07
Sep '19
First Line of Defense
07
Sep '19
In Bible Study this week, we’re studying the power of prayer. Man, I sure do need a reminder about that subject. As unexpected things happen with people in my life that I care about, it’s sometimes so disheartening and stressful that I completely forget to pray. As many of you know (either from my blogs or personally), I’m one of those “Let me help!” kind of people. So, when things go awry, what is my first line of defense? “Let me help! How can I help? What can I do to help fix this?”. The answers to these are “No”, “You can’t” and “Nothing”.
Hmmm.. What do you mean I can’t do anything and I can’t help fix this? Well, that’s actually pretty clear if I slow down and take a minute to think about it. God didn’t give me the power or the authority to fix everything for everyone else in my life. As much as I wish He had, He didn’t (besides, I’ve got enough in my own life that I need to work on!).
So, this means what to this “fixer”? It means that I have to step aside and allow God to be the One in control, because you know what? He’s already the One in control. Yes, He’s so much better at it than I am at this thing called “life”. Try as I might to want to make things better, the only thing I can do truly do to help is 1) pray, and 2) love on people and let them know I’m here for them.
I can say all day to people to “Trust God”, and yes, I believe that as truth, but doesn’t it take on a whole new meaning when you have to do it yourself, or with someone in your own life? Something that is so close to us sometimes makes it hard for us to trust God. Just being real. I know He’s trustworthy – but in our own human nature, it’s easy to not understand what God is doing when we don’t “physically” see God helping with the situation right before our very eyes. Let’s take a crisis situation – for example – someone breaks their arm in an accident. We physically get to see the paramedics or the doctor helping. We wait in the waiting room, or even watch ourselves as it’s getting fixed; we are able to watch the progress. Although we’re able to see progress with what God is doing, it’s not like visually having a doctor reset a bone and cast an arm where we see it right as it’s happening. It’s likely we have to wait on God to take care of things in HIS time and for HIS glory, not ours – and it’s then that we see what God was doing. We’re in a world now where we want everything right now, and that’s just not how God works most of the time.
So when things go awry with people in our lives that we care about, we have to just trust and give things over to God. What could we possibly do that God can’t? Nothing. Why do I continue to have to re-learn this lesson? I have no idea. The only thing I can think is that I’ve (apparently) not learned it yet. God is great at putting me back into situations over and over until I learn.
Psalm 102:1 (NLT) – Hear my prayer, Lord; let my cry for help come to you.
Yes… just like a football team needs a line of defense to block the other team, situations like these need God (and prayer) as my first line of defense to block out the negativity and the enemy. Who can get through to cause harm and fear with God as my defender? Nothing and no one! More prayer, less Dena.
Romans 5:3-5 NLT: We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
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~Dena
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About Dena:
“First and foremost, I’m a Daughter of the King and a long-time Christ follower. I’m also a dog mom who enjoys reading Christian books, cardio drumming, traveling often, and I’m a bit of a techie geek. My life has seen its fair share of curve-balls and I’ve found that I’ve become closer to Christ in each trial as He’s comforted me and shown me that I can solely put my faith and trust in Him. 2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT says “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” I feel thankful and blessed for the messes in my life – as they have brought me closer to Him.”
#NoMessNoMessage
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