broken in the sharing. Just clarifying to put minds at ease.
Discretion is the word that caught my attention. Discretion means "to taste" as in someone who has discriminating tastes. Possessing the ability to choose between the tasteful and the tasteless, the appropriate and the inappropriate, or right and wrong is having discretion. Discretion is something parents want their children to have and use. I enjoy having specific words and scriptures to pray over my children. You can't imagine how thrilled I was to learn that discretion is exactly what I have recently been praying my children will all come to possess. Now I have an exact word to use! God's timing is perfect!
The following are a few scriptures containing the word discretion. These verses show the importance of possessing discretion. Proverbs 11:22 especially reveals why I am praying for my daughters to get and use discretion.
Proverbs 1:4
Proverbs 2:11
Proverbs 3:21
Proverbs 8:12
Proverbs 11:22
Back to last Sunday. Wondering what happens if a person obeys the verse God impressed upon me last Sunday? The verses immediately following tell. Here is what happens to the person who does not fret or have any anxiety about anything and prays making their definite requests known to God:
"And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you." Philippians 4:7-9
Can you use some of that peace? How does an untroubled, undisturbed well-being sound to you? Rather amazing, huh? More of God's amazing grace in action.
Love and hugs as we don't fret or have anxiety,
Abundantly
So far through the searching and study I have discovered God to be even more gracious, more lovingly extravagant in His affections, and more wondrous than I ever knew. The deeper I study and search His Word, the less appealing I find other sources of wisdom. The more I get to know Him, the more I want to know. The closer I walk in His ways of doing and being right, the less enticing other ways are. The more of His kindness I experience, the more kind I want to be. I want to pass on Him and His ways.
Before I share a mini word study, I want to share something God did for me recently. Last Sunday I was heavily burdened about something and seeking God for answers concerning a situation. I was trying to pray in faith, but just kept ending up crying and asking why instead. Now I know that asking why is not obedient to Proverbs 3:5,6 so I kept repeating those verses over and over and well, basically I was still one big ugly-crying mess of a mama. I finally told God I wanted to have faith and I was trying to lean on Him, but I really needed an answer on this. Could He please give me something? Anything? Quietly I felt a scripture reference impressed on me and looked it up. The words I read poured over my raw emotions like a healing salve. "Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God." Philippians 4:6
I wish I could tell you I immediately began walking in perfect faith and went on my merry way refreshed, but I didn't. I was still crying; this time though it was in relief and wonder instead of intense sorrow and frustration. The grief and sorrow over the situation still cut deep, but there is a deep settled peace in my soul that God heard my cries and when I asked, He answered. He didn't cut me down or chew me out about having little faith. He heard my cry for help, and He told me not to fret. So, I did what He said. I prayed, petitioned, and let Him know my definite requests. The situation hasn't changed, but I am personally at peace with God. No matter what is or is not going on God hears and answers me. He loves and cares for me, and that is enough. God loves me, and I love Him. My relationship with Him is not only alive and well but growing deeper and deeper every day. Every day I search through His Word, I am searching through Him who is the Word. I am gorging myself on the Bread of Life and in the doing am personally being transformed.
The following mini word study comes from something I found while studying one morning. It was in a book that used to belong to my mom. It is a unit study on the family by Chuck Swindoll. What I am sharing today is not plagiarism or any form of copyright infringement. I am simply sharing definitions and scriptures. Not all of the scriptures come from the same study either so no laws are being broken in the sharing. Just clarifying to put minds at ease.
Discretion is the word that caught my attention. Discretion means "to taste" as in someone who has discriminating tastes. Possessing the ability to choose between the tasteful and the tasteless, the appropriate and the inappropriate, or right and wrong is having discretion. Discretion is something parents want their children to have and use. I enjoy having specific words and scriptures to pray over my children. You can't imagine how thrilled I was to learn that discretion is exactly what I have recently been praying my children will all come to possess. Now I have an exact word to use! God's timing is perfect!
The following are a few scriptures containing the word discretion. These verses show the importance of possessing discretion. Proverbs 11:22 especially reveals why I am praying for my daughters to get and use discretion.
Proverbs 1:4
Proverbs 2:11
Proverbs 3:21
Proverbs 8:12
Proverbs 11:22
Back to last Sunday. Wondering what happens if a person obeys the verse God impressed upon me last Sunday? The verses immediately following tell. Here is what happens to the person who does not fret or have any anxiety about anything and prays making their definite requests known to God:
"And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you." Philippians 4:7-9
Can you use some of that peace? How does an untroubled, undisturbed well-being sound to you? Rather amazing, huh? More of God's amazing grace in action.
Love and hugs as we don't fret or have anxiety,
Abundantly