Weekly Spiritual Meditations - August 2

[bluidkiti]

Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. Psalm 25:4-5

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While God’s love is perfect, limitless and unending, ours is not. Our loving will always be limited by our human imperfections. The best we can do is to love the best we can and leave the rest to God’s grace.

No matter how we may fail God, God will never fail us.

God will always be steadfast in loving us, because love is who God is. And that means God really will love us forever.

We do not have to worry about our future; it’s in God’s hands.

>From the beginning, God has known us. God has knitted each of us together with love and patience for a special purpose. Each of us is handmade by God.

God helps us to play through the rain.

We may feel bitter about a situation, but we must never despair about God’s work in our lives.

A man was praying, his heart breaking from the pain and injustice in the world, "Dear God," he cried out, "look at all the suffering, the anguish and distress in the world. Why don’t You send help?" God responded, "I did send help. I sent you."

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All Your Problems Author Unknown
Is there a problem that is just ahead of you, and you don't know what you are going to do? Then, let's just take a moment, and think about Moses and the Israelites as they fled Egypt, and all that they faced!
Moses and the people were in the desert, but what was he going to do with them? They had to be fed, and feeding 2 or 3 million people requires a lot of food.
According to the Quartermaster General in the Army, it is reported that Moses would have to have had 1500 tons of food each day. Do you know that to bring that much food each day, two freight trains, each a mile long, would be required!
Besides you must remember, they were out in the desert, so they would have to have firewood to use in cooking the food. This would take 4000 tons of wood and a few more freight trains, each a mile long, just for one day. And just think, they were forty years in transit.
And oh yes! They would have to have water. If they only had enough to drink and wash a few dishes, it would take 11,000,000 gallons each day, and a freight train with tank cars, 1800 miles long, just to bring water!
And then another thing! They had to get across the Red Sea in one night. Now, if they went on a narrow path, double file, the line would be 800 miles long and would require 35 days and nights to get through. So, there had to be a space in the Red Sea, 3 miles wide so that they could walk 5000 abreast to get over in one night.
But then, there is another problem. Each time they camped at the end of the day, a campground two-thirds the size of the state of Rhode Island was required, or a total of 750 square miles long... think of it! This space just for nightly camping.
Do you think Moses figured all this out before he left Egypt?
I think not!
You see, Moses believed in God. God took care of these things for him.
Now do you think God has any problem taking care of all your needs?

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The Bee Sting Author Unknown
A vacationing family drives along in their car, windows rolled down, enjoying the warm summer breeze of the sunny day. All of a sudden a big black bee darts in the window and starts buzzing around inside the car. A little girl, highly allergic to bee stings, cringes in the back seat.
If she is stung, she could die within an hour.
"Oh, Daddy," she squeals in terror, "it's a bee! It's going to sting me!"
The father pulls the car over to a stop, and reaches back to try to catch the bee. Buzzing towards him, the bee bumps against the front windshield where the father traps it in his fist. Holding it in his closed hand, the father waits for the inevitable sting. The bee stings the father's hand and in pain, the father lets go of the bee.
The bee is loose in the car again. The little girl again panics, "Daddy, it's going to sting me!"
The father gently says, "No honey, he's not going to sting you now. Look at my hand."
The bee's stinger is there in his hand.
1 Corinthians 15:55 says, "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
Jesus says to us, "Look at my hands."
He has Satan's sting,
the sting of death,
the sting of sin,
the sting of deceit,
the sting of feeling worthless.
Jesus has all of those stingers in His hands.
When you see that nail-scarred hand, realize that, on your behalf, Jesus took all the pain that Satan could throw at Him. He reduced Satan to a big black bee that has lost its stinger – all Satan can do is buzz.
That's the victory that Jesus won for you!

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Tax Assessor Author Unknown
A tax assessor came one day to a poor pastor to determine the amount of taxes the pastor would have to pay. The following conversation took place:
"What property do you possess?" asked the assessor.
"I am a very wealthy man," replied the minister.
"List your possessions, please," the assessor instructed.
"First, I have everlasting life (John 3:16).
"Second, I have a mansion in heaven (John 14:2).
"Third, I have peace that passeth understanding (Philippians 4:7).
"Fourth, I have joy unspeakable (1 Peter 1:8).
"Fifth, I have divine love which never faileth (1 Corinthians 13:8).
"Sixth, I have a faithful precious wife (Proverbs 31:10).
"Seventh, I have healthy, happy obedient children (Exodus 20:12).
"Eighth, I have true, loyal friend (Proverbs 18:24).
"Ninth, I have songs in the night (Psalms 42:8).
"Tenth, I have a crown of life (James 1:12)."
The tax assessor closed his book, and said, "Truly you are a very rich man, but your wealth is not subject to taxation.

