When There Doesn't Seem Like Much to be Thankful For

When I was in my twenties, I had what I like to call my first midlife crisis. Having recently graduated from college with no real marriage prospects, I felt lost. The natural progression of events in my mind was: college - marriage - children. But the Lord had other plans for me. Those plans, however, did not mesh with mine.

So, I rebelled. 

Instead of trusting in God's providential plan for my life, I took it upon myself to forge my own future, one that involved love, happiness, and pursuit of me. I started looking for love in all the wrong places, seeking my place in the world--because everyone else seemed to fit in but me, and searching for contentment with myself in this life. I did not understand God, and I surely did not see anything to be thankful for in this pitiful life.

Slowly I began to sink deeper into the muck of this world. 

I rebelled against the word of God and despised His counsel (Psalm 107:11). So, the Lord subjected me to "bitter labor" (verse 12) in the form of loneliness, depression, and emptiness. It seemed like "there was no one to help" (verse 12). Even my boyfriend gave up on me. There didn't seem like there was anything to be thankful for anymore.

I was broken.

That is when I gave my life back to the Lord. It was a night I'll never forget. Humiliated, I lay face down on the floor of my rented house and cried out to God in distress, seeking His forgiveness. Repenting of my sins, He saved me from my distress (verse 13). He brought me "out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away [my] chains" (verse 14). He showed me that I could depend on Him, and my life has never been the same since.

Six years of marriage and three children later, I still struggle with contentment. My physical body -- even at age 34 -- is weak and prone to illness and disease. My faith wavers -- just like Israel's did -- and I wonder if He is reminding me once again of His great love for me as I grapple with the issue of my own mortality.

But I am grateful because the Lord is faithful and good. Even though He may choose to give hard trials, He is still sovereign. Only He is able to deliver us from darkness. Only He can free us from the chains of sin and death. 

Even though the world is swirling hurly-burly around me today and even though I don't know what the outcome of my life will be, I am grateful because the Lord has saved me, and He is in control of it all. He has not abandoned me to myself but, time and time again, has shown me unconditional love in spite of myself.

"Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love

and His wonderful deeds for men, 

for He satisfies the thirsty

and fills the hungry with good things."

Psalm 107:8-9

No one else -- no thing else-- can satisfy like the Lord.

There is something to be thankful for today, even if you feel hopeless. Remember today how God has saved you in your most desperate times. Give Him thanks for His eternal love.

If you have rebelled against God and feel forever lost from Him, you're not. He loves you. He wants to bring you out of darkness and into the light. Cry out to the Lord in your trouble. He will still the storm in your soul. 

If I can pray for you today, please let me know. You can leave a message in the comments below or email me at growinginhisglory@gmail.com. 

I'm praying God's richest blessings on you today,


 

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Are You Teaching Your Child Self-Denial?

Recently, the girls and I went shopping for our Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes. Several days prior, I shared with them a new rule.

"Nothing new from now until Christmas." 

From the middle of November until December 25th, we spend money only on essentials. No new toys, clothes, books, or music. Of course there can be exceptions, but the point of the rule is (1) to learn self-denial and (2) to thank God for providing all we need.

However, no matter how many times we discuss this rule, children 5 & under don't always get the message, especially when surrounded by Disney princesses.  

So, when my three-year-old threw a temper tantrum in the Dollar Tree when I would not buy her Sofia the First crayons, I knew it was time to sit down and talk. 

"But, Mama, I need them."

"No, Cora, honey, you don't need Sofia crayons; you want them. Today we are shopping for your friend, not you. Remember our rule: Nothing new until after Christmas."

My child honestly believed she deserved those crayons and that I was being mean for denying them to her. Where would she get such a notion?

Why is a rule like mine necessary? 

This time of year every store is mailing out its Christmas Wish Books in hopes that children like ours will circle everything they want Santa to bring: Legos, Doc McStuffins toys, iPods, and tablets. And the truth of the matter: they will get all or most of them.

Why? 

Because of our disdain for self-denial. 

We don't like to be told no, and we also don't like saying no to our children. When our daughter does poorly on her college exam, what do we do? We call the school and demand answers from the professor (source)!

We are teaching our children that they deserve everything -- new gadgets, good grades, the best jobs: Hard work not required.

But what our children (and many of us, I dare say) haven't grasped is that all the trinkets in the world will never satisfy our desire for more. There will always be something newer, shinier, faster that we need.

