Trust is a big deal in every single relationship that we are in. No matter if the relationship is with our friends, our siblings, our significant others, our parents, or our God. When we can't trust another person, it's impossible to open up to them and be vulnerable, and really be loved. Tonight, I heard a message about love, and one of the verses quoted was 1 Corinthians 13:7, "[love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
In our relationships with others, it's important to trust each other to show each other that we love them. We have to trust even when we least feel like it. Most importantly, we must trust God! I was talking with a friend yesterday about how much blessing I have received from trusting God with his plan for my life. So many times I think that my plan is the best one...and it really never is. By trusting God, we show him that we love him! Love always trusts.
Time and time again I've seen people that trust in themselves alone to get a job, get married, or just start dating. I've even done it myself in the past. We trust in ourselves to figure out the best way to handle a situation or even decide on a school. And sometimes, it even turns out okay. But just okay is not what I want for my life. I want my life to scream God's power and might. I want my life story to be cool because it's so apparent what God did and I didn't do. Proverbs 3:5 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding." We as humans really don't understand much, in all honesty and humility. It's like when I was hurt by a church that was only trying to help me grow in my relationship with Christ by putting all my energy into one church. God had such a huge plan for me that I couldn't see at the time, but in trusting him, I was so blessed! Story after story reveals how much we can trust God. Joshua 1:9 says, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." We can really trust him, because he promised us! He will never leave us or forsake us, and he has a plan for us. He has a plan for our friendships, our future marriages or singleness, our jobs, and our hearts.
So I'm trusting God. And it's not necessarily easy, but from all I've seen and heard, its worth it. It's even commanded. So in the little and big things, trust in God, lean on him, and he will never let you fall.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
What does it mean to be wise?
Well...it's July! I can't believe how fast this summer is going. Before we know it we'll all be buying school supplies like 6th graders. Well, maybe not. But I will be. Anyways, I've been SUPER busy the past week or so, thus explaining my lack of posts.
So lately, I've been reading Ezekiel. Which is crazy...if you haven't read it, you should! I'm learning so much from it. Ezekiel 11:19-20 says, "I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people and I will be their God." This is a really incredible promise. The people of Israel turned away from God and in the midst of their rebellion, and in the midst of his anger, he promises this. He never gives up on Israel, no matter how many times they turn their backs on Him.
But what has really caught my attention this week has been James 3:17. It says, "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." If we want to be wise, really wise, not wise from worldly standards, then we need to work on these things. Ok correction, I need to work on these things.
Purity of mind and spirit and attitude. Seeking peace in every situation, even when it would be easy to start and argument. Considerate of the people around us. Considerate enough to value others above ourselves. Submissive. Which doesn't have to be negative! The world has twisted the meaning of submission to mean something VERY different from how God intends submission to be. Really, submission is a beautiful way to serve and respect the people around us that are in authority. Full of mercy. Mercy for those that are lost. Mercy for those that hurt me. Mercy for those that make mistakes, just like me. Full of good fruit. There should be good fruit coming from wisdom! If we are wise, we should be able to have an affect on those around us. Our actions and attitudes should change outwardly. Impartial. We should treat all of our brothers and sisters the same. I think that we can be better friends with some people than others, but we shouldn't treat anyone with less love and acceptance just because we don't know them as well. Sincere. Oh sincerity. Not being fake with people; being okay with being myself.
Ultimately, I want to be wise. I want Godly wisdom that will make me a strong and Godly woman. I want to be all of the things that James says that wisdom from heaven looks like. And if I want that, these are the things that I must work on. Nowhere does it say that I have to know a whole bunch of random facts or even a lot of facts about one thing. James doesn't say that I have to be an intellectual to be wise. And although I do value learning, I realize that it takes a whole lot more to really be wise.
So lately, I've been reading Ezekiel. Which is crazy...if you haven't read it, you should! I'm learning so much from it. Ezekiel 11:19-20 says, "I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people and I will be their God." This is a really incredible promise. The people of Israel turned away from God and in the midst of their rebellion, and in the midst of his anger, he promises this. He never gives up on Israel, no matter how many times they turn their backs on Him.
But what has really caught my attention this week has been James 3:17. It says, "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." If we want to be wise, really wise, not wise from worldly standards, then we need to work on these things. Ok correction, I need to work on these things.
Purity of mind and spirit and attitude. Seeking peace in every situation, even when it would be easy to start and argument. Considerate of the people around us. Considerate enough to value others above ourselves. Submissive. Which doesn't have to be negative! The world has twisted the meaning of submission to mean something VERY different from how God intends submission to be. Really, submission is a beautiful way to serve and respect the people around us that are in authority. Full of mercy. Mercy for those that are lost. Mercy for those that hurt me. Mercy for those that make mistakes, just like me. Full of good fruit. There should be good fruit coming from wisdom! If we are wise, we should be able to have an affect on those around us. Our actions and attitudes should change outwardly. Impartial. We should treat all of our brothers and sisters the same. I think that we can be better friends with some people than others, but we shouldn't treat anyone with less love and acceptance just because we don't know them as well. Sincere. Oh sincerity. Not being fake with people; being okay with being myself.
Ultimately, I want to be wise. I want Godly wisdom that will make me a strong and Godly woman. I want to be all of the things that James says that wisdom from heaven looks like. And if I want that, these are the things that I must work on. Nowhere does it say that I have to know a whole bunch of random facts or even a lot of facts about one thing. James doesn't say that I have to be an intellectual to be wise. And although I do value learning, I realize that it takes a whole lot more to really be wise.
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