How To Wait On God

Waiting on God means that when opportunities appear and we make a faithful effort to take advantage of them, then they slip away just as we touch them with our fingertips, we let them go.

Waiting on God means that when doors open and we make faithful efforts to take advantage of them and walk through, and they close just as our feet touch the threshold, we walk away.

When what looks like blessings begin to not materialize, we don't ramp up our efforts and begin to strain, stress and pressure ourselves to obtain, retain and make them happen. We abandon them and wait on Our Father. 

These experiences are his way of helping us to become sensitive to his Holy Spirit's guidance. We are learning to tell the difference between the Spirit's movement and our efforts. God will impress upon us when we need to push forward. We have to learn to detect when we are determined to push forward but God has not led us to.

The difference between the prompting of the Spirit and what we are inclined to do is unmistakable. What we are inclined to do we can easily adopt as the Spirit. We have to be taught by God to not mistake our desires for the Spirit's leading. There's a fine line between them but Our Father is teaching us to recognize it.

Wait on him.

Pray & Sleep On It

~ Proverbs 15:1 Are you angry, upset or disappointed in someone? Do you want or need to respond to them? Don't do it until you pray. Also, sleep on it for at least one night if possible. It will make a world of difference in your response, your relationship with God and in your Christian walk. ~

Ask God Only Once

Yes, it's good to ask Our Father for something only once. After that, we should thank him for it when the desire to ask for it again arises. Don't ask again. We should thank him for what we have already asked for. 

When I ask, I also follow Jesus' example and I say, "Nevertheless, not my will but thy will be done, Father." I am acknowledging that if the answer is not as I expected, I trust that he has planned something better.

***

Why Is God Taking So Long?

God is working it out in a way that you can receive what you have asked for. God is not limited, but we are. He chooses to work around our challenges to bring us into the fullness of our faith and His glory. This is in addition to bringing about what we want according to his will.

God is not restricted by time but in our current earthly life, we are. He works with us and time to bless us, not only materially, but also in a way that encourages us to store up riches in Heaven. Don't forget that in his Word he also promises to redeem time for us. He does this in various ways, in relation to his plans and purposes.

Our Heavenly Father is processing it for us, always.

God's Way Of Doing Things

God's way of doing things is the very best way. We can only learn what his way is by seeking his face everyday. We have to spend time with him in the ways that are available to us. We need to be consistent and persistent. How do we seek his face and learn his ways? We read his Word, The Holy Bible, everyday and we talk to him everyday.

Before we read the scriptures, we ask Our Father to illuminate his scriptures for us. To give us revelation knowledge through his Word. We ask for the ability to rightly divide the Word of Truth. We thank him for breaking up the stony ground of our hearts so that his Word can enter in, take root and bear much fruit. We thank him for transforming us through his Word and helping us to rightly divide it. We ask him to give us discernment of his Word so that we can apply it to our lives in a practical way. We confess that we want to see circumstances and people in the way that he sees them. Most of all, we thank him for helping us to see our lives and ourselves in the way that he sees us. We make sure that we open the Bible every day and read something, no matter how much or how little.

The second way to seek God's face is to meet with him and talk with him everyday. There are 3 types of prayer that will help us to understand God's way of doing things, formal prayer to God, conversation with God and listening to God in quiet time. Formal prayer is when we have a format in which we pray. It is a rotating combination of words, phrases, scriptures and favorite statements that we give to God at a specific time of day. This is the prayer that we pray each day, such as in the morning when we commit our way to him before we face the world. 

 

Though it consists of our favorite format, it shouldn't be repetitive, traditional or ritualistic. The word tells us that our traditions and rituals make his word of no effect. (Mark 7:13)  The most important use of the formatted prayer is in committing our path to God at the beginning of each day. Our formatted prayers are not enough to learn God's way of doing things because they consist mostly of us talking. While commitment and statements of confession are very important to our growth, there is a more important way of seeking God's face.

We need to have conversations with God throughout the day. This is when we talk to him candidly and openly. We revere him as Our Heavenly Father but we talk to him as a friend. If you want to pray and talk to Jesus, that is ok because Jesus is God also. For me, I find that praying and talking to God works better. I also talk to Jesus and thank him for many things. Because God is the one who sent Jesus to shed his blood and have his body broken for us and who raised Jesus from the dead, who cares for me and has numbered the hairs of my head, and is my only Heavenly Father, spending time with him and committing all to him works best for me. 

