God has been speaking to me a lot lately, about being interrupted.  I see myself and others, so often, hyper focused on our current situation or life goals that we don’t notice when God is trying to “interrupt” us with His plan.  Have you ever had a conversation with someone who seemed incapable of being quiet long enough for you to participate?  The one-sided conversation?  I find those to be really challenging because when that happens, I know without a doubt that person is incapable of truly hearing what I would say.  I wonder how often we do this with God?

Do you ever pause and just listen?  Even if you are walking out a plan God gave you, do you still stay open enough to hear His daily or even moment by moment instruction, or do you hear Him and then quickly take up the reigns to “make it happen”?  I cannot imagine what it must feel like for God to love us so much that He wants to share His secrets with us only for us to hear them and then forget Him. For us to hear and then decide we don’t need Him to show us how to follow through.

This grieves my heart.

One thing I’ve learned over time and many bad decisions, is to listen and then listen some more and then to keep on listening.

If you gain one thing from reading these devotionals every day this year, I would hope it would be to listen.  To take time and let God speak and then to honor Him enough to return to that listening place throughout each day, no matter where you are or what you are doing.

He is the One Who speaks.  Will you choose to listen?

Life can be so much less stressful and pleasant when we simply take time and listen to His voice.

God, today I am intentionally making room for You to speak to me.  I long to not only hear Your voice, but to respond appropriately.  Whether You say “Go” or “Stay” give me courage to obey.  When Your voice tells me to do something that feels stretching, give me boldness to do it.  Remove from me the shroud of the fear of man and let me be solely focused on You.  Keep my eyes locked on Yours.  I adore You, in Jesus name, Amen.

 My son, if you accept My words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.  For the Lord gives wisdom and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.  He holds victory in store for the upright, He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for He guards the course of the just and protects the way of His faithful ones.  Proverbs 2:1-8

 

Have you ever seen the movie “Braveheart”?  I love that movie, but one scene from it keeps circling my mind, over and over again.

William Wallace is on the battlefield with his army and the enemy is charging toward them.  He keeps yelling, “Hold!” as the enemy is fast approaching.  They come closer and closer still and he yells again, “Hold!”  His men are getting nervous, but he has a plan and is sticking to it.  Yelling one more time, “Hold!”  Until finally, the enemy is near enough to be struck by the weapons Wallace had the men holding near the ground.

It was an epic moment in the movie, nerve wrecking, but epic.

This is what I keep hearing God say to me.  Hold!

I’m sorry to keep talking about similar subjects, but it’s the heartbeat of my life right now and these are the words He’s giving me so somebody must need to hear them besides just me.

There are moments when we hear God say, “Hold!”  This can feel like the most unnatural thing to do, but I wonder how many times we miss out because we won’t wait?

Today, I am waiting.  I could think of several different things I could push forward in right now, but God said, “Hold” so I am holding.  I want to see more of Him and I know the only way to do so is to fall into step with Him.

I see the Israelites leaving Egypt, they followed the cloud.  They didn’t charge past it, they stayed behind it even when it took them on a wandering journey.  That’s how I want to live my life.  Watching for His Presence and following when and where it goes.  Don’t you?

When I am following His Presence, I can go anywhere.  I can do anything.  I can rest.

It takes the pressure off my life, because I am not equipped to lead myself.  I need the Lord to lead me.  He’s the only One Who knows the way.

Today I ask you, are you following His Presence, or in your impatience have you charged forward and are now blaming Him for your frustration?

Lord, forgive me for the times when I have impatiently moved past You.  Thank You for always offering me opportunities to change.  Thank You for loving me enough to grow me up.  I am Yours forever, in Jesus name, Amen.

Wait for the Lord; be strong and let you heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.  Psalm 27:14

Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him… Psalm 37:7a

Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day.  Psalm 25:5

The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in due time.  You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.  Psalm 145:15-16

Yesterday I mentioned “exceedingly abundantly”, and today I still hear those words echoing through my mind.  Then I felt the Father saying, “I will always do exceedingly abundantly more than you could ask or imagine, it’s just that sometimes you won’t let Me.”

