Who's Controlling This Life?

Part of survival on this earth is knowing who you can trust because trusting someone gives them control over a part of your life. Being an indpendent person, I don't want anyone else having control of my life.

Then, on Air 1, a scripture moment laid a truth on me that has caused a revolution in my thought process. The only thing we really have control over is our hearts (meaning soul or thoughts).

Let that idea sink in for a moment. You don't control your money; this last year has brought this home. You don't control your family (although we try!). Our bodies can fall apart in a moment. Some one's loss of control of their car can change our lives in an instant. We control NONE of it. It's just an illusion we create to give ourselves security.

But we control our thoughts and believes. I told God I was afraid to hand over my life to Him. I told Him I couldn't trust Him because of the disease that caused my mom extreme pain on a daily basis. It's too scary.

Trusting Him seems to be giving up control. But if I don't have control anyway, why does it bother me? Wow! That's an "A-Ha" moment. It's not about me giving up anything. It's about me accepting the truth.

Anyway, lately He has been showing me amazing outcomes beyond what I could imagine. He's helping me evolve through scripture, daily prayer, Bible study, etc.

If you get nothing else out of my ramblings, may His words bring you closer to Him:

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.

Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift my soul.

Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord, for I hide myself in you.

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God;
may your good spirit lead me on level ground.

(Psalm 143: 8-10)

Stop Picking It Up!

I have some wonderful imagery based on a devotional written by James MacDonald regarding trusting God. Scripture tells us to give our problems to God and trust Him with our problems. Our mistake is that once we leave our problems at His feet, we keep picking them up again!

So I have this image of packing all of my problems which I keep praying about in a box. I place the box at God's feet during morning prayer. Then midway through the day, I pick up the box again. It's like I think it's too much for God or that I can't let Him carry it for me. I just keep insisting on carrying it myself.

Not only is carrying the box physically harming me (heart palps, stress, ulcers, etc.), but it's spiritually harming me. I'm thinking about the box more than I'm praising God. Isn't this idolatry?

I know many of you are carrying your boxes also. Let's make a pact to leave them at God's feet and stop picking them up. I think God is stronger than us and is better equipt to carry them.

Remember Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

God Holds Your Hand

(For best effects, scroll down to the Playlist box and click on the Hootie & the Blowfish song before reading this post!)

Isn't that a wonderful image to have? While I'm going through everything, God is beside me, holding my hand. I feel so comforted by that.

I've been reading through Isaiah because it's a great place to dwell when you feel the world is coming to an end (because of stress, not actual horrific disaster). After each end of the world, doom and gloom passage, Isaiah gives hope. Combining a couple great passages I've come up with the following:

Dear Lord,

You are my salvation as a I struggle to trust you completely and not be afraid. You are the source of strength that gets me through each day.

I am trying not to fear or be dismayed, because you are my God. You give me strength and will hold me up with your righteous hand.

You hold my right hand and tell me not to be afraid because you are with me.

Thank you Lord for the scriptures that remind me to trust and not fear. Through the Holy Spirit I will learn to trust. Through Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

Prayer based on these pasages:

Isaiah 12:2 Surely God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afaid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song, he has become my salvation.

Isaiah 40:10 Fear not for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous hand.

Isaiah 40:13 For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, "Fear not, I am the one who helps you."