Jesus is Heir To The Throne and I am joint heirs with him. I will rule and reign with him and without him I can do nothing, so my relationship with The Lamb of God is just as important, but different. It is God's Holy Spirit that bore upon me so that I could accept Jesus as my Savior and it is God The Father who holds the time of Jesus' return. The most important things about my existence and origin I can attribute to God but not to Jesus. It is through Jesus' obedient sacrifice that I am able to seek God's face but God sent Jesus so that I could be restored to fellowship with him, God The Father. (I Peter 1:21)

When we have conversations with God throughout the day we should simply tell him our feelings, our hopes, our confusions our angers. Yes, he knows our thoughts, our hearts, but building a relationship means that we need to tell him about our lives. Our father wants to commune with us, laugh with us, cry with us, share with us. Many of us don't know how it is to have a real father, so we have to learn, to practice having a true, pure, holy relationship with God. 

We've seen TV programs and movies where fathers were loving and kind. We can take cues from them on how to cultivate a loving, sharing relationship with Our Father. It's just a matter of pretending that he's there, imagining him listening, seeing in our minds' eye him nodding his head, choosing to believe that he's answering and conversing. As we reach out he will help us and make it real to us. Before long, we'll look forward to sharing with him day and night. 

The third type of prayer is to be quiet and just listen for the still, small voice of God's Spirit to talk to us. For me, this is the hardest. It's difficult to quiet the mind talk. To not be distracted. I try to sit somewhere quiet, where I can look at the sky if I can. I have chosen to sit 15 minutes each day and just listen for God's voice. Very few people would hear him in the beginning of the process. It takes time, patience and commitment. It takes time to be able to truly quiet our minds. Don't worry if you don't hear anything for a long time. The most important thing is to have this quiet time before God as often as you can and to stick with it. The reward will come. Our Father is faithful!

Seeking God's face to learn his ways makes all the difference in appropriating and manifesting his promises that we find in The Bible. It's one thing to be saved. It's another to live in the fullness of God. Getting closer to him and sharing with him is a peaceful place, not only to learn his personality, but for restoration. We begin to recognize his ways of doing things in our lives and can work with him, not against him. We enjoy going to a place where we can bare all, be exactly who we are and know that we are loved deeply, no matter what. 

We Never Have To Stop Praying

We never have to stop praying. We are encouraged to pray without ceasing. (I Thessalonians 5:17) 

There are formal and informal ways to pray. When we accept this, the many ways to pray 24/7 open up to us. We don't always have to get on our knees with a scripted intonation of phrases and quotes.

Prayer, in it's essence, is talking to God. Talking to Jesus. How much more candid, honest and heart-felt are conversational words versus rehearsed prayer speeches.

Being tired or discouraged and not feeling like praying is not even an excuse. We can ask the Holy Spirit to pray for us. He will then utter on-target words that we cannot.

Pray without ceasing and grow closer to God.

Don't Accept What You Don't Want

We have to know within ourselves when we are going or not going in the right direction.

The Holy Spirit said to me one day, How can I give you what you want when you keep accepting what you don't want? You know how God is. When he speaks something profound to us, in one sentence we get years of revelation and learning. Only God can squeeze an extended time of learning into a few words. 

His question that day seems elementary, right? It seems to be a simplistic question, one that requires no answer and, indeed, didn't even need to be asked? Well, if that is the case, why do we do it? Accept what we don't want, that is, instead of waiting on God?

Well, some reasons are:

• we think we'll never get it,
• we think we'll miss out on a deal,
• we're afraid we are not doing God's will by waiting,
• we feel we'll be destitute (or more destitute) or lose a lot
  
• we want to do it now,
• we trusted God before and were disappointed,
  
• our spirit is willing but our flesh is weak, we're simply tired of waiting. 

I don't have an answer for all of these concerns, except to say that we have to know within ourselves when we are going or not going in the right direction at any given time. Sometimes, we have to advance into the territory of not doing God's will before we understand how he works. It is always a learning process but he is always there to help us along, whether it be onto a new path or over the same old path from which he tried to deliver us.

God wants to fill our cups with what will help us to be successful.

When we accept what we don't want to end up with, we become immersed in living a small fraction of the life that God planned for us. We think that we are living our best life and that all is good, so we no longer focus on God in that area. In this scenario, there is no place for God to give us what he had for us. The cup that he wants to fill to overflowing is not only partially filled by our own doings but what it is filled with is more than likely not good for us. It certainly is not the best for us.