Like a spear thrown straight into my heart, I can see time after time in my life when in my immaturity or impatience or ignorance, I didn’t leave room for God’s abundance in my life.  At times it was a poverty spirit masquerading as humility.  Other times it was the impatience of an immature and untrusting heart.  But that’s not how I want to live.  I don’t want to be constantly squirming out of His blessings, then wondering where they’ve gone.

If I’ve learned one thing about life, it’s that it is often uncomfortable.  When my spirit and flesh are battling, I will feel discomfort.  So will you.

Never forget that your spirit is pointing you toward the Father, but you still have a flesh that’s fighting for something else.  It seems to take a lifetime to start commanding your flesh to stand in line with your spirit.  It likely won’t fully happen, but when we reach heaven’s gates and are no longer in our flesh….well, I cannot even fathom the wonder of that.

I long for God to be able to do so much in my life and I realize in order for that to happen, I must surrender.  In every situation, I must let go and let Him take the wheel.  I must believe the best about Him and His plans for my life.  I know that so much of the anxiety people, including myself, struggle with is because we aren’t sure He has good in store for us, even though He said He does.  But lets be honest, we know how pathetic we are apart from Him, so it can be hard for us to imagine Him being able to bless us in such wonderful ways…..and then we realize we’ve just forfeited the whole point of the cross in that one statement.

Friend, He knew we could never earn things on our own.  Remember that’s why He came?  He knows our weakness, and short comings and still carried the cross, remember?  He’s not mad about it, it was His love for you that led the way.  He did the hardest thing ever done, for the love of you.  Now why would you deny Him the pleasure of lavishing His love and abundance over your life?

God knows no lack.

So, if you find yourself in a lacking situation, you need to look for Jesus to get you back on track.  Whether it’s spiritual, emotional, or financial lack, He is the answer.  He’s always been the answer.  He will always be the answer.  He is more than enough.

Here’s the verse from yesterday in two different translations……. Soak in it until you believe it.

Now to Him Who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.  Ephesians 3:20-21

Now all glory to God, Who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.  Ephesians 3:20-21

Lately I’ve been feeling the weight of the Kingdom.  Those times when I am walking out a hard, but blessed portion of my journey are the times when I feel this weight.  It’s weird how the weightiness of God, feels so light.  It’s a mystery.  Something too wonderful for me to comprehend.

As I have been in PA spending a few days alone, preparing to finish packing this house and making our final exit, I have felt that weight.

At the same time, I have heard the Father instruct me to take a pause, and even though at times it has felt contrary to what I should rationally do, I have also felt the wait of the Kingdom.

Only in God’s Kingdom would forward progress need so much restraint and waiting.  Much of the world and it’s thinking is centered around going and taking and making your own way, but in the Kingdom it’s more about restraint and giving Him time to make your way.  This season is taking amounts of self- control (a fruit of the spirit) that I have never experienced before.

I can see how in times past I would’ve flailed around a lot in a season like this.  I would’ve been like a car spinning its wheels, stuck in the mud.  Flinging mud on everyone around me.  Frustrating myself.  Praying prayers full of fear instead of faith.  I would’ve spent every waking moment scheming how it was all going to work out, only to be disappointed when it didn’t happen.  Never realizing it was because I was trying to release my own power into the situation instead of leaning on His.

But this time it’s different.

This time, I know God in ways I didn’t before.  I’ve always done the best that I know.  Now I know a little better.  This time when fear knocks on the door to my thoughts, I say “No”.  Then instead of devising my plan, I thank God that He loves me and will work everything out.

We found a home we like, but since God instructed us to wait until the PA house sells before we make that decision, we are waiting.  Now, we know we could get a contingency loan, but deep inside, I feel Him saying, “Remember what I told you to do.”  I feel Him offering me the privilege of choosing to stay steady and not make our own way.  Even Chris has been in full agreement of the waiting.  This is an unusual and wonderful time for us.  It truly is.  A time when God is orchestrating something so special and wonderful that we refuse to step in and interrupt because we feel a reverence wrapped around this moment.  Wrapped around this transition.  We feel He is about to do something exceedingly abundantly more than we could ask or imagine.

We feel God in this moment.

