Whose decision?

 

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

I’m feeling all types of guilt today.  I made a decision to take a mental day off from work.  I was tired and getting easily irritated so I took a day.  Taking the day is not the problem, not consulting God about it is.  Some might think it’s such a small thing, but trusting in God includes every decision and I should have consulted Him first.  I should have prayed about it, but I didn’t.

Now I know God forgives me and that there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus(Romans 8:1).  But this small thing is a reminder that in all things I need to be diligent in leaning not to my own understanding.  I need to be submitting to God; acknowledging Him and letting Him direct my paths.  I want my plans to align to His. I trust that He will not lead me in the wrong direction.

Lord, in questions both great and small I pray that I trust You first and come to You.  I pray that I lean not to my understanding, but in all my ways acknowledge You , letting You direct my paths.  Forgive for those times I go it alone.  In Jesus name. Amen

Transparency

 

Matthew 7:1-3 NIV

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

Proverbs 14:29 NIV

Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.

Today I found myself on the short end of the stick.  When I examined my heart and actions I found folly.  Sure, their are a lot of excuses I could make, but I am held accountable to God.  I don't know if the story of an event that transpired during my day will help anyone else, I only feel the urging of the Spirit telling me to be transparent.  So I pray that God gets the glory.

I am a teacher.  I teach high school students and I am always trying to stay one step ahead.  I am pretty meticulous in the planning of my ( their) days so that things will run smoothly in the classroom.  I had posted an assignment that was to be done after I had reviewed the notes for the day in our virtual system.  I was feeling good, but then the ding comes. The ding alerts me that when an assignment has been completed.  At first I think its a student making up a missed assignment, but it was not.  It was a student that had went ahead and did an assignment in advance.  

So the word says to not judge(Matthew 7:1).  The word says to be patient an not quick tempered (Proverbs 14:29).  Well in full transparency I did not follow the word today.  I was not obedient to my Lord and Savior.  I jumped to all types of conclusions and I was irritated.  "How dare a student go before me and mess up my plans."  "This students just wants to come to class and sleep and say they have already done the work."  These are the conclusions I jumped to.  And in that corrupt sprit I wanted to prove who was boss.

What I should have done was pause and figure out why the student went ahead.  Maybe they wanted to stay on top of their work.  Maybe they were eager to learn and show me that they were invested in the class.  Or maybe, as was the case, they did not have a laptop so they were using a teachers laptop to complete the assignment.   I found this out when I told the student that they had to re-do the assignment( I had messed up on the initial sequence of work and had to re-do it.)The student asked if they could go to another classroom to do it since they did not have a computer. The student did not get angry or complain.  They just wanted to get the work done. Egg all over my face.  Water dumped right on top of my head.  Conviction swift.

While the student never knew I wanted to prove who was boss, my actions could have head devastating consequences.  I could have made that student a combatant instead of a cooperative student. More importantly I could have blemished my witness for Christ.  I was reminded today that I am a teacher and to whom God gives much, He expects much. My standards are higher and I have the power to show grace and mercy in the midst of my students day.  I also learned to be slow to anger and to judge not.  I do not need to become jaded by educational system, but let the love of Christ flow through me to it.  I need to do better and can do better.

I have set my plans in motion for next week.  The assignments are unpublished until I want them to be seen, but I am also counting on grace.

Lord, my heart was ugly today.  I confess my sin and thank You for Your blood that cleanses me and forgives me.  Help me to learn from my mistakes and to be slow to anger.  Give me Your wisdom to see my students and do my job.  Help me not judge, but to examine my own heart and take care of it.  I love You Lord. In Jesus name.  Amen

He refreshes my soul

 

Psalms 23:2-3 NIV

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

Work is hard.  It is mentally draining.  At the end of some days I feel like a ringed out rag.  The days cause anxiety because I want to stay on top of everything.  I want to know that I will have strength to do the day.  But I have learned that I cannot rely on my strength I must rely on His.  I start my morning, before I even open my eyes, by stating the truth of His word-I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me(Philippians 4:13).  True to HIs word He gives me just what I need each day. 

