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| Notes from my quiet time |
unless I had believed
that I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.
14 Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord! Psalm 27
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord! Psalm 27
Recently I encountered a period of discouragement and weakness in faith. Some things that I prayed for didn't happen the way I wanted. Some things that I wanted didn't happen at all. Still other things have not happened in the time that I had hoped they would. The combination of disappointments, trials, and mistakes coupled with surmounting responsibilities left me in a place of spiritual fatigue, discontentment and a loss of strength. It was overwhelming. I almost lost heart....
Have you ever felt this way? Overwhelmed. Discouraged. At the end of your rope. On the verge of giving up hope. Just about to lose heart.
I took the time to express how I was feeling to my husband. I appreciate the safety and security he provides as an accountability partner. Right, wrong, good or bad, I am able to lay it all out for him to see me and then speak into me the things I need. Even if it doesn't always feel good to hear. He reminded me of where God has brought me from and how much He has blessed me thus far. He encouraged me to take a moment and think about my life now as compared to 7 years ago and then re-evaluate my faith. So I did. I wrote down words to describe where I was then vs. now and here's what I came up with...
Seven years ago I was....
Pregnant. Alone. Struggling Financially. Depressed. Unhappy. Unfocused. Insecure. Without peace. Full of mistakes. Undisciplined. Unsure of my purpose. Unsure of myself.
Today, I am....
Fulfilled. Happy. Clear in my purpose. I know who I am. At Peace. Financially secure. Focused. Wiser. Healing. I'm still in progress. My purpose is still in process.
But I'm living my best life ever. I look in the mirror and see the best ME ever.
Wow! I was moved to a place of conviction, a spirit of repentence and a heart of thanksgiving. I almost lost heart until I remembered the goodness of God that I have already experienced. How could I lose heart after remembering how far I've come??? God has changed my life so much. He has blessed me so much. He has grown me so much. He has given back to me ALL the enemy stole from me and ALL I gave to him of my own doing. Despite the fact that I have some challenges. Despite the fact that I still make mistakes. Despite the fact that some things are not as I wish. Especially despite the fact that some things remain to be completed in me, He has proven that if I stay the course, He will deliver. He has proven that if I stick with Him, He will finish the work He started in my life. He has proven Himself to me in the past, and He has promised that if I can hold on, keep believing and wait on Him, He will continue to reveal His goodness in my life.
Where are you? Are you discouraged and overwhelmed? Are you discontent and about to lose heart? Take a moment to remember His past goodness. Think of all the ways He has come through for you. Take a moment to write down words to describe your life now as compared to 5 years ago. 10 years ago. Sometimes when we are overwhelmed with discouragement and discontentment, we need only to remember where we've been and how far we've come to understand that there is still reason to believe in His goodness. Writing these things down and keeping them close by is a way to protect your heart and spirit from getting overwhelmed.
Sister, I want to encourage you to keep believing. Even if things don't look like they will change anytime soon, if ever, keep believing. Even if you think you've made a mess of things, keep believing. Even if you don't know how in the world God is going to come through this time, keep believing! Sure, things aren't where you want them to be, but remember how they used to be. Maybe you haven't reached the place you want to be, but look how much you've grown! Look how far you've come! Keep believing! Keep doing what you know to do...reading, praying, obeying, sharing with other believers...but keep believing because if you stick with Him, He will reveal more of His goodness in your life.
The way to keep believing that you WILL experience His future goodness is to REMEMBER His past goodness. Remember the messes He cleaned up in your life. Remember the ways He came through for you. Remember the prayers He has already answered. Remember sister! Don't let the pain, discomfort or challenge of your current process cause you to forget how good He has been! No matter how tough it gets, remember His goodness and keep believing. Don't lose heart and don't give up hope. Wait patiently on Him. He will come through. He has plans for you. He has abundance for you. Right now, you're still in progress. You're purpose is still in process. This is not all there is for you. There is more to come if you will just wait and believe!
I still believe that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
What about you?
I took the time to express how I was feeling to my husband. I appreciate the safety and security he provides as an accountability partner. Right, wrong, good or bad, I am able to lay it all out for him to see me and then speak into me the things I need. Even if it doesn't always feel good to hear. He reminded me of where God has brought me from and how much He has blessed me thus far. He encouraged me to take a moment and think about my life now as compared to 7 years ago and then re-evaluate my faith. So I did. I wrote down words to describe where I was then vs. now and here's what I came up with...
Seven years ago I was....
Pregnant. Alone. Struggling Financially. Depressed. Unhappy. Unfocused. Insecure. Without peace. Full of mistakes. Undisciplined. Unsure of my purpose. Unsure of myself.
Today, I am....
Fulfilled. Happy. Clear in my purpose. I know who I am. At Peace. Financially secure. Focused. Wiser. Healing. I'm still in progress. My purpose is still in process.
But I'm living my best life ever. I look in the mirror and see the best ME ever.
Wow! I was moved to a place of conviction, a spirit of repentence and a heart of thanksgiving. I almost lost heart until I remembered the goodness of God that I have already experienced. How could I lose heart after remembering how far I've come??? God has changed my life so much. He has blessed me so much. He has grown me so much. He has given back to me ALL the enemy stole from me and ALL I gave to him of my own doing. Despite the fact that I have some challenges. Despite the fact that I still make mistakes. Despite the fact that some things are not as I wish. Especially despite the fact that some things remain to be completed in me, He has proven that if I stay the course, He will deliver. He has proven that if I stick with Him, He will finish the work He started in my life. He has proven Himself to me in the past, and He has promised that if I can hold on, keep believing and wait on Him, He will continue to reveal His goodness in my life.
Where are you? Are you discouraged and overwhelmed? Are you discontent and about to lose heart? Take a moment to remember His past goodness. Think of all the ways He has come through for you. Take a moment to write down words to describe your life now as compared to 5 years ago. 10 years ago. Sometimes when we are overwhelmed with discouragement and discontentment, we need only to remember where we've been and how far we've come to understand that there is still reason to believe in His goodness. Writing these things down and keeping them close by is a way to protect your heart and spirit from getting overwhelmed.
Sister, I want to encourage you to keep believing. Even if things don't look like they will change anytime soon, if ever, keep believing. Even if you think you've made a mess of things, keep believing. Even if you don't know how in the world God is going to come through this time, keep believing! Sure, things aren't where you want them to be, but remember how they used to be. Maybe you haven't reached the place you want to be, but look how much you've grown! Look how far you've come! Keep believing! Keep doing what you know to do...reading, praying, obeying, sharing with other believers...but keep believing because if you stick with Him, He will reveal more of His goodness in your life.
The way to keep believing that you WILL experience His future goodness is to REMEMBER His past goodness. Remember the messes He cleaned up in your life. Remember the ways He came through for you. Remember the prayers He has already answered. Remember sister! Don't let the pain, discomfort or challenge of your current process cause you to forget how good He has been! No matter how tough it gets, remember His goodness and keep believing. Don't lose heart and don't give up hope. Wait patiently on Him. He will come through. He has plans for you. He has abundance for you. Right now, you're still in progress. You're purpose is still in process. This is not all there is for you. There is more to come if you will just wait and believe!
I still believe that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
What about you?
This provided me with the encouragement that I desperately needed this morning! After receiving notice yesterday that we were being laid off, my heart was heavy! I started to crumble and question God! However, l know where he has brought me from! And I know the power that he has to move me forward! As always, thank you for being the inspiration in my life!
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