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Letting go to Lead by Julie Cosgrove
“When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, ‘What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?’” (Exodus 18:14)
Do you have “I need to do it so it’s done right” syndrome? How many times have I said under my breath that if I want it done right I have to do it myself? How many times have I heard other women complain, saying exactly the same thing? It’s no wonder we feel the weight of the world on our shoulders.
Trying to pry our fingers off the control button of our lives and the lives of others is a difficult thing to do. Moses also knew this fact. God had assigned him to lead 4,000 men plus women, children and livestock out of Egypt. On top of this Moses was also assigned to teach the Israelites the Ten Commandments. It came to the point where Moses just assumed he had to do it all by himself.
But that is not leadership – it is dictatorship. True leadership allows others to develop to their full potential. A true leader stands by and chooses to bite his or her tongue as others learn to do the tasks. In addition, a true leader applauds the efforts of those learning while giving honest feedback on ways to improve. The mentality is not to follow behind and redo everything “the right way”. A true leader also doesn’t assume no one else can learn the right way or that there is only one right way.
If you try to do everything for everybody, then what are you really doing for others? If you spread yourself so thin and can’t have any quality time for anyone, how are you really benefitting others? If you assume you are the only one who can do something because you feel God has called you to that task, then I think someone wise would ask you the same question Moses was asked, “What are your really doing for these people?”
The wise man who posed this question to Moses was his father-in-law, Jethro. He told Moses that he was wearing himself out and advised him to divvy up the smaller tasks to potential leaders in Israel. As a result Moses would have the time and energy for tasks that required his expertise. This advice made sense to Moses and he saw God’s fingerprint on it.
Moses realized that God had spoken through his own father-in-law. This is the man who had taken Moses in after he fled Egypt. Jethro also helped strengthen Moses’ faith and beckoned him to embrace his identity as a child of Abraham. In Moses’ season of confusion and pain God used Jethro as an instrument of godliness.
If you feel frazzled and tired, it might be worthwhile to ask yourself some questions. “Am I trying to do everything by myself?” or “How many control buttons am I clinging to right now?” Listen for the ways God is telling you to let go and let Him work through others.
Don’t worry, you aren’t being fired; you are being refined. He is taking your light and asking you to let go and use it to fire up others for His work. The question can still be: “What can you do for others?” You have the ability to lead others in truth to discover their own worth and talents. Essentially, with liberating leadership you are enabling others to see themselves the way that God sees them. In leading without control, you are showing them how God is in control.
Heavenly Father, help us to listen to You when You speak even through others. Teach us how true leadership is a servant’s attitude and help us not to be a slave to our obligations. Enable us to let go of the reins and let You work through us so You can work through others. Through your Son who gave up His life for us, we pray. Amen
Question: What control button in your life do you need to let go of?