 Now to Him Who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.  Ephesians 3:20-21

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.  Psalm 139:6

While running, I saw a shower of His Presence begin.  It rained down what looked like golden raindrops.  It was peaceful as I watched the Lord pour himself out in front of me.  Then I stepped into the vision.  I began to feel Him pouring over me like rain.  It felt like a soothing rain.  His outpouring is so pure and holy.

Much like we need to shower everyday to wash away the dirt and grime of the day, I need a daily shower of His Presence to cover me and remind me that He alone makes me clean.  He alone fulfills my every need.  He alone is my storehouse of joy.  He alone is my Rock, Redeemer, Savior and Friend.  He alone is my All in All.

When is the last time you felt showered in His Presence?  When did you last let Him wash over you?

Has life kicked up mud and dirt on your heart?  Has turmoil made you feel stuck in the mud?  Let Him wash away all of that.   Has disappointment colored your skies gray?  Let the Light of Life come in with a rainbow of His Promise.  Like a Dove, let His love circle your heart.

Unlike the showers we take to become clean, the Shower of His Presence is to leave a residue of His Spirit on us.  To give us hope.  To help us remember.  Every day I have to be reminded of Who He is so that I can confidently walk into who He created me to be.   The only way for me to do that, is to be Showered in Him.

I long to be one who is overcome by passion for the Lord.  I want to be someone who is so covered in Him that I don’t falter in my faith for what He said He will do.  I want to be different from the world because I am so completely lost in His Presence and truly have something to offer.  I want to be closer to Jesus.  To reflect His face into this lost and dying world.  Even in the church (universal) I want to remind them of Who we really serve.  I think over time and with all the changes in day to day life since Jesus walked the earth, parts of His message have been lost or looked over.  I want to follow Jesus for all He is, not all I’ve seen so far.  I believe the Bible.  When I read about what the apostles did in the New Testament, I believe it.  I see it as the “more” Jesus spoke that we would do.

Lord, shower me in Your Presence today.  Cover every part of me.  Help me to more accurately represent You to the world around me.  You alone are God.  I serve You alone.  Remove any hindrance in my life.  Anything that stands in opposition to my walk with You.  I am Yours.  Fully Yours.  You are worthy of far more than I could ever give, so help me give what I have freely.  Help me make room for Your Presence to move in me every day.  And never, ever let another’s disbelief hold me back from walking freely with You.  I adore You, in Jesus name Amen.

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in Me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.  And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  You may ask for anything in My name, and I will do it.  John 14:12-14

May He come down like rain upon the mown grass, like showers that water the earth.  Psalm 72:6

 

Today I was thinking about walking up the steep hill we live on.  I saw myself walking and feeling the burn in my thighs as I trudge up, up, up, all the while feeling the sun beating down on my face as sweat forms like little beads and then drips down my forehead.  Then I saw myself reaching the top, and looking out across the landscape….this is the part that makes the tiresome journey worthwhile.  Many of us will face obstacles if we know it will be worth it in the end.  We do it for the prize, so to speak.

Right now, I feel as if I’m climbing a mountain.  I don’t know how long it will take or where it will lead, but I know that when I reach the summit, beauty will be all around me.  As a matter of fact, if I will take a moment, I will see beauty throughout the entire journey.

This is part of what I’m learning.  To enjoy the journey.  To find the beauty of each day.  To embrace every moment, every circumstance.  To find God in every day.

Every day, especially right now, I find myself walking straight into the Presence of the Lord.  I don’t always know when it will happen, but I will suddenly feel wrapped in Him.  I really believe this happens for most of us every day, we just might have not noticed it before.

So, while I continue to press on, walking out what faith looks like I am ever mindful that He is with me.  I know that I know that I know, this will all be worth it.

In some areas God is closing doors and I’m saying goodbye, but at the same time He is opening new doors.  One cool thing about this part of life is something I didn’t expect though, He is also resurrecting some things that have laid dormant for many years.  That’s so exciting to me!  It’s His resurrection power over our lives that is so unique and special.  It is a constant reminder of Who He is and that He knows and cares for every detail of our lives.

God, thank You for creating a journey for me to walk out.  I love You Abba.  You make my paths smooth and You alone restore my soul.  Thank You for blessing my life.  Your love is where I find my abundance.  You fullness is where I find my prosperity.  It is in You that I live and breathe.  It is in Your Presence that I find meaning.

