by wendy | Jul 1, 2020 | Encouragement, Encouragement For Your Heart, Focus on God, Godly Relationships, Trusting God
I had an opportunity this week to develop my trust in the Lord a little more. Someone in my life presented a request/demand that seemed like a possible threat to our family’s peace. As these situations usually are, the correct way to handle it is complicated and a bit fuzzy. Suddenly, that person seemed like an enemy. As I began to toss the situation and our defense around in my mind, it didn’t take long before I was angry and all of my peace was missing in action.
I reached out to several of my trusted friends to pray for us about the situation. Asking them to pray was a good thing, but in the ask I also began to explain – and my explaining quickly became complaining. As I was explaining/complaining to my PIP (Partner in Prayer) our signal got cut off and I had about 10 minutes before I was able to reconnect. During that intermission, God brought Psalm 37 to mind and began to show me that I was fretting over the situation instead of trusting Him! When I was able to call my PIP back, I confessed that to her and asked her to pray for each party – and that peace would prevail.
Here is what I have learned from Psalm 37 about how God wants us to handle these situations:
“Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.”
Psalm 37:1-2
The word “fret” used here means to burn or to kindle in the original Hebrew. That certainly seems to describe my disposition when I feel threatened. As I described earlier, I roll the thoughts over and over in my mind until they become bigger and I become angrier. The fretting causes me to kindle that anger until it becomes a raging fire within me. How could peace possibly survive in that kind of environment?
This passage also reminds me that I am fretting over a temporary situation. While it may seem to be the most important thing in the moment, this is what distracts us from our purpose (worshipping God) and our mission (shine light to the dark world and encourage others).
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:18
God wants us to trust Him to handle our difficult situations and relationships so we can focus on our important work.
“Trust in the Lord and do good.”
Psalm 37:3
When we fret over people and difficult relationships, we are attempting to usurp the power of God. Fretting (rehearsing our defense in our minds) assumes that we have the power to fix things. Only God has the power to change hearts and minds – and He is able to do it in a way that brings peace and preserves relationships.
“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Exodus 14:14
As believers, we have a clear mission – encourage others – and specific directions on how to avoid the pitfalls of distraction due to difficult relationships.
“Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.”
1 Thessalonians 5:15
Godly relationships do not always include 2 godly people. When we choose to implement God’s ways into any relationship it becomes godly. Use wise boundaries to protect your heart from chronic abuse and choose to trust God in every situation. Only He can see into the heart of each one and He always knows the right way to go!
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7
by wendy | Jun 29, 2020 | Encouragement, Encouragement For Your Heart, Godly Relationships
More often than not, expectations get me into trouble in my relationships. I expect that someone will treat me a certain way, spend a certain amount of time with me, serve me in a particular way, or give me something. I have expectations about other people’s behavior, words, and even the way they look. When I think this is not true, I only have to think about the last time I got upset with someone else and examine what actually upset me.
Please don’t misunderstand me – boundaries in relationships are important. We should set boundaries within our relationships for safety and our health.
- Boundaries say this is how far I can go and this is how far I can allow you to come.
- Expectations say this is what you need to do and this is how far you need to come.
- Boundaries guard my heart.
- Expectations put demands on yours.
We all have expectations that our relationships will be a two-way street, but we must remember that expectations most often stem from selfish desires and lead to selfish actions.
-Excerpt from Godly Relationships, Custer
I have never liked to consider myself selfish, but that is often the discovery I make when there is conflict in my relationships. Paul tells us to have the same mindset as Christ in Philippians – and he gives us specific directions about how to do it:
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interest of the others.”
Philippians 2:3
The key here is that each is looking to the interest of the other. When this happens, unity is reached and there is no need for expectations. But what happens when one person in the relationship doesn’t consider the other? It is then that we learn to trust in the Lord!
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret – it only leads to evil.”
Psalm 37:7-8
What evil does our wrath and anger lead to? When we refuse to turn our relationship issues over to God we ultimately turn to revenge and taking matters into our own hands.
“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.”
Romans 12:19
Relationships are amazing – until they are not. When we remain stuck in the cycle of having expectations of others and being disappointed by them, we miss out on the true value of godly relationships.
