Tuesday, June 28, 2011

In the quiet, In the stillness, I know that You are God.

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10
"In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." Isaiah 30:15


Finding stillness and quietness in my day is one of the hardest things to do. Honestly, I don't really like being still. I love living life with things to do and people to see. I enjoy "going with the flow." God made me with that personality, but with that, I continually have to learn to be obedient in it. We all know that God commands us to be still and rest in His presence, but when do we do it? Do we rush through it? Do we pray in the midst of chaos actually thinking God will answer those prayers right then? I know I don't feel peace about anything when I'm rushing around--even praying while I do. Its frustrating not hearing from God, but truthfully I am the cause of my own frustration. I am not still. Straight up--He commanded us to do it (He never said try or if you want to be still). Therefore, it is for our good and for His glory. After "Be still" God added "and know that I am God." Being still allows us to know who He is. Knowing who He is allows us to hear Him-- which allows us to follow Him--which allows us to become more like Him. We must be obedient in this if we are praying for His will to be done in our lives. I have learned that mornings are best to me--the world is quiet. It is truly amazing what He can show us when we are finally still before Him! The worlds chaos cannot compete with it.


In Daniel 10, Daniel is forced to be still and wait faithfully. Daniel prayed and fasted fervently for 3 weeks unable to hear an answer from God concerning a dream about a great war. Finally, an angel came to him in a dream on the 24th day. The angel had been detained from giving the message to Daniel because he was fighting a heavenly battle against enemy forces. These enemy forces were fighting to prevent Daniel from receiving God's answer --keeping him unable to do the will of God. Through Daniel's unceasing prayers, God sent more of heavens forces to win the battle so the messenger could go to Daniel. Daniel didn't want to do anything out of the Lord's will so he consistently waited patiently, faithfully, and quietly. Of course, the Lord was faithful to answer. "And this is confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him." 1 John 5:14-15 "Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know." Jeremiah 33:3. A quote from a book I am reading said, "Heaven could be waiting on you." Pray about everything and expect an answer (it definitely could be no), but if its His will --learn to accept it even though its hard. His will and desires for us are always perfect. If I have learned nothing else through difficult times, it is that. 


Elijah heard God's "Still small voice" in 1 KIngs 19:12. Praying for that today--I always desperately need it.





Monday, June 13, 2011

Just a Thankful Day

"No gift unrecognized as coming from God is at its own best: therefore many things that God would gladly give us, things even that we need because we are, must wait until we ask for them, that we may know whence they come: when in all gifts we find Him, then in Him we shall find all things." -George McDonald

Learning to pray for each and every situation and am forever working on "praying without ceasing"...it is such a hard thing for our minds not to get wrapped up in the world around us! But I have found lately that once I start learning the first... my eyes look to Him countless times more in everyday situations. Through that, I have become so much more thankful for prayer with my Father...I have and still do take that gift for granted much of the time. It makes me so sad I don't always take advantage of time with Him.

Still wanting to see Him in ALL things--praying for my eyes and ears to become accustomed to His "still small voice".

Monday, June 6, 2011

Truly Listening and Seeing

This caught my eye today: "God teaches us to ask so that He might answer our prayers. This reminds us of the source of our blessings." Elisabeth Elliot tells a story of how she got lost in the city when she had specifically asked God to keep her from getting lost. Her new prayer then was to be found by the young exchange student that was living with her at the time. Doubting that it would happen...she prayed anyway. God allowed her to be rescued within 5 minutes by that student. She said, "the answer to my prayer not to get lost was No--in order that I might be specifically blessed in the way I was found." All the glory goes to Him.

I love it when God surprises me--it reminds me of His greatness and His interest in every little detail of my life. He uses His people, the "wow" of His creation,  and those crazy things that you know are "just God"to speak into my life ---those are the things that truly change my life. We have a God who cares and goes to great lengths to show us just how much each and every day. He did not stop at the cross---the ultimate act of love (first for His glory then for us) ---which would have been more than sufficient for us, but He continues to pour out His blessings and acts of kindness on us. I overlook them too much of the time --especially in the busyness of the day.
"Those who have ears, let him hear. Those who have eyes, let him see." Yes we have ears and eyes, but honestly...are we using them correctly? Jesus calls us to be to be seeing (focused) and listening not just looking and hearing to find Him in the small and (sometimes) big things in life.

Praying to see Him in everything today...especially the small details. He is faithful to be there.