Be careful, keep calm and don't be afraid

(10/13/12)

We think God doesn’t speak to us, but He does.

Over the last month or two I have started to notice a pattern. When I am looking for something and I panic, searching all over the house and ripping things apart, all I do is waste time. The same pattern applies to situations in my life. There are times when I force myself to find a solution to a problem only to feel something within me indicate that I am wasting time.  For example, last night I needed to find the spare key to my house. I looked in the place where I thought I put the key, but to no avail. So I looked in my car, my buffet, my wallet and any logical place that I would have left the key.  I wanted to panic.  I don’t think anyone wants to have the spare key to their house in an unknown place along with the uncertainty of someone else having your key.  However, something told me not to worry. Rather then ripping apart my house, I took Isaiah 7:4 to heart and remained calm. I prayed and simply went on with my business. If God wanted me to find it, He would reveal its location to me at the appointed time. If God did not want me to find the key, He would help me to take the next step to ensure the safety of my house.

Today, I was looking for tape in my bag that I had just used for a presentation. Guess what I found within seconds of reaching in my bag? My spare house key! I NEVER would have found that on my own. As a matter of fact, I still can’t determine the rationale of why the key was even there.

When Jesus Christ ascended to be seated with God after he defeated death on the cross, he gave us the most amazing gift…The Holy Spirit.  We are never alone. No matter what the situation, the Holy Spirit is with us and He helps us in our time of need.  However, in order to fully receive what He has for us, we must be still and listen. The spirit of fear is of the same bloodline as the spirit of panic, and worry and doubt…all flowing right from the enemy. We; however, are of a different bloodline, a bloodline of peace, grace, love, mercy, comfort, and so much more. We are of the bloodline of Christ.

I recently saw a post from InstaGOD ministries that said, “Have patience and wait for the things that you want the most. Don’t chase it, don’t run after it: If God wants you to have it, He will give it to you”.

Trust God for the details of your life. He has everything in His hands.

Checkout Instagod Ministries on Instagram (@instagodministries) or at www.instagod.org. Great source of Christ centered and Biblically sound encouragement.

“Be careful, keep calm and don't be afraid. Do not lose heart” Isaiah 7:4

Get Comfortable

(9/2012)

I woke up this morning not really wanting to get out of bed. On top of the fact I didn’t feel well, I woke up just grumpy because I still live in Alaska. I miss my family, I miss my friends, I miss the sun, I miss TJ Maxx and Marshalls, I miss it all. Yet here I am in rainy, overcast Anchorage, Alaska forcing myself to get out of bed, go to work and be happy with where God has me.

Then tonight it happened. Snow.

If I didn’t already have a headache from blowing my nose and coughing all day, I would have cried. It is only September and we have snow.

I have lived in Alaska for two years now. I moved here for an internship that, by God’s grace and mercy, turned into a job offer. I enjoy my job and I enjoy my experience here. For the last two years I have been completely content being here (that is, with some not-so-happy days along the way). The problem is that between the crazy winter we had last winter and the crappy summer full of rain that we had this summer, in addition to my numerous friends who are getting married back east, recently my contentedness has dwindled and today…I am feeling quite over missing some things that make me happy. 

As I said, there’s a problem. I need to produce a solution and the solution is easy… change the circumstances that are making me unhappy and discontent. Then things will be better.

Right?

Not really.

Why, you ask? Why stay somewhere that I don’t like, somewhere that’s challenging my “feelings” when I could be somewhere else that would make me “feel” better.  While painful, the answer is simple. God led me here and I don’t believe, contrary to my feelings, that He’s leading me to leave to feel better.

I am not sure when the trend actually began, but we live in a society that equates unhappiness as a need to leave or change or move to the nearest comfort level. We think that God primarily wants us to be happy and that He wants to “bless” us with sunshine, money and joyful situations. We are so wrong! While God may give us those things along the way, in the words of my previous Pastor…God doesn’t want to make us happy. He wants to make us Holy.

Many of the people God used in the Bible dealt with loneliness, rejection and discomfort…while being where God wanted them. Some even tried to run, but the results were never positive. Even the disciples, those who actually walked and lived with Jesus, suffered and were persecuted. Jesus Himself was not glorified until after He experienced death from the blood He shed because of the nails that pierced His hands and feet and the weight of the sins of this world literally on his shoulders. There has been no greater discomfort. He had the power to put down the cross and leave. He had the power to avoid all of his pain and suffering and leave. But He chose to stay, persevere and fight despite the discomfort of God’s silence.  He understood that His pain was bringing about something greater.

In life, we will without a doubt face situations that are not what we desire. But if God led us there, we should be obedient and stay there. I once heard a Pastor say that you are in more danger being out of God’s will than staying in His will . God NEVER said this life would be easy, but He did promise that He would always go before us and He will ALWAYS be with us.

No matter what you are going through, if you believe God has you there, be obedient and stay. If you are not sure, ask Him. By prayer, fasting and whatever means you need to snuggle up beside Him, just ask Him. He WILL answer you.

Be obedient. Stay. Trust that He is doing something greater.

I am not comfortable right now. God knows that. All I can do now is wait until He tells me otherwise… and go take out my skis. 

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. - Jeremiah 29:11

Wings like Eagles

(6/30/12)

Traveling home from a trip in Southeast Alaska this past summer, I arrived to a rainy day in Ketchican by ferry. The clouds loomed, the rain poured and I considered it to be an ugly, crappy day. Similar days had become quite frustrating to me as most of the summer weather had been a lot like this day. All I kept thinking was "I wish those clouds would move".

To fly back to Anchorage from Ketchican, I had to stop in Sitka and Juno first. I happened to be able to sit by the window on each leg. Each time we ascended into the air and above the rain clouds, I discovered that the sun was on full blast. I had never really thought of what existed about the clouds. I guess I just thought that because of the clouds, the sun’s rays were inhibited.  On this day, I realized how completely wrong I had been with this thinking. I am almost embarrassed to say that this experience was an ah-ha moment for me, but it truly was.

In life storms, we tend to focus on the clouds. It seems like the clouds will never abate and the sun doesn’t exist. The truth is we just have to wait and believe the sun (God) is still ever present over our situation.

Isaiah 40:31 says that they (meaning us) will soar on wings like eagles. While most of us are familiar with that verse, how many of us truly understand what that means for us?

When eagles encounter a storm, they could easily take cover until the storm dissipates. But instead of running away from the problem, God designed them to do something incredible. When storms come, eagles find a perch and then they wait. Once the storm reaches its peak, they use the pressure of the wind to lift them ABOVE the clouds. What they instinctively do and don’t do is amazing. They don’t flap and fight against the storm.  Instead, by allowing the air pressure of the storm to lift them, they are able to soar above the storm.

We may not have planes to lift us about the clouds so that we can escape physical rain, storms or just crappy days.  Yet, Christ created us as eagles; equipping us with His supernatural power to soar above our current struggles. If we allow our wings to rest in Him and not fight the pressures of life, we will find that He will use that pressure to elevate us over our trials and bring us closer to Him.

No matter what you are going through, let God elevate you. Don't fight Him or get distraught by the way things look at the moment. He is there with you, and He is above it all. Release your hands, fall face first into His mercy and soar into the sun.