 

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do:  Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:13-14

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.  Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.  Proverbs 3:5-7

For in Him we live and move and have our being.  As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’  Acts 17:28

Today as I saw myself standing in front of a big full-length mirror.  I walked toward the mirror and stepped into it.  I heard the Lord say, “This is a time for reflection.”

Honestly, this was a really cool vision.  What He was showing me was, this is a season of reflection for me.  I could disconnect from everything so easily right now, but He is offering me a chance to acknowledge where I’ve been and to look forward to the future.  When I stepped into that mirror I could not only see myself, but when I looked back out I could see life continuing.

When God calls you to a season of reflection, then you reflect.

So, I’m taking time.  I tucked a couple of alone days into this transition.  I am someone who recharges from being alone, so imagine how loved I felt when I realized God had tailored this portion of the journey to give me this opportunity.  He created my life with an internal rhythm, and when I listen to it, everything I do is easier.  When I let go of guilt and attend to the way I’m made, I am better able to serve others.

Today I ask you, “What’s the rhythm that beats inside of you?”  “What is the tempo of your heart?”  Maybe you don’t yet know, that’s ok.  Take a minute today and listen.  God will begin to show you what makes you tick.  He will show you how to run the race at your own pace and not lose sight of Him.

As I’m writing this, I see that has another meaning as well, though.  I reflect.  My life reflects His Presence.  Every step I’ve taken and those yet to come should be casting His reflection into the world.  What are you reflecting into the world?

Take some time and check in with your heart.  Ask yourself and God what you reflect into the world.  Ask Him if you are living life at the pace He created you to live.  It’s never too late to change.  It’s never too late to establish a better rhythm.  If you realize you’re not casting a positive reflection into the world, you can still be changed.

Be the difference that you long to see.  That’s my motto.  Be the difference that you long to see.

I feel like right now, God is wanting me to offer you a chance to ask His forgiveness.  Maybe you’ve been grumbling and complaining and letting dissatisfaction cloud out the light you carry inside.  If that’s you, just take a moment and repent and ask God to loose His un-shadowed light inside of you.  He loves you.

 

You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.  Psalm 16:11

And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.”  Exodus 33:14

“Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.”  John 15:9

There have been many times when I’ve felt God was silent.  Recently, I’ve been observing some people going through some really hard seasons and they are asking, “God, why are You so silent?”

This morning while running, I was struck with all of this and then I heard the Lord, “In the moments when you feel I’m silent, those are the moments when I just want you to be still and let Me be God.  I want you to lay all your emotions, grief and fear at my feet and just sit and let My Presence minister to you.”

Yes!  I can totally feel this.

Do you ever have times when no words can help, but what you really desire is simply to have someone be with you?  Even in the silence.  I truly believe that’s what He’s offering during those times.  Sometimes, there is no real answer this side of Heaven, but there is always a loving Father, and He knows what you need better than even you do.

This loving Father wants to comfort you.  In fact, He sent Holy Spirit to be our Comforter.  I know it’s very important to Him that we are comforted.  He knows how weak we are on our own.

I wonder, are you walking out a season where you are feeling God is silent?  Maybe it’s making you feel like He’s abandoned you.  But you know that’s not possible.  He would never abandon you.  So, if you are feeling abandoned, I challenge you to seek out the truth.  He will never leave you nor forsake you.

If you are in a silent season, then I encourage you to simply go before the Lord.  Leave your demand for His voice behind and just honor Him by going before Him even in the silence.  I truly believe that when we make a conscious decision to honor God, He will bless us.

I long to honor the Lord, not for the gifts He gives, but because He is God.  When I bring my thoughts back around to this revelation, it seems to bring a new light into perspective.  It seems to lighten my load.  As love for Him swells in my body, I feel the release, the release of His presence and then I can hear His voice again.  I only need to be still.

Will you take a moment and be still before Him?