Once we realize that something is wrong with this picture, we're way down the road and God has to lead us back to the crossroads. He is always willing, but this takes more effort, time and sometimes even money. By the time we do this several times, through a lack of patience, our lives are almost spent. We're almost to the end when it's time to leave here. Well how is that bad, you ask. I'm going to the Lord now, so it doesn't matter anymore.

What if to get you where you are living your best life yet God needs you to lose some things?

It does matter, however, if near the end of our lives we tarry and can't do much. In our declining years, it's sad to leave this world mulling over regrets about what we could have accomplished, the dreams we could have realized, the people we could have helped had we been patient and learned to do it God's way.

So what if doing it God's way seems to cause you to sink to a level where you did not ever think you'd be? What if you lose something? What if you give up something, a chance, an opportunity? What if you feel fear? Anxiety? Ambivalence? What if to get you where you are living your best life yet God needs you to lose these things, be in these places, experience these uncertainties?

A successful spirit births a successful life that reflects doing it God's way.

Experiencing them God's way with a favorable earthly as well as a blessed eternal outcome is better than experiencing them through doing things our own way with a failed and eternally-devoid outcome. You see, the things that we do God's way, in Jesus' name, last and have eternal significance. The things we do our way do not last and do not store up for us eternal riches in the spirit.   

It's very simple. When we persist in opening doors that God has obviously closed to us or we turn our backs on the doors that he has opened, we accept flawed ways of doing things and reject new ways in Christ Jesus.  God cannot give us what he wants us to have if we keep filling our lives with what we think we need or with the thinly-veiled decisions of failure that we've utilized before. God has our best interests at heart and his will is for us to succeed, first of all, in the spiritual way that gives lasting success. A successful spirit births a successful life that reflects doing it God's way. 

God has our best interests at heart and wants us to first succeed spiritually.

There's no space or place for God's best once we fill our needs in the same old ways that are not subject to God because their origin is in the flesh. God's ways can be initially painful, scary or unsettling, but the Christian life is a New Way, after all. That in itself is unnerving but our Father God is ever willing to help us to successes that we cannot contain, as we learn to do it his way and stop accepting what we don't want.

Isaiah 41:10

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:13

For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

 

Finding Romance, Love And A Christian Spouse

We should always pray and expect God's confirmation when we feel we have met the one.

I recently saw a video that someone shared at an online group, where a young Christian woman was advocating that we don't have to wait on God for a mate. She said that this principle was a part of Christiandom, or some contrived word like that. She felt that too many Christians sit around waiting for God to give them a marriage partner, when they can pick the person themselves. I feel that it is a combination of both. We should make an effort to be active and put ourselves out there to meet people.  Along with that, we should pray and expect God's confirmation when we feel we have met the one.

Moderation and merging of both searching and waiting for Christian love is important.

I think that to put all of the responsibility on ourselves to choose a holy person to marry is foolish and dangerous. However, I think to wait indefinitely on God to drop the person into our laps, while doing nothing to be friendly and attractive, is also foolish and self-defeating. Both attitudes are needed, but a moderation of both, a merging of them.

Don't go by feelings, which got you into romantic trouble before.

Dating around to feel our way to finding someone with whom we click got us into trouble before. Going by our feelings got us into trouble before. Depending upon our own devices is the reason that we are alone today. Being led of the flesh is the reason that we have so much baggage today, so that the Holy Spirit can barely get our attention.

We Christian woman have to learn how to submit to a man after God's own heart.

My point is that Christians lean too far to the right or the left about everything. The Bible plainly says to not lean to the right hand nor the left, keep our feet from evil. (Proverbs 4:27) The order of the relationship and marriage has to be established by God, in the beginning, for the union to be successful and righteous. This is even more so in today's world, where for generations women have had to assume the authority of men. This is because men have become so slack and lax in being men and heading the families as God desires. We, as Christian women, don't have any idea how to submit to a holy and righteous Christian man. Most of us have only known strong, overbearing women and weak men. We don't have healthy examples of the order in the Christian marriage.

God will confirm in the heart of the woman that indeed that man is the one.

So, to establish the relationship on Holy ground or a powerful foundation, we have to be able to submit in the beginning. In that regard, I believe in the way that many other Christians believe, that God will confirm with the man that yes indeed he has found a wonderful Godly woman who would be a faithful, holy and diligent wife to him.  The man will then show his interest in her and she will return that interest. Most important though, not the man, but God, will confirm in the heart and spirit of the woman that indeed, that man is the one.

God never changes and his order is supreme.