Not until we are filled with the Spirit and drink the water of life (John 4:13-15) will we know contentment, gratitude, and peace. Only then will we be able to say no to more and yes to Jesus. 

So what do we do? 

First of all, we teach our children self-denial. Self-denial is one step we can take to help our children cultivate gratitude and contentment.

Denying my girls new things for 6 weeks out of the year is hardly sacrificial, but it's a start. In this "get-what-you-want-when-you-want-it" culture, we parents need to start saying no when our children ask for more. 

I want my daughters to desire Jesus more than Dora, to thirst for the living water more than Sofia, and to hunger for the bread of life more than Doc McStuffins. 

"O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You; 

my soul thirsts for You,

my body longs for You,

in a dry and weary land

where there is no water."
Psalm 63:1 

How are you teaching your children self-denial today? Are they learning to deny themselves and be content with what they have? Or are you giving them everything (or most of the things) they want?

Do you have a rule like mine, or am I just a meanie?

For other posts on Entitlement.  
Blessings to you, sweet Mama,


 

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A Heart at Peace: An Equation for True Contentment

Envy. Discontent. Jealousy. 

"Is God really enough?"
"Is He truly giving me all I need?"
"Why are so many other people better off than me?"
"Does He love them more?"
"Don't I deserve ________, too?"

As humans it's not uncommon to doubt the goodness and justice of a God we cannot see, especially when we witness people who aren't following Him prospering.
    
Satan makes us question if God is really enough, if He is truly giving us all we need. And when he fills our minds with these doubts, discontentment and envy enter. 

Yet when God does bless us with a new friend, a nice pair of shoes, or a "new" car, we still aren't satisfied. That hunger for more, for better, for something newer is whetted even more.

Proverbs 14:30

³⁰ A heart at peace gives life to the body,
    but envy rots the bones.

True contentment -- that ever elusive holy grail we're all searching for -- will never be found in a Facebook page with 5,000 likes or a brand new pair of UGGs. 

True contentment cannot come from any selfish earthly pursuit or material possession.

No, true contentment only comes when we are actively doing God's will for us and humbly pursuing Him as diligently as we pursue those earthly, material things.


How do we attain contentment that brings peace? 

Let's look at Psalm 131 for insight and understanding.

Psalm 131

A song of ascents. Of David.

¹ My heart is not proud, Lord,
    my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
    or things too wonderful for me.
² But I have calmed and quieted myself,
    I am like a weaned child with its mother;
    like a weaned child I am content.

³ Israel, put your hope in the Lord
    both now and forevermore.

1. Quiet trust in the Lord

David trusted that God would provide everything he needed. He didn't aspire to great riches nor was he restless for more than God had already granted. 

We must trust that the Lord will provide exactly what we need, when we need it. Like a baby, we may clamor for more "milk," but as our souls are sanctified, that rooting will eventually cease. Then, we will become content with whatever the Lord supplies.

Philippians 4:19

¹⁹ And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

2. Humility

Pride makes us restless, insecure, constantly discontent. It keeps us striving for more so others will be impressed. Pride is about me. It's hungering for more attention and praise from the world. But humility is about others. It's putting other people first and giving God full rei[g]n in leading our lives. 

When we humble ourselves and let God be our primary source of joy, we'll stop trying to prove ourselves to others. Our worth to the outside world will no longer matter. We will find freedom to live out God's will for us to His glory, not our own.

James 4:10

¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

3. Pursuit of God's will

God has a purpose for each of us. We can choose either to ignore or deny His will, or we can accept His will and faithfully carry it out. God doesn't force us into submission; we make that choice each day as we humble ourselves and offer our lives as a living sacrifice to Him.

Romans 12:1-2

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

  

True Contentment = Quiet Trust in the Lord + Humility + Pursuit of His Will

Are you struggling with personal dissatisfaction or discontent? Are you buying Satan's lies? Stop. Humble yourself before the Lord, seek His will for your life, and trust that He is good and will provide even more abundantly than you could ever imagine. Only then will you find true contentment. Only then will you have lasting peace.






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When You Can't Handle One More Change

The color of the leaves

The seasons, the weather, the length of days   

The heights of our children & how they view us

Our waist size, shoe size, bra size

Our hair color, hair line, even how much hair we have

Fashion, who's "hot" & who's not 

Our love for others  

Our thoughts, priorities, & expectations

Our dreams

The future

What do these things have in common?

They all CHANGE. 

Everything changes.

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesus (c. 535-475 B.C.) once said:

"Nothing endures but change."