People do have the ability to make us feel loved and appreciated. We can, at times, feel fulfilled and complete because of a person, but that was never God’s intention for any relationship – including marriage. If another human could meet out needs fully, why would we need God?
-Excerpt from Godly Relationships, Custer
When we are disappointed by unmet expectations of others we are emptied – when we are filled by God we overflow!
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:13
Godly relationship is not a means to be filled, it is an opportunity to serve!
Instead of looking at relationship as a means to have our needs met, we should instead view it as an opportunity to practice unconditional love. And let us not forget that unconditional love – or “Agape” – is not a human characteristic. Instead, it is a quality of our supernatural God and we can only access it through the Spirit.
-Excerpt from Godly Relationships, Custer
How would our relationships change if we could see each one as an opportunity to practice loving others the way God loves us?
“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.”
1 John 4:7
by wendy | Jun 26, 2020 | Encouragement, Encouragement For Your Heart, Focus on God, Trusting God
When I need encouragement, there is no place I can go that will strengthen me like the Word of God. When I read His truth and promises, the lies of the world are exposed and I remember that His power is made perfect in my weakness. Even in the rare cases when I cannot access a Bible, I can pull from my memory to remind myself of the truth I already know. Preaching to myself is just this – reminding myself of what God has already said to my heart through His word.
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
Psalm 119:11
Here are 7 ways to strengthen yourself in the Lord through His Word:
Read The Word
Follow a reading plan, use a devotional guide, or just begin in a book of the Bible and go from there – there is no wrong way. One of my most common practices is to read back through the Scripture from my Pastor’s Sunday sermon several times throughout the week.
Listen to The Word
Listen to an audio version of the Bible or Scripture set to music.
Write The Word
Write verses on index cards to make a flip book or in a journal. Choose a verse and write it several times on cards to send to friends.
Wear The Word
Invest in a t-shirt or bracelet with a favorite verse. Purchase an extra to use for a gift.
Speak The Word
Repeating Scripture out loud has power on its own, but it also enhances memorization.
Sing The Word
Singing songs with Scripture helps to commit it to memory.
Share The Word
Look for opportunities to share the Scripture you are learning.
by wendy | Jun 24, 2020 | Encouragement, Encouragement For Your Heart, Focus on God, Trusting God
To celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary this week, Jerry and I travelled to West Virginia to do a little “adventuring” and to visit friends. Along the way we stopped in at Grandview National Park and walked along a trail to see a magnificent view of the New River Gorge. The view was indeed grand, but my favorite sight was actually on a side trail that we discovered after the main attraction. Tucked deep into the forest alongside a path was a huge heart-shaped rock. As soon as I spied that stone, I was reminded that I need to step off the beaten path frequently to be reminded that my life – and love – must be based upon The Rock – the Living Stone.
As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:4-5
Peter tells us that when we come to Him – Jesus – the Living Stone – we become like living stones as well. Coming to Jesus makes us strong in Him – like Him.
My friend, Heather, and I recently exchanged devotionals and Scriptures to remind ourselves to be strengthened in the Lord. Heather remarked that as she reviewed, she felt renewed. The Word gave us strength, hope, and joy.
For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”
1 Peter 2:7
Sometimes it is difficult to trust. Much of life is like our hike to the “grand view” always looking for the big thing, the clear view, the obviously marked path. But our strength is renewed when we wade through the weeds and go deep looking for the Living Stone. Our strength is found when choose to stand upon that Rock.
“Now to you who believe, this stone is precious.”
1 Peter 2:7
Paul reminds us in Romans about Abraham strengthening himself in the Lord. He believed what seemed impossible because he reminded himself about the other promises God had fulfilled in his life. He preached to himself and it strengthened his faith.
“Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”
Romans 4:20-21
Looking for the easy way never makes us strong. Strolling down a wide path to a clear view is pleasant, but does nothing to increase our faith. We must be intentional about stepping off the beaten path of life and seeking the Living Stone by reviewing His word, His truth, and His promises. And then we must stand upon that Rock renewed, strengthened, encouraged!
They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.