Basically, God will tell the man and the man will tell the woman, and God will confirm to the woman. It may sound old-fashioned and distasteful to some, but no matter what the variation is, you will find this holy process in all of the great, true, authentic and enduring Christian marriages. God never changes and his order is supreme.

The sad thing is that most of the time we operate in the flesh when it comes to romance and marriage. There is another, more excellent way, to work with God to put the flesh under. As reborn spirits, we possess the power to crucify the flesh that seduces and misleads us. We can learn a new way of experiencing romantic love. That infallible way is God's holy way.

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Poetry: He Will Turn It Into Good

He Will Turn It Into Good

I heard a man on TV today,
Who spoke about suffering and trials to allay,
The feeling that struggles are really for nothing,
The often unfairness and our life's contorting.

He said if we could not determine a cause,
That we can be certain and give this applause,
That we will come out of it richer inside,
The strength that we get will show on the outside.

Some trials are too heavy, some burdens beyond,
What we think is fair, way too much put upon.
But, there is not anything God cannot use,
To make our lives better, to help us improve.

That does not support that our pain is ordained,
That God must make sorrow for blessings to rain.
He does not need trouble and horror and woe.
He needs not the evil from that pit below.

We live in a world that is set on a course.
The fault is not ours so we feel no remorse.
We know we can't change Satan's evil world reign.
The Blood of Our Savior we use as a bane.

Don't think about quitting or turning on God.
To God be the glory and give him a nod.
He will make it right, this old world has to go,
And all of the pain and the suffering and woe.

So what can't be changed will be taken for you,
And made as a blessing, to help others too.
Just keep holding on and don't dare you forget,
That you will come out of it richer and blessed.

 

~ SJ Holland~

"He Will Turn It Into Good" poem ©Holland Writing & Publishing
Image: Pixabay.com

I Prayed And It's Getting Worse! Why?

Often, when we are believing God for big changes, and praying and standing on his promises, the opposite will seem to happen. When we think things should be getting better, some things may seem to get worse. Some areas in our lives may need to collapse, so that God can build upon a stronger foundation that which we desire.

This is not pertaining to the foundation of the life of a Christian, for that main foundation is already built upon the Rock of Jesus Christ. The foundations that I'm speaking about are the areas of our lives that are a hinderance to obtaining what we want. They are superflous things, people and circumstances that need to go, that usually were not introduced by God into our lives to remain in the first place.

Some definitions of superflous include unnecessary; uncalled-for; wasteful. The best definition, though, is obsolete, which means no longer produced or used; out of date. They may have been useful at the time, according to God's plan, but are no longer so. We don't realize that many advancements, relationships and situations that we encounter are not meant to continue along the road with us.

God rarely reveals to us that what is a blessing at one time will become dispensible at his appointed time. These invited-turned-uninvited blessings must be wrenched from our lives in ways that we don't expect, because we don't understand that we must let them go. While God is permanent, the circumstances that he allows or places in our lives are not always so.

How do we handle these potentially upsetting and distressing developments? We continue to stand on the original promise of God. While doing so, we also do what is best at any given time, facing the challenges that God places before us. We determine to continue to have faith in him, while doing our part to fearlessly manage our daily lives, fearing no thing.

We go with the flow and recommit to God daily, loving and praising him with every fiber in our being. The course may veer off along the path at times, but if we are sure of what God is doing in our lives, then the path is the same. It is time to move upwards and onwards to what we asked God for.

Definitions: dictionary.com , Google 
Image: pixabay.com

How To Deal With Tests, Trials & Tribulations

Sometimes, we just want it to end; those difficult trials and testings...

~ I had a moment of weakness

when I spoke in spirit to my Heavenly Father ~

Sometimes, we just want it to end; those difficult trials and testings that we are suffering through. I had a moment of weakness when I spoke in spirit to my Heavenly Father, with very much heartfelt expression, I just wish it would end. He knew what I was thinking about. I did not need to spell it out or identify the issue. Then on the heels of that thought came the one that always brings me back to commitment.

I thought of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He had endured so much harassment most of his 33 years. He had lived through his cousin, John the Baptist, being murdered. He had been hounded, shunned, consistently plotted against and betrayed. Though he knew these things would happen, they still happened to someone who could feel as we feel. He experienced the feelings, emotions and stress that we feel. He was very tired, I'm sure, by the time he made it to that garden. He felt fear and dread. What did he do?

~ The moment of terrifying weakness

turned into a moment of strength ~

In a moment of human weakness, he asked his Father, with so much  heartfelt expression that it seems some of his capillaries burst and oozed blood from his pores, Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me.  The moment of terrifying weakness turned into a moment of strength when he said, nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done. He chose to reestablish his determination to accept God's will. The flesh that he had taken on was fearful, but in his spirit was the strength to continue on. 

