Ever just felt that struggle in your heart-- that tug that says "I know I'm supposed to trust you God. I know that I'm supposed to say that and be positive but my circumstances look crazy and I have NO idea how this is going to work out! Oh Gosh, God you have to HELP me."
Sounds like a pretty desperate person, right? If everything was already figured out in your life, why would you need to depend on Him? GOD places holes in your hearts & brings you through seasons where you will be FORCED to depend on Him with everything you got. During those seasons you have two options- you can flow with Him and let Him develop you, or you can try to squirm out of it, depend on yourself or harden your heart against Him. God wants us to depend on His grace, the devil wants us to depend on ourselves. Satan is the author of do-it-yourself enterprises. Satan wants you to go try to make it happen. I remember reading an old journal and the Lord told me, "Heather--everytime a problem comes, your first mindset turns to YOU, you try to figure it out and you don't even give Me an opportunity to help you. As soon as you step in, I step back."--I learned that as long as we try to "make" things happen in our lives, God will stand back and wait for us to wear ourselves OUT. Eventually, we do just that--we get tired--weary, broken and then we finally let God step in and do what He's been trying to do all along. Sometimes we can be so controlling over our lives.
So if things aren't flowing together, RELAX. God will always do HIS part, so be sure that you are doing your part.
Your part includes:
- Spending time with Him daily. Reading your bible, praying,
- Getting a bible that you love to study. (I love Joyce Meyer's Everyday Living Bible, Life Application Bible, Students Life Application Bible, Dakes Bible)
- Set time aside daily. The same way you set time aside for work, people and everything else--you HAVE to make time for God. I've heard that you'll make something a habit if you do it everyday for 21 days--so make a point to wake up 30-60 minutes before you have to and spend that time with Him.
- Go to bed so you can wake up. (you know!) :)
- Cutting off distractions. WHO are you hanging around with? How do we expect to trust God when we're hanging around a bunch of materialistic, negative, power hungry people?
- Obey God daily. You can say that you trust Him with your lips but God is looking at your intentions as clearly as He hears your words. So when the test comes, PASS it.
- LET go of the idea that you'll always know everything & be able to figure it out. You just won't. You have to get comfortable "not knowing" sometimes.
- What are you watching on TV & what music are you listening to? Protect your heart. Things grow there
- When the worry creeps into your mind- talk back to it! TELL worry that God provides everything you need and that by faith, you trust Him. (matthew 6:33), (2 Cor 10:5)
We can go throughout the bible and see so many stories of people that trusted God. Look at Mary and Joseph--they trusted God to impregnate Mary without intercourse. How crazy and impossible does that seem?! It's a clear miracle. I'm confident that's why God chose them. He knew that Mary and Joseph would trust Him. Joseph could have left Mary and said, "You've been cheating on me!" Mary could have pressured Joseph to have sex with her to "make sense of being pregnant" in her mind. But they didn't they stood their ground and trusted God.. 9 months later birthed Jesus Christ who is THE Savior of the World. How amazing. I believe that you're "pregnant" with some things. Don't abort those visions and dreams that God has given you. Trust HIM. HE will make these things come to pass as soon as you get your eyes off of YOU & finally put them on Him.
Pray this with me:Dear Lord, please help us to let go of EVERYTHING that holds us back from completely submitting to you. I declare that we completely trust you with every single thing concerning our life and that we finally let go of "trying to make things happen". God, I pray that you help us to surrender…even if it’s 50 times a day. According to Proverbs 3:5-6, we acknowledge you in every part of our life and you really lead us. We let go & roll our care on you. In Jesus Name, Amen.
I taught a message called: "Trusting God--But I Like My Props"--You can listen to it here: You can also find other messages on Trusting God that have been taught by myself and my husband on Itunes--Search under "The Gathering Oasis" or go to www.thegonow.com
Heather
You are an awesome woman of God! Everything you blog about or even tweet about often reflects how I feel. I love your sound advice and wisdom. If you haven't already, you should consider becoming a life coach.:-)
ReplyDeletelol! I've actually taken a life coach class! Totally love it! It's def. something I'm looking into!
DeleteIve been on this journey for the past year. Its been a tough journey- but im staying strong. The MY PART section is right on time...I really have to let go of the people thats not adding anythingf into my world(and that includes family). My support system here in Boston is non-existent, and that is something that i hope to change. I needed to get right first with GOD and everything else will follow.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy your blog as well as tweets. I want to start a blog- not sure where to start. God bless my sister.
_ -Cyreld
Story of my life :(
ReplyDeleteI actually thought for awhile I was not truly saved because of this struggle. Everything was fine till the Holy Spirit placed Romans 12:1 heavily on my heart. Completely surrendered? Living sacrifice? God is still teaching me and I'm learning the hard way because I'm stubborn and suck. Although I wish I was with Him because I keep messing up, I know He still has me on this earth for a reason though. I never tell anyone that I think like this but He knows.
Anyway thanks for being obedient to The Holy Spirit and allowing God to speak through you. God bless, your blog is truly wonderful.
This really ministered to me. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteGod bless you Heather this was very empowering. I struggle with trust, I don't know how to let go and let God, so I needed to hear those words. I am a work in progress though! lol between that prayer was powerful. May God continue to use you to spread the gospel and touch the lives of others in a kind & gentle way.
ReplyDeleteFor so long I had control issues and it was like I was picking and choosing the things that I wanted to trust God with and the things that I would handle of my own. Needless to say, I always got myself into a world of trouble using that method! I am glad that God has taught me how to trust Him! He is the bomb!
ReplyDeleteGod bless you Heather. this is so me, I used to be able to just let go and let God. Through many situations in life where I blew it I somehow lost the ease of just trusting him. I know that is what he wants and he reminds me how he has always been there, but I somehow am having a hard time leaving my husband and marriage in his hands. I know it is fear of the unknown and fear of being hurt again. I know he is waiting for me to just let go and not take it back. Thank you for your obediance, I know I will win with his help.
ReplyDelete