Tag: stress

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Pressing Reset

Being a Christian does not automatically cause you to stop sinning. Nope…I am a sinner in need of a Savior every day.  Being a Christian also doesn’t keep you from experiencing tough times.  Nope…we go through them like every other human on the Earth.  The difference, though, resides in who we turn to when in those trials.

Here is a major battle I fight often: I feel so inadequate and unworthy at times. I feel very much like I am worthless…like the promises God has placed on my life are not real.  Oh, but those are just lies.  They are lies from the enemy who wants me to cower and not fulfill my life’s purpose; to keep me believing that I am weak and no different than I’ve ever been.

What about you? What are the lies the enemy tells you?  What self-talk do you struggle with?

The greatest way to counter those lies is the word of God. The truth in the Bible is everlasting.  It will not die!

Here are a few truths I consistently remind myself of:

God loves you and me: But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

You and I are made new: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

He knew us before He formed us: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5

Through Christ, we are made strong: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”(2 Corinthians 12:9)

Believers have been given eternal life: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

We have been bought with a high price: “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” (1 Peter 1:18-19)

Replacing the lies of the enemy – whatever those lies may be – with the word of God will keep your mind on track. Keeping your thoughts on track will help you stay your course and finish the race set before us.  Don’t ever give up!

There are times, though, where I find myself in a place that I am unsure what are lies and what aren’t. It get confusing because life gets busy, I don’t spend time with God like I should, or I’m just stuck in a mindset that is unhealthy…I will have to pray this simple prayer from Psalm 139:23-24:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

I encourage you to start spending time with God every day. Pray the prayer from Psalm 139,  Feed your mind with the word of God so when the enemy lies, you can remind yourself what God says about you.

Be blessed, readers.

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Wilderness

The story of the Israelites is interesting – it is apparent that, at some point in life, their condition is our condition. Take, for instance, the Israelites that were delivered from Egypt. They had NO faith…none. Time and time again, after God showed them who He was – they kept on turning their backs on Him. How many times do we turn our backs on God because of lack of trust and faith in Him? A lot! We continue to doubt the promises of God and allow those thoughts of doubt and unbelief cloud how we see who He is and who we are in Him. This, ultimately, leads to a season in the wilderness – wandering aimlessly.

I can personally say that I have just gone through a wilderness season. I lost sight of the promises of God on my own life and let stress, strife, and the lies of my past get a hold on me. No matter how GREAT the things God brought into my life, I couldn’t see PAST the issues of my past. And so, I was sent into the wilderness. I was sent into a place that was very lonely, scary, and I wasn’t sure when I was going to be free from wandering.

My first week “in the wilderness” – God woke me up one morning and said – “Brooke, you need to get excited!” My first reaction was “Um, what?” “Yep,” He continued, “you need to get excited because something great is about to happen!” What was God trying to tell me? He was saying that, just on the other side of the wilderness is my Promised Land. All I have to do is ENDURE it and trust HIM & do what HE tells me to do – not what others think I need to do; not allow others to put me down, get me down, tell me how awful I am because I am in the wilderness; not allow the Devil to tell me I am no good; just do what God is asking me to do.

When the Israelites finally made it to the promise land, they saw huge walls that seemed impossible to tear down. God never ceased to have a plan, though. His plan was that His people were going to get this land and all they had to do was follow His directions, no matter how absurd. He asked Joshua to bring the men of the camp with him and walk around the city six days…just walk. On the 7th day here is what happened:

15 On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. 16 The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! 17 The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. 18 But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. 19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.” 20 When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it. 21 They completely destroyed everything in it with their swords—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, goats, and donkeys.

Joshua 6:15-21

Don’t let discouragement get the best of you – it is already ours. We just have to let those who currently inhabit it to leave. Am I saying that God is casting people out of your life? Maybe – we may need to have some people cut from our lives in order to move on. We also need to have things cut out of our lives – thoughts, actions, habits, etc. Sometimes that is a hard concept the swallow, but don’t resist. Understand that God has our best interest at heart and will not do anything to us without a reason. (Jeremiah 29:11)

If this stuck a cord with you – if you are going through a wilderness season, know this – God has a solution – just give it all over to Him and let Him fight your battle.

Lord, be with your people. Show them who they are in YOU and now who they are to anyone else. Help them understand that you do NOTHING to hurt us, but do everything to help us. Teach us to let you tear down the walls in our lives that keep us from your promises. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Be blessed everyone!

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