God expects us to determine to overcome our aversion and fear.

If Jesus had not recommitted himself, dug his heels in, and stayed the course, I would not be able to say today that I have a Heavenly Father. I would not be able to say that I have true help in a time of need, that he prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies, or that he shows me how to overcome evil with good. I would not be able to say that he helps me to do all things, and to put on effective, spiritual armor. Most of all, I would not be able to say that my Eternity is set in Him.

When on the heels of that broken-down thought of supplication I remembered Jesus, and all that he had endured for me, I immediately said in my spirit to God, nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done. In some circumstances, no matter how much we plead and pray, the situation will not be changed. We sense this in our spirits, though we wish it was otherwise. God expects us to determine to overcome our aversion and fear, and submit to his care in these distressing times.

~ Even Jesus asked to be delivered ~

So, do not be afraid to say nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done. It is okay to ask if it can be done in some other way. Even Jesus asked to be delivered from something that we know today was necessary for our very Salvation. Our Father wants us to always be honest with him, to worship him in spirit and in truth, and to walk in the light before his face. How do we build faith in a time of suffering under adverse circumstances, frightening developments, and devastating trials?

...reliable faith is believing that you will be ok in whatever will happen...

The Lord showed me this week that faith is not grasping to believe that some undesirable situation will not happen. True, reliable faith is believing that you will be ok in whatever will happen, and that if you perceive that he has ordained it, he will see you through to some kind of victory, one way or another. 

Scripture: Luke 22:42 (NKJV) BibleStudyTools.com
Images: Pexels.com

What About The Bad Places In My Life?

Sometimes as Christians we worry about the things that we can't seem to get right. We are frustrated over bad things that continue to crop up in our thoughts, our behaviors, and our lives. We lament that our failures and challenges are putting us behind. We feel anger that the influence or seeming control of another/others is causing unwanted effects to grow as we work to grow in the Lord.

Matthew 13:24-30 talks about the good seed and the tares. A man planted good seeds in his soil, and while he rested, an enemy came by and sowed some tares, or unwanted seeds, in among his good seeds. 

When his servants saw the sprouting of the bad seed among the good, they were aghast. They did not understand how this could have happened when they knew he would not have sown other than good seeds. They wanted to go to work ripping up the tares seedlings. No doubt, they thought it would be better to do this now, than wait for the wheat-resembling weeds to grow larger and stronger. They were concerned that these unwanted plants would take over, and even kill the good plants.

Their master, the owner who sowed the good seed, explained to them that it would be better to let the tares grow along with his good plants. If they ripped them out now, they would also dislodge and destroy many of the good seedlings in the process. He told them to wait until harvest time, when it would be easier to separate the weed plants from the good grain, and throw out the bad and keep the good. The owner knew that the tares would not take over.

This parable relates to what God will do when it's time for this world to end. It is okay that people who don't want to accept Jesus and love God are living, growing, advancing, prospering and even sometimes winning over Christians. In the end, when God's harvest is ripe, he will discard and destroy the remaining tares, those who refused Jesus Christ as Savior, and bring into his bosom those who love Him through the Shed Blood of His Son. 

Practically, we should practice the same confidence in ourselves and our lives. We don't have to worry about our faults, mistakes, failures, challenges, setbacks, relapses, struggles and rebellions. In the soil of our lives and in this world, there will always be tares, planted by any number of people, circumstances and unavoidable influences. Our focus and job is to keep planting and filling our fields with good seed. Don't worry about the bad seeds in our lives, why they are there, or how they got there. Many of them will die off along the way, as our good seeds grow. Those that are stubborn weeds that persist in surviving and even growing along with our good growth? Well, they will be destroyed in the end. In the end, it will be easy for the bad to be completely obliterated, and the good to be preserved.

Don't worry. Continue to focus on planting good seed into your thoughts, your mind, your heart, your being, your life. In the end, anything that is not done for Christ, by Christ, through Christ will be ripped out, separated and destroyed, never to grow, influence and affect again. In the end, everything that is done for Christ will last.

Tares Definition: TheFreeDictionary
Image:  Pixabay Free Images

The Trial Will End In Good Time

When we are enduring a trial or tribulation, and we feel that we can endure no longer, we usually ask God to deliver us. We ask him to end the suffering, because we know that if we ask him he will answer. We know that when we ask according to his will, we have the petition that we desire of him.

