We let the things that we fear dictate the paths we take.
In Isaiah it is written,
Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. Isaiah 43:1-2
Does that sound like God wants you to be driven by your fears?
Now, lets' be clear. It doesn't say we won't go through hard times. Actually, quite the contrary. It says "When" you walk through the waters, rivers, and fire, "I will be with you", "They shall not overwhelm you", and "you shall not be burned". So yeah, we're gonna go through it, but it also says He will be with us.
You know that saying that "God won't give you more than you can handle?
Don't believe it.
If God never gave us more than we could handle, why would we need to depend on Him? We have waaaay more on our plate than we can handle. But you know what? It's ok! Because we are not supposed to handle everything. He is. That's why we are to call on Him and that's why He comes along side us.
If I have to pass through waters or walk through fire, but I know God will be with me, bring it on. Because I know who God is, and I know who He made me to be. This is the God who created the universe. The God who parted the Red Sea, the same God who gave Joshua command of the his armies and made the walls of Jericho come tumbling down at the sound of their trumpets. This is the very same God who gave Abraham a son in his old age and fulfilled His promise through all of his many descendants. This God gave us Jesus, who is the Christ and the perfect Lamb that was slain and then raised from the dead to give us abundant life in Him for all eternity!
So yes, we will have mountains in life that we can't climb on our own. But we don't have to! I know that I can accomplish much with a good cup of coffee and some motivation, but that's not enough! When we put our faith in Christ, He can move those mountains that build up in our lives. We don't have to climb them! Don't let the circumstances that built your mountain dictate your path. Let the One who moves mountains make your path straight.
We don't have to be afraid, folks! He has our back. When we submit to Him, we can rest in knowing that great things happen. In 1 Peter it says:
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7
It all sounds so simple, right? I wish I could say I never let fear guide me. I know that sometimes I worry about things even after I have prayed. That's why this next verse really hits home.
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. James 1:5-7
Ouch! So if I'm praying for wisdom about my situation and I don't think God will really come through, He probably won't. I mean, why should He? He wants us to trust Him. He did create us. He gave us everything we have. He has forgiven us, and blessed us, and has given us life eternal with Him. And all He's asking of us is that we have faith and walk the path He laid for us.
I don't know about you, but I think that's a good deal.
So I'm going to cast my cares on Him. Every day. Every minute if I have to. Because we know those cares pop up every minute sometimes. I encourage you to pray. All the time. Constantly pray for God's peace, wisdom, and understanding. Then believe that He will give it to you. And see how your life can change for the better.
This is soooo true! It is funny because He really is strongest in my weakness. I have had to work sick a few times and I wonder if my managers ever think "wow! She should come to work dick more often!" He shows up big time. Or if I struggle with a problem, then pray... I think "why did I wait so long?" Because the answer comes in the most peculiar, awsome and sometimes laughable ways. I still have a way to go with fear for sure, even though He had proven Himself over and over. I don't know why it is so hard to trust sometimes, but it is. Good words!
ReplyDeleteI struggle with it too! I find myself saying the same things when I finally realize that I was afraid for nothing and God has it under control. I hope this encouraged you! Thanks for reading!
DeleteI definitely agree on the whole "God won't give you more than you can handle" bit being baloney. I do remember, however, our pastor talking once about a verse that says when you feel you are going to break that's when God will come through, and that phrase comes from that....I'll have to see if I can find that verse, maybe you know what I'm talking about?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, yes, I believe He gives us hardships so that we can rely on Him and grow.
God created gardens, He put man in a garden. I think that says a lot about how God does things slowly through processes, even though there might be a single day when "pop!" a bud opens into a flower -- it took time to get there. We're very prone to forgetting that in our jungles of concrete with microwaves and instant-everything.
And even in Eden, God taught through process: I think about how Adam went through naming the animals, and there was no mate suitable for him found. What I get from that story is that God let Adam go through the PROCESS of naming the animals, and seeing for HIMSELF that there was no one for him amongst the animals. Then God provided the solution: Eve. Flesh of flesh, bone of bone. Like him.
But OH how it's easy to forget when things hurt or are scary.
I really liked the inclusion of the verses you had. I especially got a lot from the James 1:5-7 verse....and it also makes me thankful for Mark 9:24 for when asking without doubt is hard.
Congratulations on your new blog and first post! Great start! :)