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WHAT HAPPENS WHEN GOD SAYS NO? Author Unknown
I heard a story recently about a young girl who wrote a letter to a missionary to let him know that her class had been praying for him. But evidently she'd been told not to request a response to her letter because the missionaries were very busy. So the missionary got a kick out of her letter. It said, "Dear Mr. Missionary, we are praying for you. But we are not expecting an answer."
I can't help but think that that little girl summarized the prayer lives of many Christians. Sometimes we pray without expecting an answer, even though God has assured us that He does indeed hear our prayers. David said, "I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my supplications." (Psalm 116:1). But I think many of us struggle with the nagging question, "Is God really listening to me?" Yes, He heard David, He heard Elijah, and He heard the apostles. But does He hear me?
How do we really know that our prayers are answered? Sure, there are times when we see visible results. We may pray for someone who's sick and the next week they get well. But more often, our prayers don't produce flashing "neon" answers. We pray for help in financial problems, and we don't see things get any better. We pray for guidance in making right decisions, but the decisions don't get any easier. We pray for relationships with other people to improve, but they just seem to get worse. How do we as Christians account for that happening? How do we explain the fact that so many of our prayers seem to go "unanswered"?
The truth is, for a child of God there is no such thing as an unanswered prayer. Maybe you've heard it said before that God answers prayer in three ways. Sometimes the answer is "yes." Sometimes the answer is "no." And sometimes the answer is "wait a while." It's easy to accept an answer of "yes," but what about when God says, "no"?
Let me suggest three principles:
1. First of all, we need to trust God enough to realize that our all-loving, all-powerful Father loves us and has our best interest at heart. So when it seems that God says "no" to our prayers, we must trust Him enough to understand that there must be a good reason for it. It may be beyond our limited ability to understand, but we must simply trust God.
2. Secondly, we must not forsake God. Disappointment is a dangerous, powerful thing. When we get the feeling that God isn't listening to us, that He has said "no" to some prayer, we have a tendency to feel disappointed in Him. And Satan whispers to us, "God said He loves you, but He's not here." And if we allow that disappointment to harbor in our hearts, it can drive a wedge between us and God. We must continue to be faithful to our responsibility before God.
3. Thirdly, we need to realize that the answer may not be "no," but only "wait a while." God always answers our prayers immediately, but sometimes there's a delay in the giving of the answer and that can be a difficult thing for us to accept. The ability to wait for an answer is one of the marks of maturity. Be willing to let God answer in his own time, in his own way, and in his own power.
Many people see God as a divine vending machine in which you deposit one prayer and out pops a blessing. But what happens when you put your money in the Coke machine and nothing comes out? You get angry, you kick the Coke machine. So it's not surprising that such a view of God and prayer leads to disappointment when God says no.
I believe that we need to foster an entirely different view of prayer from that one. Our God is the Great God of the Universe, the Creator of all things that exist other than Himself. For us to even venture to speak to Him is presumptuous. For us to ask Him to pay attention to our requests and then hope for Him to meet them requires bold expectation. In fact such would be arrogance if it were not for the simple fact that God tells us to do just that.
Looking from the proper perspective, we will not ask "What happens when God says no?" but rather "What happens when God says yes?" That the God of the heavens would listen to us and our needs is a great testimony to His great love for us. And it is that love that will lead Him to say no from time to time. At those times, we must trust Him knowing that he loves us and desires what is best for us. We must never forsake Him nor our duty toward Him. And we must realize that what we interpret to be an answer of "no" may just be God telling us to wait a while.
"This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." (I John 5:14)

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10 RULES FOR A BLESSED DAY Author Unknown
1. TODAY I WILL NOT STRIKE BACK . . . If someone is rude, if someone is impatient, if someone is unkind, I will not respond in a like manner.
2. TODAY I WILL ASK GOD TO BLESS MY 'ENEMY'. . . If I come across someone who treats me harshly or unfairly, I will quietly ask God to bless that individual. I understand "enemy" could be a family member, neighbor, co-worker or stranger.
3. TODAY I WILL BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT I SAY . . . I will carefully choose and guard my words being certain that I do not spread gossip.
4. TODAY I WILL GO THE EXTRA MILE . . . I will find ways to help share the burden of another person.
5. TODAY I WILL FORGIVE . . . I will forgive any hurts or injuries that come my way.
6. TODAY I WILL DO SOMETHING KIND FOR SOMEONE, (BUT I WILL DO IT IN SECRET . . . I will reach out anonymously and bless the life of another.
7. TODAY I WILL TREAT OTHERS THE WAY I WISH TO BE TREATED . . . I will practice the golden rule. "Do Unto others as I would have them do unto me"- with EVERYONE I encounter.
8. TODAY I WILL RAISE THE SPIRITS OF SOMEONE WHO IS DISCOURAGED . . . My smile, my words, my expression of support, can make the difference to someone who is wrestling with life.
9. TODAY I WILL NURTURE MY BODY . . . I will eat less . . . I will eat only healthy foods. I will thank God for my body.
10. TODAY I WILL GROW SPIRITUALLY . . . I will spend a little more time in prayer today. I will begin reading something spiritual or inspirational; I will find a quiet place (at some point during this day) and listen to God's voice.
Luke 10:27 He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
We learn three principles about loving our neighbor: (1) lack of love is often easy to justify, even though it is never right; (2) our neighbor is anyone of any race, creed, or social background who is in need; and (3) love means acting to meet the person's needs. Wherever you live, there are needy people close by. There is no good reason for refusing to help.
Remember, today is a gift from God so treat it preciously.