The interesting thing, though, is that we can sometimes feel that it is not really time for us to be delivered. Deep in our spirits, we can feel that the training or lesson is not quite done. It is almost completed, nearly finished, but not just yet.  

So what do we do about that? Well, we dig in and prepare for a little more enduring. We know that we do want to be delivered ASAP, but if in our hearts we feel that it is not yet time, then we will not receive a favorable answer to our prayer to be delivered now. 

In order to receive favorable answers to appropriate prayers, we have to believe deeply and realistically in what we are asking. We have to be able to receive that for which we are asking. If we don't believe that it is time, then that much desired answer will not manifest today. So while ASAP may mean today for us, God knows, and our spirit knows, that for today ASAP means all in good time. 

So prepare for a little bit more endurance while you are looking to be delivered ASAP. The time will surely come when you pray that prayer of deliverance and your inner man will know and agree wholeheartedly that it is finally, time.

God bless you and keep you safe!

 

How Can I Control My Anger?

When you feel anger coming on, pray, 

"God, right now, I need your peace. Please soothe my mind. I feel you replacing my anger with patience. I thank you for this gift of quiet.

Let your restraining, healing hand be upon me today, Lord. Help me to meet every situation calmly and with control."

 

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Philippians 4:6 (KJV)

Don't worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking him with a thankful heart.

Philippians 4:6 (GNT) 

Do not be over-anxious about anything, but by prayer and earnest pleading, together with thanksgiving, let your request be unreservedly made known in the presence of God. 

Philippians 4:6 (WNT) 

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Philippians 4:6 (NLT) 

Don't worry about anything. Instead, tell God about everything. Ask and pray. Give thanks to him. 

Philippians 4:6 (NIRV) 

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. 

Philippians 4:6 (MSG)

How many times has God told us, in His Word, not to worry, but to turn worrying thoughts into prayer? Stop what you are thinking and doing right now, or at any time of worry, and tell it all, tell the truth, just as you were thinking it, to God.

It takes a lot of effort and practice to defeat useless, persistent and harmful anger. Whether it has a valid reason or not, most of the time it can't help us, or anyone else. It can easily destroy, rather than build up. Most of the time, it is bad for our emotional well-being, bad for our physical health, and bad for our spiritual growth. So, you've got to defeat it, with God's help, if you sincerely want to be healed, and be a help to others. You can do it, with God's help.

Scriptures: BibleStudyTools.comBibleStudyTools.com
Images: Pixabay.com Free Images
Anger Prayer: Triumph Over Life's Toughest Problems, Norman Vincent Peale, A Guideposts Outreach Publication, GuidepostsFoundation.org

 

Have A Nice Sunday & Remember That God DOES Care!

...and a nice holiday.

Remember that God always has our best interests at heart,

no matter what it looks like, sounds like or feels like.

He loves us, and that's why we love him!

 

____________________________________

Image Credit: QuotesGram

It Will Pay Off

 
Whenever you feel overwhelmed, go apart and read a little of the Bible. Even if you don't feel like it, and you just don't think you can, do it. You'll feel better. Just as you have, I also have asked why God allowed certain hard things to happen in my life, especially things involving my son when I was raising him. So much seems unfair. Some Christians say that we should never ask God why, but it is hard not to when we have suffered significantly throughout life.

God understands our hurt and frustration. Usually, there is no answer at this time for what seems senseless and unfair. But we, who choose to love God, believe that there is a reason for these things, because the Word tells us so. We hold on because there WILL be an end, whether we die or experience the Rapture first, and we don't want to be left out. We want to be with God forever and ever, so we hold on, through the pain of daily life in this world. We know that if we keep reminding ourselves of our faith in The One True God, the God who provided the Savior Jesus Christ for us, it will pay off in the end, and all pain and tears will be wiped away, forever.

HAPPY EASTER! HE IS NOT THERE. HE AROSE!!!

Bible Images: Pixabay.com
Church Image: Artsy Craftery Studio, "Village Idyllic" watercolor detail

Receive The Ability To Do Anything

Dear Lord: I don't know how to be humble, and to forgive,

but through your precious, Holy Word, I can learn how.

 

Do you read the Bible everyday? It has the answers on how you can do the impossible. Do you go to God's Holy Word when you feel so very inadequate? It gently shows you how human beings can succeed in the things that need to be done. 