The only constant in life is change. The universe, the world, nature, our lives --- all of it is in flux. Nothing is permanent. 

Impermanence and constant change--even slow change--create uncertainty, doubt, and fear. We don't know what the future holds.


But one thing we can be sure of that will never change:

God's Word      

In Isaiah 40, the prophet Isaiah, who has been warning Israel of God's impending judgment, here comforts the people with these words:

⁸ The grass withers and the flowers fall,
    but the word of our God endures forever.”

Everything in this life will change. When we feel like we can't handle one.more.change., cling to God's eternal, infallible, constant Word. It will be your anchor in the storm when your hair starts to gray and the weight just won't come off.

Mark 13:31

³¹ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

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Relying on the Spirit Rather Than Self

It's easy for me to rely solely on my own strength, but only when I trust in the Lord will anything of lasting value come about. 

Whatever your trials--big or little--you face today, work in the Lord's strength, not your own. Ask Him for endurance if you feel ready to quit. But know that true might and power are found not in ourselves but in His Spirit.

I'm praying for you, sweet friend!

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When We Need to Get Back to Work

My to-do list is 10 miles long. Days are overflowing as I move from one chore or activity to the next. And already I feel the pressure of the holiday season creeping in.

I wake up early to squeeze in a few minutes of Bible reading and prayer, but I'm so consumed with getting to work on the day's chores that I find myself glossing over passages that would ordinarily bring a man to his knees.

I'm far too busy "spinning plates" to let the words I'm reading really sink in. 

I'm far too full from physical food to truly hunger for righteousness. 

Chewing on the meat of God's Word requires time, that precious commodity that so few of us have excess quantities of, and a hunger that only comes from spending meaningful time with the Lord. {It's a Catch-22, isn't it?}

But as I read Haggai 2 this morning, I was convicted {again} that God wants to me to get to work.  

For Him. 

My work is consumed with me. 

Having returned from Jerusalem to rebuild the temple destroyed by the Babylonians, the people of Judah succumbed to outside pressures and neglected the Lord's work. They stopped building God's house and started building their own homes. God sent Haggai to encourage them to complete the work He'd called them to do.

Today, we, the body of Christ, have replaced the temple of Old Testament times. We don't have to go to a temple or church to be in the presence of God. He resides in us. 

"Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?"

1 Corinthians 3:16

Today, because of Jesus' sacrifice, God reveals His glory through us, His people. Because we are His temple now, we need to get back to work doing what He has called each of us to do.


And as true followers of Christ, we need to be using the talents and abilities within each of us, which God has endowed us with, and get to work for His glory.

Don't get me wrong: I'm not saying we let the laundry pile up to dangerous heights or neglect the needs of our husbands and children. No! As wives and mothers, God has called us to this work. Instead, we need to be doing that work -- whatever it is -- as if we are serving the Lord Himself. 

With a cheerful attitude . . . Not grudgingly or bitterly
With joy in our hearts . . . Not out of compulsion
Out of reverence for our Father . . . Not because I have to 
Committing our days & to-do lists to Him . . . Not our own agendas 

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

Colossians 3:17

God wants to change the world through us. That does not necessarily mean serving in the mission field overseas either -- although it might. He has a plan for each of one of us, whether it's something He wants you to do at your place of employment, in your church, or in your home. We need to listen to the Holy Spirit, be strong, and work.

When the people of Judah returned to God and resumed the work of rebuilding the temple --- when they got to work for the Lord and stopped working for themselves --- God once again blessed their efforts.

God will also bless our efforts, but we must get to work for Him. 

How?

By being women of prayer, women who make time to meditate on God's Word, women who work as unto the Lord in whatever we have been called to do. 

However, we must get to work. And when we do, no matter how long our to-do lists or how frustrating the work may be or how many challenges we may face, God promises He will be us. 

 ⁴ But now be strong . . . all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ⁵ ‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’

 

 Haggai 2:4-5

 

 

Do you need to get to work for the Lord today? What's keeping you from obeying His Spirit? Overflowing to-do lists? Too many activities? Pride?

 

I pray that we can be strong and get to work for the Lord today, focusing on the work He has called us to do.

 

 Blessings to you,

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When God Stirs Our Hearts

Fifty years after its destruction by the Babylonians in 586 B.C., the exiles began rebuilding Solomon's temple. After only 6 years -- in 530 B.C. -- their work stopped. Frustrated and intimidated by opposition all around them, the Jewish people abandoned the temple rebuilding process, and for over 10 years, construction on the Lord's house came to a standstill.

