As I sat at the kitchen table reading a book called “Waiting on God” by Charles Stanley. God started to convict me thru this book about IDOLS.
Now just to rewind a bit my family and I have recently relocated by Faith from the West Coast to the East Coast but currently we're still waiting for God to open a door for a home and a few other things... okay now back to the book!
Charles Stanley started listing out things that could potentially be idols in our lives and two of them convicted me! I knew I was guilty! Those two things were fear and leaning on my understanding.
Wow! These were the exact two things I'd been dealing with. Fear of the future, fear that I didn't hear God right in some areas of my life, and fear that God may not come thru. My understanding-trying to figure out what/how God is going to come thru for us. I'd spent a lot of time focused on trying to figure out his ways or thinking about ways I can help God speed up the process.
In God's word, he speaks against both of these exact things...
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your understanding.”
Proverbs 3:5 NLT
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9
I've been focused on the wrong things.
Whatever we focus on or think about more than God can become idols in our lives. and during this move, I've been focused on the wrong things. I've spent more time trying to figure God out and mediating on fear when I should have been mediating on scripture!
If I can be honest. Sometimes it's hard! When you've been having faith in something for years and you see nothing happening or you've been disappointed time and time again but I love that I can share my feelings with God!
One of my go-to scriptures is when a father was believing in his child to be healed and he told Jesus
I BELIEVE YOU CAN DO IT BUT HELP THE PARTS OF ME THAT DON'T BELIEVE. (Read Mark 9:14-24)
He was honest and real with Jesus! We don't have to pretend with God we can share how we feel and he hears our hearts.
As I continued to read scriptures God put this in my heart. Daughter I need you to Just Believe! Don't waste your time trying to figure out
when and how I'm going to do something just believe I'm going to do it and keep your eyes on me.
Ask God To Help You.
Can I encourage you to do the same thing? Now I'm not saying this will be easy or happen overnight but it takes intentionality. When you feel your thoughts drifting tell God! Ask him to help you stay focused and Include him in everything you do and surrender daily.
Here are a few scripture you can read this week.
Mark 9:14-24
Proverbs 3:5-6
Isaiah 55:8-9
Ephesians: 3:20
Book I've been reading Waiting on God: Strength for Today and Hope for Tomorrow https://a.co/d/fbDFGNf