God's Word, the Holy Bible, will slowly and gradually change you so that you can be happy about the person you are. Don't be afraid. Everything that God does is good. You will never be sorry about the change that God's Word will bring about in you. All of your longings and desires will be fulfilled through the gentle washing of your being and your spirit as you read  His Word each day.

 

God loves you and His Word is alive and able to heal, deliver, strengthen, fortify, enable, empower and fulfill. The best part is that you don't have to do anything, except read. You don't even have to be able to read very well. God's Spirit, who works along with His Word, will help you. Just read, and receive the ability to do anything!

  Images From: Pixabay.com Free Images

The Christian, Mental Illness & God

When suffering with emotional and mental challenges, Christians often ask questions such as is something wrong with me? Who will help me? Should I see a doctor and get a diagnosis? Why is this happening to me? Does God really care? Will I ever be free from this horrible suffering? 

There are many reasons that we struggle mentally. Some of them are hereditary, trauma and tragedy. The environment in which we grew up can cause and/or increase mental struggles. Despite the severity of these challenges, the Christian has a source of help that others do not have. Chantal C., a Christian blogger and artist who has managed her mental challenges for many years, shares,

"When we suffer tragic events and huge changes in our lives that lead to trauma, and on top of that have a mental illness, life can overpower us. We may even be in therapy and taking medication but due to our inner suffering, our support network does not seem to be enough.

What it comes down to, is that when we feel overpowered, trapped and defenseless by situations that are happening in our lives, the one we must go to is God. He is the one that will empower us, free us and give us strength to live the life He wants us to.
We must also ask Him the difficult questions we cannot figure out and understand. Why the torment? What purpose does it serve? With God there is a reason and as painful as our torment is and as hopeless as we may get, we must remember to always trust in Him. He provides for us a way out of our anguish through prayer and Scripture. Let us not give up on His love and salvation, the grace He has given us. Let us always strive for that newness of life in Christ."

I met Chantal through a Google+ Christian group, and was impressed by her insight, progress and honesty in journeying through the painful valley of Christian mental illness. I consider mental illness to be a challenge more so than a death sentence, though sadly it has resulted in death for many. It is, however, no more difficult to manage than other life challenges that also have resulted in death for Christians.

We don't know the answer as to why some Christians are crippled beyond repair by damaged emotions and mental processes, just as there is no understandable answer as to why some people in this world suffer so much more than others. Whatever the level or severity of the mental challenge of any Christian, the answer is always to look to God through Jesus Christ and what he did for us on the Cross. There is always hope in suffering, but some are so damaged as to not be able to grasp this hope, to go about obtaining help, or even to pray. It is important for us who can to always pray for those who suffer mentally and emotionally and who cannot help themselves.

Chantal graciously agreed to answer some deep questions about living with and healing from mental illness and emotional challenges. Here are her heartfelt, insightful and profound answers.

1.  When did you first know that you needed help with your mental processes? 
Though I struggled with mental illness most of my life, it was not until seven years ago, in 2008, that I realized I needed help. My world came crashing down on me and I needed hospitalization. I no longer had the mental and physical health I once did. My body shut down and depression settled within me. I felt like I was failing at life, making one mistake after another—broken relationships and lost of employments. I was once very motivated and had my own photography business but as time went on, it seemed like I was fading away from all that was positive in my life.

I realized I needed extra support when I overdosed twice in 2011. I was living with many life-changing experiences all at once and my mental health could not handle it.

I remember when I came out of the psychiatric hospital how ill I still was. My mind was filled with dark thoughts all the while I felt so alone inside. My emotions where still out of control as they wrestled within me. However, four months later I received the support I needed.

2.  Was there anyone to help you? 
I had many counselors since 2008 but it was in January 2012 that I finally found the right therapist. I started to work on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for personality disorders. This helped me tremendously to understand negative thought patterns, emotions and behavior. I am still in therapy as it takes many years to recover from Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Nevertheless, I am healing and doing better than ever.

I also received spiritual guidance. This helped me to seek deliverance as I became closer to God. I also learned many things about myself and God, especially that there was hope for me and that I could find it in Jesus. I was encouraged to read Scripture such as Psalm 51. Eventually, I knew God was giving me a fresh start—a chance at recovery.

3. Did you have formal diagnosis and treatment, and what advice do you give about seeking it?

When in hospital in 2011, I was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), later confirmed by another psychiatrist. The diagnosis was a relief to me, as I finally knew what mental illness I suffered from. This explained why I had such a chaotic and distressing life. Receiving a diagnosis helped me to realize I was not the only one struggling this way. This gave me hope. I then started my recovery journey consisting of therapy, medication and spirituality.

