My Divine Assignment: To Encourage Others

A dear friend who has gone to be with the Lord once told me I was her Barnabas which Biblically means "encourager." I never saw myself like that, but as I've grown in my walk with the Lord it seems that is my desire. I hope that what I share here will be an encouragement to you as we trust the Lord - for great is His Faithfulness.

My Divine Assignment: To Encourage Others.
In Christ's Love, Shelley



KEEP His JOY IN TRIALS, TEARS & TRIUMPHS ~~ A WOMAN'S HEART SHOULD BE SO COMPLETELY LOST IN God THAT A MAN MUST SEEK Him TO FIND HER ~~ Our desire to learn God's Word must be greater than our need to breathe ~~











Saturday, April 30, 2011

Struggling

      Usually I try to post every other day but as the title suggests I've been struggling, even with writing a post which I love to do. There isn't anyone who doesn't struggle with something, whether it's small & resolved quickly or overwhelming as if you've been hit by a truck.  Actually, just living our lives is a struggle.  From the very beginning, we have to "struggle" to enter this world, join our family & take our first breath.  Welcome to life on earth.
      As Christians, I often wonder if we may have a greater issue with struggling. In our everyday lives we can be pulled in so many directions, trying to decide between good & best or even best & best choices. Many times I struggle to choose what ministries to support financially and/or with my time. 
     Most of the books I read are for growing in my walk with the Lord.  They often make me feel the need to do things differently & I become overwhelmed - I should be praying like this or that, I should be journaling, I should be ....   Can anyone else relate to this? 
     God is not the author of confusion & I do what I feel lead to do. If God desires, He will let me know there is something else that needs my attention.  BUT He's not asking me to be OVER-COMMITTED because that does no one any good.  It distracts me which is exactly what the devil wants. When you add some thing you usually need to let go of something else.  Put it in His Hands, He will give some one else the desire to take up where you left off.
     I have a "personality trait" that whatever I do it is never enough because I tend to be a Mrs. Fix-it-Fox, as one Bible teacher put it.  I want to make it right for everyone. I've read that if you don't let the butterfly "struggle" to get out of it's cocoon you are NOT doing it any favors.  The only One who has the answers to our struggles is the Lord, but the answers are not always as clear as we would like them to be.
     A few things are clear: do not compare yourself to others, over-commitment is not God's desire for us, ask Him to speak to your heart about choices and then listen (I'm still working on that one).  And one more thing - don't neglect to be in His Word daily for it is there that He speaks most clearly when our hearts are open to what He is saying. 
Psalm 25:9
He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.

Psalm 25:12
Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way he should choose.

Psalm 31:3
Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of Your name lead and guide me.

Psalm 32:8
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.

Psalm 37:4,7
Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass ... Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.

I found these verses all together at Encouraging Bible Verses you might want to bookmark it.  Would love to hear your thoughts about struggling.

1 comment:

  1. Shelley, this is my life just about every day. I've had opportunities recently that take up much of my time, but they are things that I love to do. Because I'm likely the worst manager of time ever and also a procrastinator, these opportunities, while being wonderful and what I want, exhaust me and put me in a state of panic at times. I worry that what I'm doing isn't good enough. Then I have to do some self-talk to get myself back on track and calmed down. I can only do so much and need to pick and choose which is most important to my goal.

    This was an excellent post, Shelley, and timely for people like me. Perfect verses. I'm going to print them out and put them on my fridge. I need to be reminded of these. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. They encourage me greatly. Blessings on your day.