So in my struggle to know where I fit into the big picture I reach out to God in my devotions; I know that no matter what path I take, He will always have a purpose for me but I still have anxiety and am perplexed. This is where He took me today...
Hebrews 12:1, 12-13
Do read the whole 1-13 verses and you'll feel a bigger reality. I chose these out of all because they were the ones I had to reread to pinpoint why they touched me.
"Therefore, we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." (vs. 1)
"Therefore strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed." (vs's 12-13)
This is perfect for my mind. Put, 'doing it for others' into the equation and it's so much more desireable and meaningful.
So no matter what I choose to do I'm sure God has a reason for me there. I need to stay true to Him! I need to stay open to people and situations and schedule changes around me not as hinderances but as opportunities and possibilities. Even when it doesn't seem right...there still are opportunities and possibilities in His plans for you!
It takes a stronge faith to stay in a situation where all seems wrong...and you are asking God "why should I have to deal with this?" Only from God can our eyes and hearts be opened to the fact that God wants to use us in situations where we are there for someone else and not ourselves and then continue along knowing it's okay. It's okay to be used by God!
I like taking the weight off of meaningless me and putting it on how I affect others. God details many desires for us to live by throughout the old and new testaments. He places examples and reasons and yet we still look at them and think "I'm fine! I'm different. He'll make an exception in my case."
Wow, how self-centered we humans can be! Take a second look at the verses above. "surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses...throw off everthing that hinders...entangles." "make level paths...so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed." I don't see me being talked about here. I see God saying to me, "Look around you. You're not the only one here! What you do is witnessed by others that haven't felt My Love yet. (great cloud of witnesses). Others that may be turned away because you are being so careless with your faith. Others that are being distracted by your interests and entertainment. (throw off everything that hinders). Don't give a wrong impression of who I Am because you feel immune to what I teach you in the Bible." (so the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed).
I don't have to carry the role of being me anymore.
I can take the role of who God can use me to be.
I don't know about you but for me that sounds so much more appealing. I'm thankful I took a couple extra minutes to open my Bible and read these verses. If I hadn't read the Bible it wouldn't have been as clear to me. "There are reasons behind Your advice, Lord!" I just have to take the steps to figure them out; which makes them all the more reasonable, realistic and wonderful! I am not immune to sin...and I am not too good for advice from God.
Amen!
Hebrews 12:1, 12-13
Do read the whole 1-13 verses and you'll feel a bigger reality. I chose these out of all because they were the ones I had to reread to pinpoint why they touched me.
"Therefore, we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." (vs. 1)
"Therefore strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed." (vs's 12-13)
This is perfect for my mind. Put, 'doing it for others' into the equation and it's so much more desireable and meaningful.
So no matter what I choose to do I'm sure God has a reason for me there. I need to stay true to Him! I need to stay open to people and situations and schedule changes around me not as hinderances but as opportunities and possibilities. Even when it doesn't seem right...there still are opportunities and possibilities in His plans for you!
It takes a stronge faith to stay in a situation where all seems wrong...and you are asking God "why should I have to deal with this?" Only from God can our eyes and hearts be opened to the fact that God wants to use us in situations where we are there for someone else and not ourselves and then continue along knowing it's okay. It's okay to be used by God!
I like taking the weight off of meaningless me and putting it on how I affect others. God details many desires for us to live by throughout the old and new testaments. He places examples and reasons and yet we still look at them and think "I'm fine! I'm different. He'll make an exception in my case."
Wow, how self-centered we humans can be! Take a second look at the verses above. "surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses...throw off everthing that hinders...entangles." "make level paths...so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed." I don't see me being talked about here. I see God saying to me, "Look around you. You're not the only one here! What you do is witnessed by others that haven't felt My Love yet. (great cloud of witnesses). Others that may be turned away because you are being so careless with your faith. Others that are being distracted by your interests and entertainment. (throw off everything that hinders). Don't give a wrong impression of who I Am because you feel immune to what I teach you in the Bible." (so the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed).
I don't have to carry the role of being me anymore.
I can take the role of who God can use me to be.
I don't know about you but for me that sounds so much more appealing. I'm thankful I took a couple extra minutes to open my Bible and read these verses. If I hadn't read the Bible it wouldn't have been as clear to me. "There are reasons behind Your advice, Lord!" I just have to take the steps to figure them out; which makes them all the more reasonable, realistic and wonderful! I am not immune to sin...and I am not too good for advice from God.
Amen!