In my opinion, I think it is important for a person with mental illness to receive a diagnosis. This guides them in the proper direction for their healing process. Accepting what illness they have and seeking the right support are the first steps to recovery.

4.  How long have you known the Lord and how did you become a Christian? 
I have known the Lord since my early childhood years. My mother was there for me and shared her beliefs about God. As I got older, due to my symptoms, I often drifted on and off my Christian path. One thing I have always known throughout the years was that Jesus was my Savior. I always found consolation in knowing this, especially through the difficult times.

Nevertheless, it was not until three and half years ago that I truly became new in Christ and felt like my life was being transformed. I grew stronger in hope and trust towards God, and my recovery. I started to live that intimate relationship with Jesus, even in the midst of illness. 

5.  During your hardest times, have you ever felt that God does not care, or wondered if He even exists?

I know God always exists, but I felt like God did not care so much, when I lived through spiritual emptiness. These were times where I felt a deep emptiness within my core.  Moreover, I could not sense Him, feeling lost in my spiritual life and on my recovery journey. During the past four years, I have experienced spiritual emptiness many times. I either experienced it for hours, days or even months. Nonetheless, this emptiness would not last, my soul would resurface to God’s Light and I would be in awe of Him—knowing that He is always there even in the darkness.

6. How do you justify the suffering of mental illness with God's love? 
God loves all His children. The suffering that Christians with mental illness go through, is due to this fallen world we live in.  God does not want us to feel the agony of mental illness; He wants us to be happy, healthy and holy.

In order for this to happen, we must realize that we have a recovery journey to undertake and that an essential part of it concerns our relationship with God. We must seek Him with all our hearts in order to heal. Just as we have to accept our mental illness, we have to accept that God’s love is there for us, no matter what we have. Moreover, that His love is stronger than all our weaknesses.

7.  When did you start writing about your journey? 
I was inspired to write about my recovery journey during the year of 2012. When I became new in Christ, I felt called to share God’s Word, especially in a way that would help others with mental illness. Through my lived-experience and this newness of life, I decided at the end of the year to publish my blog. I not only wanted to express my healing process but also give others hope that recovery is possible. 

8.  What is your goal when you write about being a Christian with mental illnesses? 
I want people who are Christians and have mental illness such as BPD, to not feel alone with their inner pain. I know from my own experience the confusion and self-condemnation I struggled with concerning symptoms and faith. I believe others may feel the same way, therefore my goal is to be real, ease the suffering, give hope, offer compassion, and share God’s message. Therefore, to bring them closer to God with a better understanding of themselves within their Christian faith.

9.  When did you start painting and what do you do with your work? 
I have been painting on and off during my life, but the work that I treasure most is what I have worked on during these past four years. My paintings have expressed my pain with mental illness but also the hope of recovery.

I presently share my work on my blog and with Google+ communities.

10.  Are you trying to share a message through your paintings? 
While viewing abstract art, a person can see many things and feel different emotions. Therefore, it is something one lives for themselves. However, what I hope for others to experience when they see my paintings is to be moved in a positive way, and that the artwork may speak to them personally.

11. Can the Christian with mental illness be completely free of it? 
I believe that Christians who suffer from mental illness can find freedom from the torment of their symptoms especially if they have chosen a spiritual life along their recovery journey. Besides therapy and medication, finding our spiritual identity in the midst of the healing process is essential to that freedom.

I believe that individuals with BPD can recover, without a doubt, from their mental illness. I say this because I have always believed from the beginning of my recovery journey that I would recover someday, and I am gradually, three years later. Besides therapy, I knew I could only recover with my ultimate Healer—God. 

I think that recovery, for Christians with mental illness, becomes a success when they have stopped suffering from the majority of their symptoms, and they have started to discover and accept their individuality and the truth about themselves—who they really are without the illness. It is when they have finally found their way to that happier, healthier and holier life. They are free from the inner pain, they sense joy and peace in their lives, and the wounds that their soul suffered from, are finally healed.

Chantal C.

Chantal C. has lived with mental illness since her early teens. Her turning point came in 2012, when with therapy and spirituality she gained insight into her illnesses. Though she had drifted in and out of her faith as a Christian, during this time she found new life in Christ. Her desire is to offer hope to other Christian mental illness sufferers. She enjoys painting, photography and writing, and considers these activities to be healing therapies. 

Chantal has discontinued her two blogs,  Mental Illness & The Christian Faith, and Chantal's Art & Photography, and is working on a new blog presence.