He gives me more than endurance, He gives me the stillness and the peace of Him.  He causes me to rest in Him.  To lay down my burdens and have my soul refreshed. He directs my steps and tells me which way to go for His name's sake.  Not because  I am so good, but because He is so very faithful.  He shepherds me and keeps me from getting lost in the hustle and bustle of life.

He gives me peace and stills the waters so that I can drink Him in.  So that I can be nourished by His word.  In my research I learned that sheep like to drink from still water.  We are the sheep of His pasture and He takes care of us.  He calms the troubled waters.  He gives our souls what it needs- more of Him.  Less striving and more believing.  More trusting in the good Shepherd. He releases my anxiety as I intentional put my trust in Him.  God is good.

Lord, thank You for causing me to rest in You. You give me green pastures where I am well nourished and cause me to have peace.  You are my Shepherd and because of You I have no lack.  You guide me on the right paths, the righteous path, that I might bring You the glory You so richly deserve.  You are good and I thank You.  You do it for me and You do it for all Your children and I say thank You. Forgive me when I try to rely on my own strength.  Help me to always look to You.  In Jesus name. Amen

 

Pressing towards the mark

 

Philippians 3:13-14 NIV

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

I have been on this journey with God for quite a few years.  I can not imagine a time when I did not know God.  That's a blessing in  and of itself; to have been raised in a home where God was welcomed and present. But....I have not arrived.  I have yet to win the prize. I have to forget what is behind me and start each day anew with the aim of pleasing God.  Not straining or trying to prove my worth because I am nothing without Him.  Yet, rather continuing to take steps towards heaven.  To walk in faith and not by sight.

I can not allow myself to get comfortable and stagnant.  It just can't be a read bible -check! Say prayers - check!  situation. It's not just about doing, but being one with Christ.  Nurturing that relationship with Him.  Getting to know Him better each day.  Listening out for His voice and obeying.

Its giving myself a heart check.  Making sure that my heart, will, and actions are aligned to His word.  Its a daily "grind" done with joy because I am not doing it alone.  He stands beside me.  He goes before me and follows after.  He is a good God, my only wise Savior.  So I can not become weary in doing good for His word tells me I will reap a harvest if I do not give up ( Galatians 6:9)

Life storm's come and tribulations rise, but God sees us through them all.  He is faithful and we should be faithful.  Daily walking, trusting, and growing in Him.  We must push forward with the end goal of eternity with Christ in mind. The goal of being more like Him.

Father, I thank You for many years that You have blessed me to be on this earth.  Thank You for making yourself known to me so that I could draw near to You.  Help me to not grow stagnant and weary.  Pour out Your Spirit on me so that I can continue the journey and offer You praise. Forgive me for those times when I have become complacent.  Light a fresh fire in me.  In Jesus name.  Amen

Conquerors

 

Romans 8:37 NIV

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

It's Friday! I love Fridays because it represents the end of my work week.  It is proof of how God saw me through and kept me. It is evidence that I conquered the obstacles of the week and overcame them through Christ Jesus.  

It's not that I did anything special other than trust Him and His word. There were days this week when I was just mentally and physically fatigued and I cried out to God to give me strength.  He heard every moan and groan.  He answered every prayer. He got me to my destination-Friday 😀

But as I write, I can't help but think of a greater destination- heaven.  Earth is not my home.  We are heaven bound. We just have to persevere and remember that we are more than conquerors.  His word says this..

Romans 8:36-39 NIV

As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We have God on our side.  We have His love.  We have Him.  So nothing we face on this side will deter us from our heavenly destination to be with Him for all eternity.  We will be in a state where every day is a Friday- an atmosphere of rejoicing because we made it.  We just have to continue to press our way through and we can with God on our side.

Lord, I thank You for seeing me and my fellow brothers and sisters through.  Thank You for Your strength and determination to not tap out, but to endure and conquer.  We know it is only through Your strength and love that we have overcome.  We thank You for moments to celebrate. Let us keep a heavenly perspective on life's journey.  In Jesus name.  Amen