Category: Faithfulness

Contentment

Published on by amylinneaLeave a comment

Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

Waiting on God.

Trusting the process.

Surrendering – and finding peace along the way.

That’s contentment.

Are you content?

Peaceful?

Or are you filled with anxious thoughts?

What if nothing ever changed in your life ever again.

What then.

Would you be miserable all the rest of your born days?

Maybe.  Some people are like that.

They hate their life and refuse to do anything about it.

Or they hate their lot in life and unless they wake up in a new body and lifestyle with everything going their way, they will never be content.

So what if God told you this was as good as it was going to get?

Would you be utterly disappointed?

I have to admit I would be.

I have things I’d really love to do.

Living on the beach is at the top of my list!

Don’t laugh, it is, but that in itself would not cause me my greatest disappointment.

But that will be solved in a matter of days when I marry my beloved. !

Psalm 37 reminds us if we trust in God, He will give us the desires of our heart.

When you align yourself with God’s heart, the desires He places in you are His.

But it doesn’t say He gives us the desires of our hearts whenever we demand them.

God will deem the perfect time to reveal His plan for you.

In the mean time, are you content in waiting?

Happy to let God be God?

Or are you griping at every passing unfulfilled moment.

Maybe, just maybe, God is refining you in the process.

Maybe He is teaching you to trust.

Maybe He is testing you.

Pass the test with flying colors.

Then, when you least expect it, God will be there in the midst of your contentment, handing you His plan on a silver platter.

And the timing will be perfect.

Photos by Mark König, José Pinto, & Krists Luhaers on Unsplash

Thankfulness

Published on by amylinnea1 Comment

I will give thanks to you, O Lord, my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. Psalm 86:12

It’s easy to thank God when times are good.

When life is smooth, it’s easy to raise our hands to heaven, thanking the One who created all things.

How ’bout when life turns ugly?

When your life hits a speed bump and you are thrown to the ground, what then?

Are we still required to give thanks during those winter months?

Yep.

Seriously?

Uh-huh.

When God places a boulder in your path, thank Him for giving you directions around it.

When God moves you firmly out of one job into another, thank Him for rescuing you.

When God lifts you up and places you down in an entirely different life, thank Him for His protection.

You have no idea what God is protecting you from when He changes your course….your direction.

Thank Him.

He knows all things and is more aware than you realize.

Change your perspective. Begin thanking Him for the storms in your life.

Storms are when God shows up in powerful ways.

Sure, He’s there in times of sunshine as well, it’s just harder to see Him work.

When life is smooth sailing, you don’t need God as much.

When life is hunky dory, dependence on yourself increases.  You become less thankful of the good things, because they surround you.

During storms, little pops of glory are obvious, filling our thankful hearts with hope.

Cultivate a heart of thankfulness.  Regularly communicate your gratitude during your constant conversation with the One who created all things.  The One who orchestrates the music of the universe.

I guarantee your attitude will shift and peace will return to your soul.

God has a plan.  And He will reveal it to you in due time.

In the meantime, thank Him.  Because we owe Him everything.

Everything.

Photos by Ben White, Vladimir Fedotov, & Zwaddi on Unsplash

Surprised

Published on by amylinnea1 Comment

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 1 John 5:14

Why are we surprised when God breaks through?

God promises to be completely faithful – with His faithfulness comes amazing breakthrough and change.

So why are we continually surprised?

Lack of faith?  Maybe.

Caught off guard?  Maybe.

We never know when God will answer our prayers.

We must be ready to meet Him when He slips into the room or comes with thunderous applause.

Expect it.

But wait patiently for His precious timing which is perfect.

Remember how He is in the details?

Those details can surprise us.

A little present from God falls into our lap and a smile creeps along our face.  We’re suddenly reminded how God promised to show up.

Sometimes God comes with a bold answer.  Spoken to your face from the least likely person.

That’s when you know it’s powerfully God.

Those times can knock a person off their feet.

Breathless.

I love answers to prayer.  We all do.

It’s closure.  Peace.

Knowing what God expects of us.

Demands of us.

Wants for us.

The timing may surprise us, but we shouldn’t be surprised God actually answered our prayers.

How do we get there?

How do we find those answers?   We don’t.

God comes when He ordains the time.

We can’t rush life.  Or God.

I know, it’s hard.  Painful, really, not to be in charge.

We must daily submit to God’s will and in that act we will find His peace flooding our precious soul.

Look for the details.

Those remind you God is working.

Then when He shows up in a powerful answer to prayer, you won’t be as surprised.

Look for Him every day.

He’s here.

Everywhere.

Photos by Anita Austvika, Roberta Sorge, & Marcos Paulo Prado on Unsplash