*Post transferred from ammegan.tblog.com
I was struggling with my thoughts this morning. I woke up wanting to go to church and by the time I was ready, it was already late. We woke up on time, we did everything on time but it was an issue within the torn-apart heart. So I kept distracting myself by trying into different clothes, setting my wet hair, and complaining about how heavy my handbag was...while thinking about whether I should still go to church or not. The on-time Hobbit told me that it was still okay to go because the homely part was yet to start. In fact it wasn't too late. Then when I was about to step out of the door and slip my feet into my heels, I pulled my feet back and threw myself onto the cushion again. Confused, Hobbit sat beside me and ask"Don't you think that our spiritual life is going downhill lately?" There, he started me thinking. Then it struck me, didn't I just prayed this morning that God will reveal Himself to us today through His sermons and fellowship in church? I did. No wonder I have this sense of guilt, feeling that Satan is trying to distract me from attending church. Well, we did go but the sermon was halfway through and some people were walking out already. So we prayed for forgiveness and deliverance. But the fact that we still made an effort, made us feel much better and at peace.
I was struggling with my thoughts this morning. I woke up wanting to go to church and by the time I was ready, it was already late. We woke up on time, we did everything on time but it was an issue within the torn-apart heart. So I kept distracting myself by trying into different clothes, setting my wet hair, and complaining about how heavy my handbag was...while thinking about whether I should still go to church or not. The on-time Hobbit told me that it was still okay to go because the homely part was yet to start. In fact it wasn't too late. Then when I was about to step out of the door and slip my feet into my heels, I pulled my feet back and threw myself onto the cushion again. Confused, Hobbit sat beside me and ask"Don't you think that our spiritual life is going downhill lately?" There, he started me thinking. Then it struck me, didn't I just prayed this morning that God will reveal Himself to us today through His sermons and fellowship in church? I did. No wonder I have this sense of guilt, feeling that Satan is trying to distract me from attending church. Well, we did go but the sermon was halfway through and some people were walking out already. So we prayed for forgiveness and deliverance. But the fact that we still made an effort, made us feel much better and at peace.
Well, here's something I read today that I thought was God-sent. I just wanted to thank Him for showing me a piece of answer to one of my questions following Hobbit's question this morning-- How can we enrich our spiritual walk with God? Obviously known but too often distracted, this is one way.
Look to Jesus First
by: Dr. Bruce C. Swaffield
Who we are in the world is much less important than who we are in God. In fact, our place and our position do not matter at all as long as we are doing the work the Lord has called us to do. The problem comes when we try to please coworkers, friends and acquaintances more than God.
People everywhere, even well-meaning Christians, have a way of accepting or rejecting us based on what they see and think. They look at us through their eyes and perspective, not through the pure heart of God. At times, we do the same of others, too. We judge someone from what we have heard, what we have experienced and what we feel – even though we know all of these can easily deceive us.
Jesus knew well the trappings of our own temptations and sins. As a human, he faced the same emotions and situations. Yet, he was able to overcome his physical humanness and be guided completely by the spirit.
We can never go wrong when we follow the Holy Spirit. In God is where we find our true validation and worth. We cannot allow anything, even our own thoughts or hurts, to separate us from the Father. We need to forgive those who try to judge us, accept those who try to reject us and love those who try to ignore us. Jesus taught us what to do in each circumstance. He is the example. We are his followers.
There is a choice we make each morning: whether to follow God gently into a new day or to be jolted awake by our hectic thoughts and schedule. From the time we open our eyes, the world comes racing toward us with problems, concerns, anxieties and fears. But God offers us peace, comfort, strength and faith. Which one we choose determines what will happen during the next 15 or 16 hours, until evening falls and we rest again.
You and I need to work at letting God guide us as we take our first tentative steps into another day. Our hearts and minds must be listening to him, looking to him and walking toward him. We must actively seek him, doing whatever we can to push aside the sounds that call to us from everyday living.
Taking time with God every morning requires practice and discipline. There are dozens of things that try to pull us away and distract us – most of all time itself. The argument we hear most often in our heads is that we do not have time for prayer and meditation; we must get to work or school; we have an appointment; we cannot be late. We fool ourselves into believing we will set aside time later in the day to spend with God. In the meantime, who knows where we will be or what may happen.
Being with God at the beginning of each day lets us see his path and plan. He can give us the calm and order we are seeking in our lives. He sends us off in the right direction because he knows what is waiting for us just ahead. Trusting him means taking time with him to set our course on his will for the day. Better we follow him than our unpredictable thoughts, emotions and plans.
People everywhere, even well-meaning Christians, have a way of accepting or rejecting us based on what they see and think. They look at us through their eyes and perspective, not through the pure heart of God. At times, we do the same of others, too. We judge someone from what we have heard, what we have experienced and what we feel – even though we know all of these can easily deceive us.
Jesus knew well the trappings of our own temptations and sins. As a human, he faced the same emotions and situations. Yet, he was able to overcome his physical humanness and be guided completely by the spirit.
We can never go wrong when we follow the Holy Spirit. In God is where we find our true validation and worth. We cannot allow anything, even our own thoughts or hurts, to separate us from the Father. We need to forgive those who try to judge us, accept those who try to reject us and love those who try to ignore us. Jesus taught us what to do in each circumstance. He is the example. We are his followers.
There is a choice we make each morning: whether to follow God gently into a new day or to be jolted awake by our hectic thoughts and schedule. From the time we open our eyes, the world comes racing toward us with problems, concerns, anxieties and fears. But God offers us peace, comfort, strength and faith. Which one we choose determines what will happen during the next 15 or 16 hours, until evening falls and we rest again.
You and I need to work at letting God guide us as we take our first tentative steps into another day. Our hearts and minds must be listening to him, looking to him and walking toward him. We must actively seek him, doing whatever we can to push aside the sounds that call to us from everyday living.
Taking time with God every morning requires practice and discipline. There are dozens of things that try to pull us away and distract us – most of all time itself. The argument we hear most often in our heads is that we do not have time for prayer and meditation; we must get to work or school; we have an appointment; we cannot be late. We fool ourselves into believing we will set aside time later in the day to spend with God. In the meantime, who knows where we will be or what may happen.
Being with God at the beginning of each day lets us see his path and plan. He can give us the calm and order we are seeking in our lives. He sends us off in the right direction because he knows what is waiting for us just ahead. Trusting him means taking time with him to set our course on his will for the day. Better we follow him than our unpredictable thoughts, emotions and plans.
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