Sometimes, we can be our own worst enemy. I'm pretty good at that. It's so simple to list everything that I can't do, that I'm not good at, or could do better.
I find myself quickly turning down things of God that I should be doing but feel that I can't. I'm quick to make excuses, rationalizations, or an exception of why it doesn't apply to me, why it wouldn't work....why maybe someone else could do it better than me, or should be doing it instead of me.
During this morning's church service, the message was about being a peace maker versus being a peace keeper. A peace maker being someone that helps resolve conflict and not only keeps people away from each other to simply keep the peace. Doubt quickly creeps in my mind - no way, I can't help resolve conflict. All the reasons start lining up in my mind....
A little while later, I have a small revelation....all these doubts and insecurities (not only from this morning but over the last few weeks), these aren't from God. These are the lies that the devil wants us to believe so that we are not living for God and bringing Him glory.
For me, it's so easy to forget that spiritual warfare is real; that it is a daily struggle. A daily struggle that we can easily overlook and attribute to just not being good enough. Today, God not only reminded me of this, but He also reminded me that He knows exactly who we are, who He made us to be, and who we are capable of being. And for this, I am thankful. We are not perfect nor will we ever be perfect this side of heaven. I love that God doesn't ask this of us.
I love that God has shown us the way to overcome this warfare. He has equipped us with all the tools that we need to fight this good fight. We need only fight the fight His way, the way He has instructed us to do so. He's laid out the foundation for victory; what more could we ask for?
"A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God".
-Ephesians 10:1-17
Sunday, May 24, 2015
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Long Enough....
After a nearly three year blogging hiatus, I'm back. There is something about getting down my walk with God, lessons I learned, thoughts I have, on here...all of which I have been "too busy and distracted" to do. I also do like the idea that what I share may have even the smallest effect on someone, that God uses me so that He may reach someone and that He is glorified through this.
With that said, I don't think I can recap the last 3 years in a single post nor will I try to do so ;) I'll stay current and share a very cool experience that I had last night.
Over the last few months I've been struggling with the choice on whether or not I should drink. It's a struggle that has followed me for quite some time now. During my 20s, I pretty much drank in excess and whenever I wanted. Back then, at least for a short period, I drank as a coping mechanism and the others times was for stress relief and the occasional social outings.
A few months ago and as a now mother of two...I found myself having a glass of wine or two to de-stress and occasionally going a bit overboard. I've known for some time that a change is needed. God has clearly and loudly been pointing me in that direction. Sam and I slowly made some changes to eliminate the two to threee times a week of a glass of wine. To many people, a glass or two is not a big deal. To us and for us, it's means something a little different; it means depending on a worldy idol instead of God and it means, in some instances, a lack of self-control.
I've gone back and forth contempleting eliminating drinking completely from my life. I can't concisely explain it, so I won't for now. But I have been praying and asking others to pray that God changes the desires of my heart.
How cool would it be just to not want to drink any more? I know how cool it would be because I used to be there when I actually did let God change the desires of my heart. Somewhere down the road, I got caught up in life and that brings me here again.
Well, last night Sam and I am decided to celebrate Mother's Day with a nice dinner and a bottle of wine. I didn't think too much about it...the guilt that I had been feeling months earlier wasn't present and the dwelling on whether this is right or wrong wasn't present either. I don't know if that's good or not, that's just what it was.
So I have a glass of wine after dinner, and typically, I drink it kinda fast and go for a second. Interestingly enough, I can barely finish it. I usually go right for my second glass. This time it was different, I didn't have the desire, need, or want to have second glass. I am very aware of that this could be just an isolated incidence :p But what I think happened, is that at least for this night, God truly did change the desire of my heart. I will hold on to this and I will look for Him to do this again.
It is not by my power, but His.
With that said, I don't think I can recap the last 3 years in a single post nor will I try to do so ;) I'll stay current and share a very cool experience that I had last night.
Over the last few months I've been struggling with the choice on whether or not I should drink. It's a struggle that has followed me for quite some time now. During my 20s, I pretty much drank in excess and whenever I wanted. Back then, at least for a short period, I drank as a coping mechanism and the others times was for stress relief and the occasional social outings.
A few months ago and as a now mother of two...I found myself having a glass of wine or two to de-stress and occasionally going a bit overboard. I've known for some time that a change is needed. God has clearly and loudly been pointing me in that direction. Sam and I slowly made some changes to eliminate the two to threee times a week of a glass of wine. To many people, a glass or two is not a big deal. To us and for us, it's means something a little different; it means depending on a worldy idol instead of God and it means, in some instances, a lack of self-control.
I've gone back and forth contempleting eliminating drinking completely from my life. I can't concisely explain it, so I won't for now. But I have been praying and asking others to pray that God changes the desires of my heart.
How cool would it be just to not want to drink any more? I know how cool it would be because I used to be there when I actually did let God change the desires of my heart. Somewhere down the road, I got caught up in life and that brings me here again.
Well, last night Sam and I am decided to celebrate Mother's Day with a nice dinner and a bottle of wine. I didn't think too much about it...the guilt that I had been feeling months earlier wasn't present and the dwelling on whether this is right or wrong wasn't present either. I don't know if that's good or not, that's just what it was.
So I have a glass of wine after dinner, and typically, I drink it kinda fast and go for a second. Interestingly enough, I can barely finish it. I usually go right for my second glass. This time it was different, I didn't have the desire, need, or want to have second glass. I am very aware of that this could be just an isolated incidence :p But what I think happened, is that at least for this night, God truly did change the desire of my heart. I will hold on to this and I will look for Him to do this again.
It is not by my power, but His.
Zechariah 4:6
Then he told me, “This is the message from the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘You will not succeed by your own strength or by your own power. The power will come from my Spirit,’ says the Lord of heaven’s armies.
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