Hang in There
This blog is designed to give people an inner look at a devotional life. Taking time each day to spend time with the Lord. The hope is if you travel on this journey with Rev. Jacob Shaw, you may be more inclined to spend time with the Lord as well. I encourage the use of a devotional, a scripture reading and prayer, then finally a song, hymn or selection of poetry to tie it all together.
Today's
devotional is taken from: Vujicic, Nick. Limitless Devotions for a
Ridiculously Good Life. Colorado Springs, CO: Waterbrook Press, 2013. pp 62-64.
Opening Thought: I enjoyed today’s devotional, it offered a sobering look at the
negative thoughts people can have which blinds them to the possibilities in front
of them. It is very easy to say, “have hope”, but when you are in the midst of
depressive or anxious thoughts, it can be so challenging to bridge that gap and
walk towards hope. I’m not sure if I could call myself depressive or anxious, I
have those qualities for sure, but my mind moves so fast some days it is hard
to stay in any mood too long.
The devotional begins with:
Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of
them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave
you nor forsake you.
Second Thought: “Did I do something wrong? Is that why You don’t answer my prayers
for arm and legs?” These were just some
of the prayers Nick Vujicic cried out to the Lord. There is a great book I read
a few years ago that is entitled, How to Pray When You’re Pissed at God: or
anyone else for that matter, by Ian Punnett. It is a great resource for
anyone who is struggling with these sort of painful questions, sometime people
wonder if God is mad at them, punishing them, maybe they are angry at God, but
the book gives a little idea that I think is amazing, get those feelings off
your chest. A lot of church people believe if they speak to God in confused,
angry, and harsh ways some how they will burst into flames. But God is so big,
there is nothing you can do to Him, so get those harsh feelings out. If you
suppress emotion it just builds up, and eventually can cause people to break faith.
But God is part of the family, if you feel a family member has wronged you,
even if they haven’t, it is always good to speak your feelings, before you can
move into reconciliation. Same with God, we can’t always see God’s plan, so
sometimes it can be confusing a painful, so tell God about that, and once you
got it off your chest, then ask how the two of you can work together to move to
the goal God is working on for you in the future.
Continual Work: I feel everyone should practice talking to God like God was
sitting with them at the dinner table or on the couch watching the game with
you. Talk to God about the good things, the bad things and the ugly things.
Give it all to God, the more you do that and the more you teach your children
to do that – the more you will see God’s plan in action.
What Rev. Jacob is Working On: I am currently inquiring into whether I am on the
ADD or ADHD side of things. I do not know where this process will take me, but
for many years I have had to fight my own nature to accomplish tasks. I have
three university degrees, and a great wife and child and a career I love, so I
am doing pretty good but I would like to see something positive progress from
this, but if it turns out that I am not ADDish, and I’m just scattered of mind,
then I will trust in God’s will, and see where that leads me
Scripture time: Deut. 31:1-2
Then Moses went out and spoke these words to all Israel: 2 “I am
now a hundred and twenty years old and I am no longer able to lead you. The
Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not cross the Jordan.’
The
original scripture was pulled from Moses being told he would not cross the Jordan
to the promise land and the Israelites finding out Joshua is taking the lead. I
want to speak about Moses, Moses was denied the Promise Land, as he “did not
uphold my Holiness among the Israelites.” (See Deut. 32:51-52) Keep in mind God
did love Moses and God himself buries Moses when he dies, quiet the honor. I feel
there are consequences when we do not hold the faith, not so much punishments, rather
when we hold back ourselves from God, there are ripple affects we have to deal
with in life (not to say punishment does not happen) rather, there are real
consequences in real life. Most common consequence is that we end up denying ourselves
the positive future God is calling us towards by denying Him and His will. When
we hope in God, we aim to connect with His will, but if we despair without reconciliation
we resign ourselves to sit outside the promise land.
Closing Words: I hope you enjoyed and were lifted by this devotional time; it
is truly important to take time for God each day. By doing so, you welcome God
into your life, and in turn you will be able to better see the world through
the eyes of God, rather than God through the world's eyes.
a little promise land for myself I painted in my youth.
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