12/31/03

**So apparently wordpress didn’t lose my post! It just seemed lost at the moment.  I was delighted to see it in my drafts

A little over 6 years ago a quote I read stirred in me and I wrote the following in response. I was attending a church at the time that had a message board on it’s website and that is where I originally shared.   I felt compelled to share it again here on the ol blog.  The Lord’s timing is really something.  I have had so much bubbling and brewing in my heart and head.  I just haven’t figured out how and what to share on the blog.   In time, He will make it clear.  Until then, hear are my thoughts from 6 years ago, which actually were good for me to read, especially on today.

some thoughts………..

I came across this quote today and it got me in such a way that I wanted to share…..

“When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this – you haven’t” Thomas Edison

When I read this quote it really caught my attention for some reason, it caught me off guard really.  My mind was suddenly flooded with thoughts.  It occurred to me that if I spent as much time seeking the Lord’s face, our Father’s will, as I do presenting Him with what I see as the only option, seeking out my will, trying to “convince” Him (even though I don’t think that’s what I am doing) and basically asking Him to okay it, ive me “a peace” about it, make me feel okay about what I want to do, foolishly thinking that I know what is best for me, ………………….ugh! How intimate of a relationship I could have if I redirected that energy to seeking not only His hand, but even more so His face.  What a thought.  In hard times it is human for out thoughts to cave inward….”Surely He doesn’t want me to hurt”, “I can’t glorify Him when I am so unhappy”, “God wants me to be happy!”……………..but let’s really think about this.  We all have these thoughts and feelings and always will, but look at the reoccurring theme………….me, my life, my happiness, my wants, my needs………..Have you ever stopped to think about the fact that we are called God’s children??  Not God’s adults, but His children.  Each one of us a child of God.  Think about the relationship a father has with his child……..if a child made all the decisions for their lives they wouldn’t go to school, wouldn’t brush their teeth, would probably skip bath time, at junk all the time, etc.  Those are the type of daily activities that in a child’s mind aren’t important and they don’t get why they have to do it, they will even fight their parents on these thinks, but it is in their best interest.  Sure, there are probably times when it would be easier to skip brushing their teeth, maybe they hate it and therefore don’t feel like they should have to do it putting up a fight, throwing a tantrum in effort to not have to do it, but as a parent they know that by letting them avoid this it would lead to cavities, rotten teeth, sore gums, bad breath, etc.  The child wants to escape this simple discipline because they can only see the here and now, but the parent is able to think beyond that and knows that they must look out for their child’s best interest over there current “happiness” even if it means letting the child be “unhappy”, or so the child thinks.  Okay, so that is a simple example, but I hope it  gets the point across that I am trying desperately to convey, I’m struggling with putting these thoughts into words.  Praise Jesus…….Each of us has are own battles that we fight daily.  Some might be looked at as bigger than others, but all in all they are struggles.  What is the correct response in trials?  Do we look for a way to cut them off? No, in fact the bible tells us in James to rejoice when faced with trials! Crazy! Why is the body builder happy to work out, sweat and strain day after day?  Because he enjoys the pain?  Because he likes to sweat?  Most likely it is because he knows that he must endure those things in order to be the best body builder he can.  so it is with our lives and trials.  We pray for our relationship with God to be strengthened and we want to be better people, but when trials come along we view them as roadblocks when really they are our gym, it is in this gym that we become stronger.

James 1:2-4, 12

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything……………..

12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.

So……….I guess I have rambled enough.  I thank you for letting me share.  I love each of you dearly and pray God’s strength and discernment and wisdom for you in whatever battles you are facing today.  Embrace your trial and work through it, not around it or over it, don’t give up.  It is in these trials that we truly grow in faith and our love for the Lord increases.  Seek Him, not His answer or solution, but first seek Him.

Proverbs 8:17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me

Jeremiah 29:12-13 Then you will call upon 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.

1Chronicles 16:11

(NLT) Search for the Lord and for his strength, and keep on searching.

(NIV) Look at the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.

(NKJV) Seek the Lord and his strength; seek His face evermore!

(Message) Study God and his strength;  seek his presence day and night

I hope this finds you well.  May God bless you and guide you for His glory.  My prayer is that this will be an encouragement to you today.

As I was coping this or retyping it here, I began to think about the people I was in community with at the time and the fond memories I have of that time.  The Rivermarket Church was so much to so many.  God showed me more in that window of my life than I know how to share.  I experienced community in such a way that it changed my whole being.  I long for that again.  I feel that I have begun to find it a little in this journey to “look after the orphans and widows in their distress” (James 1:27)  The crazier our life seems to get for Jesus, the more I experience community and peace and life!  The more our life seems illogical, the more it seems to make sense in a way we don’t even understand, but” See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. ” 1 John 3:1.   I am working on and praying over all these thoughts in my head that I long to share with anyone that will listen!  But for now I would like to challenge you to “Taste and see that the Lord is good.  Oh the joys of those who take refuge in Him!” Psalm 34:8.  What is it that God has laid on your heart?  Okay, I didn’t plan on going beyond my original re-posting of the 6 year old post, but I did………