“The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down” Proverbs 14

The frenzied pace we sometimes choose to keep can take a toll on our homes and impact our relationships.

When we live at a pace that continually drains us we end up taking it out on those closest to us. Complaining, frustration and lack of patience can surface all too often. As women we can actually be tearing down relationships by our own hand and not even be aware we are doing so. A wise woman will take note of her reactions and make a choice to be a builder.

If your quiet time with God has slipped to the sidelines of your life, it won’t be long before you notice the telltale signs of complaining, negativity and frustration in your life and relationships.

Ask God to come in a fresh way into your life to help you make time with Him a priority. Choose to make some changes in your schedule so God can make some changes in your heart.

Invite His Holy Spirit to be the change agent in your life today. Ask for what the Bible calls the fruit of the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:22) It’s “The Great Exchange.” He will help you build your relationships. You can depend on God to be your source for all your needs.

–   Exchange your weakness for His strength.
–   Your unhappy heart for His joy.
–   Your annoyance for His love.
–   Your anxiety for His peace.
–   Your impatience for His patience.
–   Your complaining for His contentment.
–   Your harsh attitude for His gentleness.

Father in Heaven, today I ask that You would forgive me for foolishly reacting in ways that  tear my relationships down. Fill me afresh today with the fruit of Your Holy Spirit. May I be a wise woman filled with the wisdom and revelation that Your Spirit offers to me.  In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Take Action: Look at the list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22:
–   Love
–   Joy
–   Peace
–   Patience
–   Gentleness
–   Goodness
–   Faith
–   Humility
–   Self- control

Ask yourself which one of these fruits is in short supply in your life right now. Identify it. Then invite the Holy Spirit to produce it in you in new ways today.

By Gail Rodgers
Used by Permission

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FURTHER READING

• Reading the Bible – Where to Start?
• How to Have a ‘Quiet Time’ with God

The post A Little Frayed appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” Hebrews 12:2

Have you ever felt like you were in a rat race?

Jackie struggled with that feeling. She was a Christian wife and mother, held a part-time job, and was actively involved in church.
For the most part, she enjoyed her activities.  But increasingly her efforts seemed fruitless. She became discouraged, stressed and ready to drop out of life.

If you’ve ever been tempted to drop out when life seemed like a rat race, let me assure you, you’re not alone!  Even the Apostle Paul felt that way.  His Biblical advice is to strip off the unnecessary weight that slows you down.  And to keep your eyes on Jesus.

Jackie heeded that advice by prioritizing her church responsibilities, dropping some commitments, and giving each day to God.

Run the race God has given you, friend, but don’t pick up hitchhikers!

By Vonette Bright
used by permission

RELATED READING

• Inviting God into the Chaos
• The Remedy for Chaos

  Keeping It Together In the Midst of Chaos

• Are You Choosing Chaos?
• God Can Speak into the Chaos of Your Life

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“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

Whenever I get to a place where life seems more than I can handle, there’s that still, small voice that nudges me: “Remember, Idelette, be still and know that I am God.” Often it’s easier to run and accomplish tasks rather than putting on the brakes and quiet my heart. On those days, it is what I need most. My Creator reminds me of that often.

Where do I need God to be God? What are the questions in my heart? Where is it that I need to be still today and invite God in?

What will this day bring, Lord?
Be still and know that I am God.

Is there a relationship that needs healing?
Be still and know that I am God.

Am I anxious about finances?
Be still and know that I am God.

Someone I love is sick, Lord.
Be still and know that I am God.

Am I concerned about my work, my future, my purpose?
Be still and know that I am God.

Prayer:
Thank you, God, that You have already saved the world. I don’t need to. I only need to do what You require of me. Help me return to that place of stillness where I find perspective and strength.

By Idelette McVicker
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

The Remedy for Chaos

Keeping It Together In the Midst of Chaos

The Effects of Fear

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“Be still, and know that I am God..”  Psalm 46:10

I’ve felt overwhelmed a few times this past while – caught in the too little, too late, too many, too much syndrome.  More than once, my time or wisdom or energy or patience seemed sorely outmatched by the need of the moment.  It’s like trying to extinguish a forest fire with a garden hose, fight a war with a pea shooter, navigate chaos in a row-boat.

Can you relate?

What do you do when that happens?

Here’s what I do: run around in rapid circles and scream like a 4-year old.

But that never seems to work (though the screaming brings minor and short-term relief, and has the added benefit of terrifying my neighbor’s cats). So my next and better resort is to sit down and shut up.  I am learning (ever so slowly) to convert my inadequacy into fresh dependency on God and, through that, a fresh discovery of God’s sufficiency.  God is in the habit of calling us down into valleys deeper and darker than our courage can bear, out onto waters rougher and wider than our stomachs can handle, up atop mountains taller and steeper than our strength can endure.  It’s in those places where we expend the last ounce of our own courage and calm and strength, and either fail miserably or come face-to-face with the living God.

I met this week with a friend who two years ago failed miserably.  He got out on the water, panicked, and sank.  But even in the depths, God was there.  He came face-to-face.  It is making all the difference.

I think when Peter walked on the water, Jesus knew full well what would happen: first he’d do fine, pirouetting on the waves, and then he’d lose nerve and start plummeting.  The bigness of the waves overwhelmed him.  But I think Jesus set it up for Peter to learn afresh his complete inadequacy in order to admit his utmost dependency in order to discover God’s total sufficiency.

So if you’re running around in rapid circles and screaming like a 4-year old (or your version thereof), try this instead: shut up, sit down, and rediscover the living God.  Convert your inadequacy into your dependency and there find His sufficiency.