Luke 6:48
by wendy | Jun 17, 2020 | Encouragement, Encouragement For Your Heart, Focus on God, Prayer
When Jerry and I married, I moved into his tiny house with my 2 boys, 2 cats, and a dog. Jerry already lived in that small space with his 2 children and all of their stuff. There was barely room for us – there was definitely not room for my belongings – so it all went into storage until we could find a larger house. That house never really felt like mine – and it certainly didn’t look like mine. I merely hung out there until we found a place where we could all dwell.
Scripture tells us that we should abide or remain with Jesus – I talked about this in last week’s post about pausing. The word he uses is “meno” in greek and it means to hang out just like I did at Jerry’s house. We are not meant to redecorate or make Jesus look more like us. Instead we should draw from His love, His strength, His ways.
Ephesians 3:14-21 discusses the power and strength that God gives us when we approach Him in prayer.
“So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…”
Ephesians 3:17
Did you notice that word “dwell” – doesn’t it seem similar to abide and remain? I thought so too, until I discovered that it is not at all the same word in the original Greek. The word Paul used here is “katoikeó” and it means something entirely different from hanging out like “meno”. Paul is saying that Christ will inhabit – permanently move in – and make my heart His home.
When I pray, and Christ dwells in my heart, He renovates it to look like His own. Where I have anxiety, He replaces it with peace. When I display fear, He removes the fear and displays courage through me. He lights up my dark corners and cleans out my dirt. He makes my heart reflect His!
Friend, I hope you have experienced that kind of renovation as well! Let’s continue to remain (meno) in Him, and as we enter into prayer, may Jesus dwell (katoikeó) in us!
Here are some ideas for Praying to encourage yourself in the Lord:
Pray Scripture
Read the prayers of David and others in the Psalms. Make those prayers your own by praying the verses as they are written or writing them in your own words.
Journal your Prayers
Write out your prayers like a letter or journal entry. Read back over previous prayers to offer praise and thanksgiving for answered prayers!
Pray with a Partner
Join a prayer group or ask someone to partner with you in regular prayer. Pray for each other, for friends and family, for the church, and for our community, nation, and world.
Develop a Prayer Strategy
Create a list of things to prayer about and people to pray for. Use index cards or pieces of paper to keep a record of answered prayers and new requests. Follow Jesus’s model of prayer (The Lord’s Prayer) to guide your different types of prayer.
“In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.”
Ephesians 3:12
by wendy | Jun 15, 2020 | Encouragement, Encouragement For Your Heart, Focus on God, Prayer
There was a particular time in my life that I was significantly sad and depressed. I lived on a farm with a mile-long driveway and I was often compelled to take walks down that path when I was feeling low. I would begin my journey in tears – crying out to God from my broken heart and pouring out all of my sorrows. The driveway entered the woods and I often felt comforted by the branches covering me – the limbs surrounded me like a hug from God. I would turn at the end of the drive and start my way back and somehow, by the time I emerged from the woods into the field near my house, I would be praising God and singing instead of crying. All that I poured out to Him was poured back into me with love – and that love filled me with hope, joy, and strength for another day. I cannot explain how it happened – I don’t understand it – and it never ceased to amaze me.
“I pray that you … know this love that surpasses knowledge …”
Ephesians 3:19
Just a few verses back in Ephesians 3:12, Paul reminds us that we have the ability to approach God through faith. When we pray, we are actually entering the presence of God, and according to the language Paul uses here, it is an interactive experience. We approach Him, we commune with Him, we communicate with Him.
“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Hebrews 4:16
God’s love to us when we come to Him in prayer is like the comfort of a baby being held by its mother or a child receiving a kiss on a wound. Who can understand the magic of a mother’s kiss? Who can fathom the healing of a father’s love?
“As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.”
Isaiah 66:13
Science has proven that feeling loved and having a positive bond or connection with someone has positive and lasting effects on our health. Should it come as a surprise to us that experiencing the love of God would encourage us, strengthen us, and fill us with joy?
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
Psalm 46:1
Take a walk today – enter His presence in prayer. Pour out all that you feel and then listen to Him – let Him love on you. May He pour back into you with love that sustains and strengthens you for another day. Amen
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:13
