Christian

  • An Update on Trust – One Word 2021

    ByLauren Christian, Grace & Truth Link Up, mental health, obedience, prayer, trusting God
    19 Comments

    Back in January, I shared my One Word focus for the year.  Trust.  I knew I lacked trust in our all-powerful God, so His leading in this direction did not surprise me.  I trust Him with my eternal salvation but not with the care and keeping of myself and my loved ones.  Not truly.  It makes no sense, but I have a feeling I’m not the only one.

     

    I have some significant lessons I feel led to share with you, but I confess I’m not sure how to do so.  The biggest issue that I pray and plead with God about is not my story alone to tell.  So out of respect, I must be vague.  I value authenticity and wish I could be completely forthcoming, but I hope you will understand.  And I pray the message still comes across.  Here goes:

     

    I shared several scriptures on trust in my original One Word post.  In the months since, I have been a faithful scribe, copying them in longhand almost every day for meditation and memorization purposes.  I have prayed fervently for God to take away this burden of distrust and help me place all the things in His capable hands.  And yet I still hold on.

     

    What do I mean by distrust?  Uncontrollable shaking every time I got a phone call about the situation.  Mini panic attacks (never had those before).  Medication to sleep after learning new information.  Heavy anxiety.  No peace whatsoever.  Until God took my knowledge of the issue away.

     

    God must have decided that if I couldn’t release the reigns to Him, He would take away any semblance of control I thought I had.  No more new information coming in.  No way to assert my opinions or even the truth of God’s Word into the situation.  I argued with Him.  (Of course, I did.)  How will I know when there’s a new development?  Who else will speak truth into this mess?

     

    And in His kind way, God whispered, “I will speak truth into the mess.”  and “I love them even more than you do.”  and “I can handle it.”  I confess that this initially caused me additional anxiety.  But if I’m honest, I also felt relief.  I can’t know.  I can’t do.  I can only pray and be.

     

    I prayed for God to help me trust Him and He has delivered.  Not the way I intended, but he did answer that prayer.  He told me in no uncertain terms that he could do this without my help.  And in the absence of information, my anxiety has plummeted.  God forced my obedience, and I thank Him.

     

    I still pray daily for this situation.  And I am under no delusions that said situation will turn out the way I want.  But I can have some semblance of rest and peace that God is in control of it.  I need not interfere.  And in the end, He will make all things right.  It’s a promise.

     

    My word for the year is TRUST.  And God is forcing me to do so.  Praise the Lord!

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    God is our refuge and strength,
        a very presentb]”>[b]”>bb]”>] help in trouble.
    2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
        though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
    3 though its waters roar and foam,
        though the mountains tremble at its swelling.   Psalm 46:1-3

     

    And now for this week’s featured post from the link up.

     

    Sarah J Cullen for candidlychristian.com made me think about a very familiar scripture in a whole new way in Reconcile Like Jesus.  Give it a read and tell me I’m not the only one!  Thanks, Sarah.

     

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  • Praying God’s Word Wednesday #15

    ByLauren Bible reading, Christian, prayer
    14 Comments

    Welcome back to Praying God’s Word Wednesday!  I had some help this week from a wise and dear friend.  Here’s the story.  I texted her today’s scripture and said, “Praying God leads you in triumph in the areas of your weakness.”  She texted back, finishing the prayer with the second half of the scripture:  “Love this!  Also praying you and I will spread the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ in every aspect of our lives. ”

     

    The Believer’s Bible Commentary says of the passage, “Paul here borrows a figure from the triumphal processions of Roman conquerors.  Returning home after glorious victories, they would lead their captives along the streets of the capital.  Incense bearers would march along both sides, and the fragrance of the incense would permeate the scene.  So Paul pictures the Lord marching as a conqueror from Troas to Macedonia, and leading the apostle in His train.

    Wherever the Lord goes, through His servants, there is victory.”  I LOVE this.

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    F.B. Meyer writes:  “Wherever they [Paul and the other missionaries] went men knew Jesus better;  the loveliness of the Master’s character became more apparent.  Men became aware of a subtle fragrance, poured upon the air, which attracted them to the Man of Nazareth.”  I want my life, and the lives of those I love, to look like this!

     

    So I put all that together and expanded the original prayer I sent to my friend.

     

     

    Replace the pronouns with the appropriate ones for the person (or yourself) that you are praying for.

     

    Praying for you in this.  And don’t forget to share this on social media or with a friend who could benefit.  It would mean so much to me.  And if you don’t want to miss a Praying God’s Word Wednesday, subscribe over on the right hand side of this page.

    Lauren