By Mark Buchanan
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

• God Can Speak into the Chaos of Your Life
• Chaos Now For Beauty Later
• How to Know God Personally

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The post The Remedy for Chaos appeared first on Thoughts About God.

How do you keep going during chaos?

I struggled with finding the answer to this question for years. As I inquired of the Lord, He began to show me answers through the life of Jesus.

“As soon as Jesus heard the news, he left in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed on foot from many towns.  Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.”  Matthew 14:13-14 NLT

Jesus withdrew to be alone after receiving the news that His cousin John the Baptist was beheaded but upon seeing the crowd He turned and had compassion on them. Compassion is defined as a feeling of wanting to help someone who is sick, hungry or hurting.  Jesus wanted to ensure that the crowd had what they needed even at a time He was in need. The disciples wanted to send the crowd away but Jesus commanded that they be fed, pointing out that what they needed was within their ability to handle.

Too often, God is asking us to serve others but our own selfish ambitions get in the way. We are so concerned about our own needs and focused on our own insecurities until we miss the multiplication that is possible when God is with us. It is not within our own power to always meet the needs of the crowd. The key is recognizing God is always the source.  When we come to Him admitting our insufficiency, He takes what we have and multiplies it.

Jesus knowing the needs of the people did not turn them aside, He laid His own need aside to ensure the people were taken care of. After doing so, He continued to a place of solitude to pray.  Why is this significant when it comes to keeping it together? We can’t give out daily and not take time to replenish. This is faulty thinking. Anyone that has ever driven a car knows after driving for miles the car will run out of gas. To get more service from that car it must be refilled repeatedly. This is the same for each of us.

Jesus making time to withdraw and pray helped to keep Him connected to His source. It gave Him the power, the grace, the instructions and the wisdom to continue doing the will of the Father. Jesus knew His assignment. He knew daily meetings with His Father were required to ensure He could continue.

The death of John the Baptist is significant because Jesus was hurt by the loss of His cousin and friend. John the Baptist knew He was the Son of God sent to save mankind. As we take this into consideration we find that Jesus had emotions. He did not allow His emotions to hinder Him from doing the will of the Father. He understood His emotions had a place but it was not to move Him from His assignment. Again, this was evident when He saw the crowd. He allowed His purpose to lead.

As we study the life of Jesus we find the answers we need to keep it together when our world turns topsy-turvy. We learn that there is a place for our emotions and a proper way to deal with our own pain in life. We learn the importance of maintaining daily intimacy with God. We learn that we cannot function in our assignment without daily connection with our Father.  He holds the key to keep us together even when we are falling apart.

By Mary Pinckney
Used by Permission

Further Reading

•  Salvation Explained

•   Why Worry Yourself Sick? – by Muriel Larson

•  Dealing with Despair

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“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalms 51:10 (NIV)

God spoke the world into existence, and He spoke you into your mother’s womb. Even now, He can speak into the chaos of your life to bring it shape and form (Psalm 51:10 MSG).

This is a Genesis event, where God speaks into the void and the darkness of your life, creating for you a new beginning.

God can create something from nothing; He can take a heart that is broken, impure, or failed and create a heart that is whole, pure, and purposeful. God wants to see you pure, so He takes an active role in creating your new heart and bringing order to the chaos of your life.

Your job is to submit to His sovereignty, humble yourself before Him, and ask for His help.

Lord, speak a Genesis moment into our hearts and into the circumstances of our lives. We acknowledge “everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:30 MSG).

‘Renew in us a steadfast spirit’ (Psalm 51:10), no longer chaotic or moved by events, circumstances, or feelings. Give us lives shaped by you and by your Spirit flowing through us.

Give God your chaos. Let God speak into your life, creating a new beginning, a new hope, and a new energy. Pray, “God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life” (Psalm 51:10 MSG).

By Jon Walker
Used by Permission

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“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.”Isaiah 43:19 (NLT)

I am in the midst of a kitchen reno and my house looks like a disaster zone.

The simplest tasks are complicated and frustrating. The kettle is in the en suite bathroom, the tea bags are on the coach, the mugs are somewhere in the living room. Everything takes longer. Nothing looks familiar.

Even when it’s time to rest it’s hard to relax in a room that is literally stacked to the ceiling. The other day I stood on the bare concrete floor and thought about the beautiful kitchen that is going in. I remembered all the years I had prayed for a place of my own and I took a deep breath. “It’s chaos now for beauty later,” I said to my roommate and I heard a whisper in my heart. Oh, there’s a lesson in that.

If your life feels like a frustrating mess right now is it possible that God has renovations underway?

Isaiah 43:19 reminds us that God is at work before we’ve even noticed what He’s up to. We see the inconvenience; God sees a temporary diversion that sets us on the right path. Renovations, whether they’re in your kitchen or your heart, are a messy business. But it’s easier to tolerate the inconvenience when you have a picture of what’s coming.

God’s plans for us are so much more beautiful than the kitchen my little brain dreamed up. His plans give us hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11) So if you’re in the midst of unwanted change, take a deep breath. It’s chaos now for beauty later.

Father in Heaven, When I look around me and see confusion and loss, pain and longing, injustice or slander or lack, remind me that You, the very God of Heaven know my name. You know the cry of my heart and You know the character I need to build to live out the plans You have for me. When it’s time to renovate, help me to yield graciously to the changes You have ordained for me. Help me to be quick to see You in the chaos and quick to remember that You have not forgotten me, or left me behind. I am never leftovers in your economy, never second best. Give me Your peace as I wait to see the beauty you are creating. In Your name I pray, Amen

Question: Is your life under construction? What verses do you find helpful when the world tilts? How has God brought beauty out of your chaos in the past?

By Claire Colvin
Used by Permission

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