Ok, I don't know about you, but one of the best feelings I can think of is when you first step outside of a stuffy room and inhale a huge breath of fresh, cool air!
There's absolutely nothing like it!!
Something I've noticed recently is that it's really easy for our lives to become like that hot, stuffy room that we desperately want to get out of. Stress, monotony, burdens, and the like can really make it hard for us to breathe.
I've found that in sometimes in life, rather than opening the door for a breath of fresh air, we can lock ourselves in. There are two things that I think we can easily do that will lock us into the room.
I've found that in sometimes in life, rather than opening the door for a breath of fresh air, we can lock ourselves in. There are two things that I think we can easily do that will lock us into the room.
1. The first thing is when we, intentionally or unintentionally, decide that God is useless in our situation.
When things get tough or stressful, rather than relying on God, it's really easy to think we have to bear the burden all on our own. It becomes more natural to trust ourselves during the very times when we need God to intervene most!
Symptoms of this mindset include constant worry and stress about what to do with our situations.
How is this a symptom? Well, if we really believed that God would take care of us, we wouldn't be so worried about whether or not we can handle the situation in front of us. We put all of the weight of the situation into our own hands, which is where the stress comes from. Make sense?
How is this a symptom? Well, if we really believed that God would take care of us, we wouldn't be so worried about whether or not we can handle the situation in front of us. We put all of the weight of the situation into our own hands, which is where the stress comes from. Make sense?
2. The Second thing that we can easily slip into is the belief that God wants us to stay locked in the room. Now, this one may be surprising, but I've found it quite common.
You see, we can often take a viewpoint that sounds a little bit like this:
"As a Christian, I know my life is going to stink! It's going to be really hard, trying, and monotonous, but I guess I can always look forward to my glorious reward in Heaven when I die..."
This is common, but TOTALLY unbiblical! Yes, we will go through hard times that require perseverance, and yes we have a great hope to look forward to after death, but a life that is lived in the here and now with the Holy Spirit is an exciting one!!!
God is constantly doing a new thing, even in the monotony! I believe that God does not just have hard times and monotony for us, but he has GOOD things! New things! Exciting things he wants to do in and through us!
Now, I realize that there are trying times we all go through as I'm just coming out of one of those seasons myself. However, there is a whole world of fresh air waiting for us to step outside into it!
God has a plan for your life!
You are not destined only for bland, monotonous, or trying times, but for new, good and exciting things!
I believe we serve a God of the fresh air!
It's our choice to lock ourselves into stuffy rooms!
Let me challenge you today, step outside and breathe!
God has a great things in store for you!
Pursue his will.
Meditate on his promises.
Realize who God is and rest in him!
3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
-Psalm 37:3-4
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose.
-Romans 8:28
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
-Psalm 23