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Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
Establish faith in the very foundation of your being. Align your thoughts to agree with My word, says the Lord, for I will answer your faith by bringing forth My word in your life. The blessings and promises of My kingdom are available to everyone who believes. But, you must believe and not allow the enemy to undermine your faith with thoughts of negativity and unbelief. Rise up to receive all that I have provided for you. Isaiah 55:11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Indeed, old ceilings have become new floors as you have arisen to a new level of spiritual experience. And now I am establishing you there and causing you to stabilize and be more solid in the knowledge and skill that you have gained in new spiritual activity. You have been challenged to exercise a higher degree of maturity and will now experience a greater calm in the midst of the storms of life, says the Lord. Be strong! Ephesians 4:11-15 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—

The stand that you have taken against the enemy is being challenged. Now you must decide what to do about that. Will you just sit down in defeat because your ground is too hard to hold? Or, will you rise up in faith and authority to re-establish and maintain your victory? The choice is yours, but I am with you and behind you to gain and keep the victory, says the Lord. 1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

Listen carefully, My children. The enemy has released an attack against you that will result in frustration through spirits of infirmity, fear and heaviness. Infirmity will cause you to feel like you've been victimized in some way, fear will cause you to dread, and heaviness will produce despair. I would have you recognize that it will drain you emotionally. But, I have given you authority to cast out these demons and to stop this assault against you. Rise up in that authority and do business in the realm of the spirit, says the Lord, and I will bring restoration and recovery. Acts 3:19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.

Take advantage of every opportunity to tidy up by finishing the things you started a few months ago. Take care of unfinished business and take the next step that will release you from dreaded and daunting responsibilities. That which is required of you is not as menacing as you have imagined. Just move ahead one step at a time until you have accomplished your goal, says the Lord. You must do this in order to find the spiritual freedom that comes as a result of being unencumbered. Freedom awaits! 1 Peter 1:6-7 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

I have given you seeds to sow that will produce a powerful harvest in due season. Do not sow sparingly nor hold back what is in your power to give. I'm not only speaking to you of your finances, but of your time, energy and goodwill. Open your heart and allow Me to establish a generous spirit so that out of that generosity, you will reap abundantly, says the Lord. It is My will and desire that you prosper in all things. Proverbs 3:27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do so. 2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

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The Trumpet by Bill Burns
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
Let your spirit arise. I say to you, come up here and behold My glory, says the Lord. My glory is being poured out, and you will be changed with each encounter that you have with Me. My glory shall be in demonstration to bring transformation. Deep calls to deep at the overflow of My presence into your life. The latter rain is coming to stir your spirit and bring elevation to your being. Have I not said that I would come to you as the rain--the former and the latter rain together? I will come and wash you and empower you for the days ahead. Zechariah 10:1a Ask the LORD for rain in the time of the latter rain.

Storms in the natural realm are signs of spiritual storms. Have no fear, but prepare yourself for the storms. Be alert, for these storms will challenge you by causing you to get into moments of reflection that will cause you to remember failures from the past, which should be forgotten. The enemy will bring lies and accusations against you, My people. Prepare yourself even as Paul prepared for shipwreck; the ship was lost, but there was no loss of life. In the same way, the ship of your past, your own desires and failed dreams may go down, but you will be positioned in another place of blessing where you will walk in the power of My Spirit and not in the power of your own strength, says the Lord. (Acts ch. 27)

A new spiritual habitation is being presented to us, and Jesus is saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things. Things you need to know. Be a watchman. Become like the sons of Issachar who have understanding of the times and seasons.” 1 Chronicles 12:32 of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do...

Rise up My people with the voice of faith, and believe. In this dispensation I am bringing forth a royal priesthood, which has been prophesied for the end of the age. They shall come forth and rule with a mighty hand. They will not be deterred. Their ranks will not be overrun, for they have received the vision of the Lord and the anointing of the Most Holy One rests upon them and causes them to run the race to win. This is the authority that I am releasing in this time. Only believe, says the Lord.

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If God Should Go On Strike Author Unknown
How good it is that God above has never gone on strike,
Because he was not treated fair in things he didn't like,
If only once he had given up and said, "That's it, I'm through!"
"I've had enough of those on earth, so This is what I'll do."
"I'll give my orders to the sun--cut off the heat supply!"
"And to the moon give no more light, and run the oceans dry."
"Then just to make things really tough, and put the pressure on,"
"Turn off the vital oxygen 'til every breath is gone!"
You know he would be justified, if fairness was the game,
For no one has been more abused, met with more disdain than God,
And yet he carries on, supplying you and me.
With all the favors of His grace, and everything for free.
Men say they want a better deal, and so on strike they go.
But what a deal we've given God to whom all things we owe.
We don't care whom we hurt, to gain the things we like,
But what a mess we'd all be in, if God should go on strike.

