Tag Archives: trust God

Separation Anxiety

Today I learned a lesson about trusting God. When my son was a toddler—I would pry him from my leg, kiss him goodbye, and promise to pick him up in a few hours from daycare. I was never concerned about leaving my son at daycare—he was in a place that was safe, loving and filled with childhood discoveries! As I would drive off, the last glance at the daycare window revealed two small hands pressed against the window and a face that was obviously very upset that I left. It was so hard to continue driving off…and there were times when I would stop the car, run back into daycare, pick up my son, and back home we went. Of course, he was never going to learn to trust that I still existed as mom; even when I wasn’t present with him. The daycare teachers would console him by telling him, “Mom and dad, ALWAYS come back.” They offered him many hugs and a lot of lap-time too.

Today, I felt like my son must have felt. My day started fast and furious, getting the boys off to school, saying goodbye to my husband, and then heading out for appointments. After my appointments, I returned home to a quiet, empty house. “Okay Lord, where were we?” I waited for a “feeling” that God was present, but I didn’t feel Him. I called out for Him to show up…but nothing. I didn’t feel God. I spent most the afternoon crying because I thought I had done something wrong because God didn’t seem near. I prayed and sought sins to confess. I promised Him that if I did something wrong that I wouldn’t do it again! Oh no! I started getting anxious that God wasn’t there. Obviously upset, I knelt and cried, “Lord, I know You haven’t left me because You said You would never leave or forsake me.” I reminded Him of His Word, which said, that He is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. But why couldn’t I feel Him? I sat down and started to read my Bible…I searched for scriptures that reminded me that God would never leave me. I reminded God of how much my life depended on Him. Then I read Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Then, I felt God saying to me, that He’s been with me all day long! He helped me to know that He’s not just a feeling; rather He’s sure and confident. He let me know that I could and must continue to pray, study, and worship Him…even when I don’t feel Him. And, yes, I’m smiling now because my Father was with me today even though I didn’t feel His presence!

We must continue to obey what God has taught us in His Word, in spite of not feeling Him at times. Just as my son had to trust that I would always come back for him. I had to learn to trust that God is present even when I don’t feel Him.   A lesson on trusting that God is always with us, no matter what it feels like or what we’re going through.

Deuteronomy 31:6

Psalm 34:18

Psalm 42:1-4

Hebrews 11:1

Just as you are…

You have everything you need today to accomplish great things. Maybe you did not accomplish what you intended to last year. Perhaps you fell short, of your goal. Not to worry…today is a new day and a New Year! You have everything you need to accomplish great things for God.

God often uses simple things to accomplish great tasks in this world. As long as you are dedicated to God, He will use you to do great things for Him. No matter how little you may have today if you commit what you have today, to be used for serving God; He will take the little you have and do great things with it!

God used a staff by Moses to work miracles before Pharaoh. He used Joshua’s trumpet to flatten the walls of Jericho. He used a small stone of David’s to defeat Goliath. He used two fish and five loaves of bread to feed a crowd of over 5,000 people with leftovers. Do not despair today God can do great things with you and the little that you may have.

What do you have that God can use today…do not worry about what you had, but bring what you have today to God. Commit it to Him to be used for great things! Dear Lord, we thank you that you do not require of us the things we do not have in order to serve You. You will accept what simple, little things we have today, if we commit those things to be used for Your purpose. Take what we offer You today, and do great and mighty things with it Lord. Take our lives, as simple as they are, and use us for Your glory. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen

Panic Not

This morning I asked the Lord, “Help me not to panic.”  I was immediately reminded of the disciples reaction during the squall on the Sea of Galilee.  These seasoned fishermen panicked because the storm threatened their lives.  Jesus seemed unconcerned.  “That’s it!  I want to learn to be unconcerned of the threats in life that cause anxiety, panic, and alarm.  I want my reactions to the storms of like to be like Jesus!”

Lord, help my unbelief.  Help me to trust you when the storms in my life threaten to destroy me or the ones I love.  Unlike the disciples who relied on a physical Jesus to assist them–I have your Holy Spirit within me to call upon for assistance.  Lord, You control the storms of nature and the storms of my troubled heart.  Don’t ever let me discount Your power Lord.  Forgive me when I forget Who is inside of me or see only my resources available to help me in the storms.  You cannot be defeated Lord.  Help me to pray when the storms are raging.  Prayer will confirm my hope in you Lord whereas panic only confirms my hopelessness.  I will panic not.

Mark 4:35-41
1 Samuel 13:6
Daniel 2:16-18

Ask…and God will do it. John 14:14

When Jesus says we can ask for anything and He will do it…we must remember that our asking must be in His name—that is, according to God’s character and Will. God will not grant requests contrary to His nature or His Will, and we cannot use His name as a magic formula to fulfill our selfish desires.

You must know the character of God in order to make right requests of God.  Some of the characteristics of God are love, power, gentleness, strength, patience, joy, peace, goodness, faithfulness.  We have to trust God and know that He is always in control. That means He’s Sovereign.  If you’ve grown to know God’s character in areas of your life, John 14:14 awaits you…Ask God’s will to be done.

A Simple Prayer…

Father, I am listening to You now. Help me to hear clearly what You want to teach me. So when I hear from You Lord, please give me Your strength to trust Your Word and follow You. Please help us be what You want us to be today Lord. Amen

Stuck between a rock and a hard place…

In Exodus 14:1-19, the Israelites were stuck between the mountains and the sea.  We may sometimes feel trapped in our jobs, relationships, situations—as a result of circumstances.   We may begin to feel like our hands are tied—we are doomed—no way out of the situation—trapped!  That is exactly how the Israelites felt too!  A physical mountain on one side and the sea before them—and coming behind them were the Egyptians.  Coming for the kill! The Israelites felt doomed!  So we feel that way too when we can see no way out, and we feel the full court press of our enemies coming to destroy us! We may feel fear, despair, and start to complain about our situation— even question if God sees what’s about to happen to us!  The Israelites certainly felt that way.

However, by focusing on how God has been faithful in the past and brought us through, we can face crises with confidence that God will do it again.   Rather than fearing and complaining, trust God.  Even Moses prayed to God to intervene and help them.  Gods reply to Moses was, “Why are you crying out to me?  Tell the Israelites to move on toward the sea”!  Sometimes we know what to do, and we must just do it!  Don’t keep praying to God, asking Him for more guidance.  Just do what you know you are supposed to do!  Moses got it!  He told the Israelites to stand still and see the deliverance The Lord will bring!

I say to you today!  If God is telling you to move ahead on something, do not wait any longer, move forward.  You are not going to drown if you trust in God!  I know it may seem like you will lose all you have.  Only trust God.  It may seem like there’s no way you are going to get out of this one; you are running into a brick wall!  However, stand still and see what God will do!  Time to act!  You know the end of the story with the Israelites, they pressed forward, and God parted the sea for them to cross over!  God has brought you to this place between a rock and a hard place so that you will know to trust Him only.   So when He delivers you, you will know that no one did it but God!  Trust God to rescue you from your enemies today!  I am not going to list what your enemies could be, you know them.  Just do what you know God wants you to do!  Move forward and watch Him deliver you from your enemies today!

Thank You Lord for Your Word.