 

His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor His delight in the legs of a man; the Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.  Psalm 147:10-11

Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted; His splendor is above the earth and the heavens.  He has raised up for His people a horn, the praise of all His saints, of Israel, the people close to His heart.  Psalm 148:13-14

Great is the Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.  The Lord sustains the humble but casts out the wicked to the ground.  Psalm 147:5-6

In yesterday’s devotional, I found myself mentioning the shadow of doubt and today it led me to this…. I saw a huge dark shadow and it caused fear and anxiety and doubt, it felt heavy. But then I had the thought, “God, no amount of darkness can overcome Your Light.”  Then I saw the dark shadow transform into His Presence.  The ominous darkness was consumed by the Shadow of His Presence.  It was a larger cloud and felt weightless.  Peace was held within that cloud.  Freedom was inside of it.

I suggest that in our moments of doubt, we can take command and ask God to draw us into the Shadow of His Presence.  Just as the verse that states this as a request:
Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings.  Psalm 17:8

That verse leads me to believe, I can ask God to send His shadow to cover me.  Our Protector will always offer us protection.  Sometimes, we just need God to come and consume whatever is attempting to consume us.

Are you struggling with something right now?  Do you have negative thoughts consuming you?  If so, I encourage you to reach out to Abba and ask Him to consume what’s consuming you.  Call out to the Lover of your soul to stretch Himself over you as a Protector would.  There is nothing beyond His reach.  And fear, sorrow, anxiety, disappointment, self-loathing, etc. are all shadows.  But none can overcome His mighty wings.

I know I keep circling around the idea of fear and anxiety, etc. but it’s what He keeps bringing back to my mind repeatedly.  I think He is really trying to offer some freedom to you.  I think we are repeating it so much that you can’t avoid it or deny it any longer.  And when you come to the end of pretending, He will be there.  When you stop saying, “I am ok.  I’ve already dealt with that.” Even though your heart tells you that’s not true, He will be standing there.  He waits at the end of the road.  The road that leads to the end of yourself, that’s where He stands.

I also think He keeps coming back to those things because it’s the spirit that’s gripped the world right now.  Fear seems to have a foothold in most things, even the church.  The media is driven by fear based stories to increase viewers.  The internet attempts to manipulate people to stand for causes that don’t even make sense and are most assuredly not godly, by using fear.  Fear stands like a menace to our society.  Even the race wars within our country are all fear based, on either side.  Politicians stir up a spirit of fear to gain votes as they promote themselves as a savior.  Now, that’s truly disturbing.

But what would happen if we fought against the grip of fear and decided to take a united stand against it?  What would happen if we took responsibility for ourselves and broke up with fear?  God did not give us a spirit of fear, we all know that.  Let’s become consumed with His shadow, as it consumes the shadow of doubt.

For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind.  2 Timothy 1:7

“No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; and every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn.  This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication is from Me.” Declares the Lord.

 

 

As Chris and I plan our next steps in life, I feel myself asking, “How can we plan _________, when we don’t know how long work will last, etc.”  So, I asked God, “How do You want us to plan?”  Today I heard God speak, “Plan for Me to prosper you.”

It stopped me in my tracks.  Like a sledgehammer to my doubt, His words rang out with such comforting truth.

“Plan for Me to prosper you.”

That settles everything in my mind.  We’ve been looking at houses and schools, and wondering how to proceed, and now we have our answer.

But it’s more than that.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve struggled worrying about the “what ifs”.  I’ve had a constant fear of not having work.  It’s not a fear from God, no, it’s a fear that tries to rob me and my family from quality of life.  It tries to sabotage the blessings from God in our life because it casts a shadow of doubt over the best of news.

Am I the only one who struggles with this?  I figure I’m not.

What I’m learning now is, to lean into God’s goodness.  To really experience the blessings.  To celebrate.  This is new territory.  I’ve always been grateful, now I’m learning to rest in that.  Letting the attitude of gratitude consume all negative thoughts.  Leaving nothing but praise in my heart and mind.  Again, it all circles back to trust.  I can trust Him.  So can you.  He loves us all without measure.  Each and every one.

From this day forward, I will plan for Him to prosper me.  Will you?

God, I thank You for blessing me.  Thank You for planning the best for my life.  Teach me to partner with Your blessings.  Remove all shadow of fear from my heart, so I can truly experience Your abundance in my life.  You are a good, good Father.  I love You Abba, in Jesus name, Amen.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declare the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back from captivity.  I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”  Jeremiah 29:11-14

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:19

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His law, day and night.  That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither- whatever they do prospers.  Psalm 1:1-3