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Praising My God by Nancy Burr
I'm never gonna stop praising my God,
He fills my heart with love.
I'll praise His name forevermore,
My precious God above.
I'll sit at His feet and praise His name,
I'll worship Him all my days.
Yes I will keep on praising my God,
My Saviour and King always.
I'm never gonna stop praising you Lord,
You keep me loving You.
You fill my life with warm blue skies,
You stay faithful and true.
Though struggles come and shake up my world,
Your strength will help me through.
So I'll just keep on praising You Lord,
Forever I will love You.
I'm never gonna stop praising You Lord,
I'll always follow Your ways,
I want to be faithful and true to the end,
So I'll praise You all of my days.
Your word is a lamp that lights up my path,
I have put my hope in Your word,
I seek You Lord with all of my heart,
For Your voice Lord I have heard.
I'm never gonna stop praising You Lord,
I lift my voice to You.
I'll worship You Father all of my days,
Forever my heart will be true.
I'm never gonna stop praising You Lord,
My God, my Father, my Friend.
Forever I'll love You, forever I'll sing,
I'll praise You to the end.

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12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14

Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25

Enter [the Lord’s] gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:4-5

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

Forgiveness and Prayer
25 “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” Mark 11:25-26

Do Good to Please God
1 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. Matthew 6:1-4

1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:1-5

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Sit Still And Wait Upon The Lord by Jackie Blanchard
Job 17:11 - My days have passed, my plans are shattered, and so are the desires of my heart. (NIV)
Romans 5:3-4 - We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. (NLT)
Psalm 27:14 - Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. (KJV)
Some seasons in life bring triumph, some bring trials, and some bring a little of both. As winter transitioned into spring this year, to my dismay, it nudged me further into my season of spiritual stillness, a season designed to slow me down, providing a span of time to recuperate, rejuvenate, and grow strong in preparation for the next season. Waiting can be difficult, and frankly, I was weary of waiting. I wanted to tackle a new assignment and was eager to get things started. Surely, I'd learned all of the intended lessons a quiet season teaches and was ready for God to use me in active service once again.
Feeling invigorated, I headed to Victoria Park for a whirl around the ice rink. The sun was shining, the air was crisp, and the ice was fast. My enthusiasm took me to new heights and depths. I would sport a blue cast on my arm for the next seven weeks. Discomfort and limitation were my constant companions. I was now in misery and housebound. There would be no immediate relief or remedy. My new circumstances had not only increased my limitations, but had single-handedly squashed all of my current activities. This was a major setback. In the blink of an eye, I had been stopped in my tracks. Why? What purpose did this serve? All that was clear was that my season of stillness was not over yet.
Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (ESV)
At times like this, all we can do is wait upon the Lord, and draw near to Him in prayer. Our heavenly Father loves us and won't leave us alone. He knows the desires of our hearts, the paths we should take, and when we should take them. We may not understand the whys in life, but we must trust the One who does. God alone knows what is ahead. He will prepare and equip us. In His perfect timing, He will move us to the exact place where He can best use our skills and abilities for His glory. Sometimes, that requires a season of stillness and waiting upon the Lord. Or, just maybe, these seasons come for God's good pleasure. After all, He is our heavenly Father. It's possible that some seasons are designed to give God some special one-on-one time with each of His dear children.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we are Your dear children, and we love You. Forgive us when we forget that we are the apple of Your eye and that time spent with us brings You great pleasure. Thank You for tending to our needs and guiding our steps. May our acts of kindness, words of encouragement, and songs of praise be pleasing in Your sight. Dear Lord, help us to wait with glad hearts. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

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Loving Father, forgive us for the times our hearts have overflowed in harmful ways. Help us to bring healing and blessing to those around us, even when we’re knocked off balance. Amen.

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Read Through The Bible
Amos 5
1 Hear ye this word which I take up against you, even a lamentation, O house of Israel. 2 The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up. 3 For thus saith the Lord God; The city that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred, and that which went forth by an hundred shall leave ten, to the house of Israel. 4 For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live: 5 But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought. 6 Seek the Lord, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Bethel. 7 Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth, 8 Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his name: 9 That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress. 10 They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly. 11 Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them. 12 For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right. 13 Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time. 14 Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. 15 Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph. 16 Therefore the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skillful of lamentation to wailing. 17 And in all vineyards shall be wailing: for I will pass through thee, saith the Lord. 18 Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. 19 As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. 20 Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it? 21 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. 22 Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. 23 Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. 24 But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. 25 Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel? 26 But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves. 27 Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the Lord, whose name is The God of hosts.

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Thank you, God, for loving us even when we feel unlovable. Help us to remember that you always love us. We lift up our praise and gratitude to you, dear heavenly Father, because you are always with us. You help us when we lose hope. You chase away our fear and anxiety. Thank you. Amen.

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