The hearts that God had stirred up to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple only 8 years earlier (Ezra 1:5) had already quieted. The original excitement had turned dull; the passion and zeal for doing the Lord's work was extinguished. It would take the messages of two of God's prophets and the watchful eye of God Himself (Ezra 5:5) to encourage the Jewish people to recommit to their work.

Can you identify with the Jewish exiles? Have you experienced a stirring in your heart that you can only attribute to the Holy Spirit? Did you heed the Lord's calling? If so, have you since abandoned the work He has called you to? 

Maybe you were so overcome by frustrations and discouragements that you gave up like the Jewish exiles did. Maybe -- like the exiles -- you began to doubt that what you were doing was truly the Lord's will. Maybe you thought you had misheard Him. Maybe you even considered going back to Babylon. 

I admit that I have experienced numerous heart stirrings over the years. Some I have immediately set to work on, and others I've ignored completely. The Lord stirs us up to good works, but He doesn't force us to comply; we have to be willing. We have to be listening to hear what He wants us to do next. And sometimes we need encouragement from other Christians.

In May of 2010, God burdened my heart to start this blog. I really didn't know where He was leading me. My lack of experience in anything led me to simply record my "growth" as a wife, mom, and Christian woman, sprinkling in some encouragement to others along the way. Over the last three years, I've gone in lots of different directions with my writing, but, ultimately, I always come back to writing devotionals because that's what God has really stirred my heart to do.

I'll admit to feeling disheartened just as the Jewish people must have felt when King Artaxerxes ordered them to stop building the temple (Ezra 4:17-24), wondering if maybe God wanted me to stop writing. I've taken many blogging breaks over the years and even contemplated shutting my blog down a few times. Some days I feel like I'm just writing for me or that what I'm saying doesn't matter to anyone else. {It can be discouraging when no one comments.} But now I know not to take it personally. Because it isn't about me; it's about Him. 

If God calls us to do something, He will see it to completion -- with or without our help. The temple did get rebuilt (Ezra 6:14). The Lord saw it through. Thanks to prophets like Haggai and Zechariah the people resumed the work. And, once again, He stirred up the people's hearts (Haggai 1:14).

Whatever God has called you to, He will see you through, too. 

Is there an area in your life that the Lord is stirring up in you? What's keeping you from obeying His call? 

Or, have you abandoned "temple work" due to frustration, discouragement, or fear? 

Ask Him for whatever you need, and trust He will provide abundantly. 

If I can pray for you in any way, please comment or email me directly. I would love to help however I can.

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When We Trust in Everything But God

Feeling secure is essential to my well-being. Knowing I am financially stable, that my health and the health of my family is good, and that we are physically safe all help me breathe easier. You may identify with me.

But do I trust in those things instead of the Lord?
 

As I've been reading the Old Testament prophets, I've been struck by how Israel repeatedly ignored the warnings of coming destruction and exile. 

Why? I wondered.  

What could they be finding security in that kept them from heeding the prophets' words of warning?

Over and over again, Israel trusted in its name and status as God's chosen people. They had erected gods made of gold and wood, and they no more obeyed God or sought Him than the pagans surrounding them. Yet, they believed that God would not abandon them, that surely He wouldn't desert His own people, the people of the promise. They clung to the promises of Abraham even in their idolatry and rebellion.

But Israel's trust was in the wrong thing.

And I began to wonder . . . 
 
How often do I trust in the wrong things, too? 

• My health
• The 401(K) or savings
• My husband
• Family
• Friends
• Bible studies
• My church leaders
• My status & reputation
• Cars, houses, clothes, & things
• The government

There's nothing wrong with having any of these people or things in our lives. Yet, when we lean on them for our security, when we focus all our energy and attention squarely on them instead of on God and His Word, then we push aside what really matters. 

Then, we're as guilty as Israel.

We can trust in God. We can even trust in the name He has given His followers: Christian.  

BUT we cannot depend on our status as Christians and stop acting like one. When we do, like Israel, we will fall. 

Psalm 20:7-8

⁷ Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
    but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
⁸ They are brought to their knees and fall,
    but we rise up and stand firm.

Who or what are you trusting in today? 

I pray that your trust lies solely in the Lord and His promises. If not, commit today to follow Him alone. Oust out those idols of security. Put your confidence wholly in Him, and you will stand firm!

I'm praying for you, sweet friends!

 

 
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