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Tag: trust

Flipped Opportunity

That’s all it takes, sometimes.

Turn your perspective on its head.

I caught myself twice this week starting to say,

“I hope X happens, so then we don’t have to worry about Y happening.”

I was trusting in this X factor, so I wouldn’t have to concern myself with the Y outcome.

As soon as I said it, I knew I was wrong.

I don’t have to worry about Y happening,

even if X DOES happen.

I don’t have to worry.

at.

all.

Worry is a choice.

When something comes up that could cause me to worry,

I need to flip my perspective.

This situation is not an opportunity to worry.

It’s an opportunity to trust.

An ancient king illustrated this so well.

A multitude was coming against him.

He was way outnumbered.

But Jehoshaphat sought the Lord.

He admitted:

“We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”

There are circumstances in our lives that are troubling,

But we don’t have to succumb to the worry that gnaws on us.

We can fix our eyes on the Lord,

And remind ourselves of His power, compassion, and love.

Jehoshaphat prayed to God, acknowledging who He is:

Are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You.

2 Chronicles 20:6

Let’s turn worry on its head,

And take an opportunity to speak truth about God

to ourselves,

and others.

Little Girl, Big Heart

Bickering, whining, squabbles… Selfishness can be clearly seen in little ones. Yet, there also can be moments of selflessness, kindness, compassion. Overall, you can get an idea of what kind of person this kid is growing to be.

Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright. – Proverbs 20:11.

I was impressed by the conduct and actions of a little girl this week. She lived long ago, but the purity of her heart has shone through centuries of history.

She was a slave girl.

Kidnapped when she was small.

Taken from her family, her town, her homeland.

She had to learn a new language and culture.

No one in this land worshipped the God she knew.

She was alone, and forced to serve the family of a rich, powerful commander.

If I were this little girl, I think I would hate the people who did this to me.

I wouldn’t wish any good upon them, or seek their well-being.

But that’s not what this little girl did.

We don’t know if they treated her well or poorly,

but she looked beyond her own situation and saw the suffering of her masters.

For all his wealth and military fame, her master was dying.

He had leprosy, an incurable disease.

The little girl did not rejoice at his calamity.

She didn’t smugly conclude that he got what he deserved.

Instead, she spoke to his wife with the clear, pure voice of a child,

“I wish that my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria!

Then he would cure him of his leprosy!”

Not only did this captive child have a heart of compassion,

She had a heart of faith.

She trusted that God would heal her master through the prophet.

What happened next is another testament to her character.

Her master listened to her.

He didn’t brush her aside or say that she’s ignorant.

He must have seen in this little girl such an upright heart,

He was persuaded that her God could help.

You can read the rest of the story in 2 Kings 5,

But I hope at least you take away a greater appreciation

for this little girl,

for the parents who taught her from a very young age,

and for the great God that she trusted.

I want my heart to be as big as this little girl’s:

full of compassion and faith.

Adventure Awaits: Preparing for your next life transition.

Strong Confidence

In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children will have refuge.

Proverbs 14:26

​

This proverb jumped out at me recently.

​Do I have strong confidence?

Lately the answer has been “no.”

​I can easily get upset by thinking through future possibilities. This past year has brought uncertainty on many levels. Whether it’s in the world, the nation, the church, the home… life has been disrupted.

​My mind convulses as I begin to imagine scenarios:

What’s going to happen this year?

What’s going to happen next year?

How long will it be like this?

​
I can quickly grow anxious thinking about all the “what if’s.”

But the Lord encourages my heart.

​

I can’t be confident in a changing world.

I can’t put my trust in fading mist.

But I can run to Refuge.

He is my strong confidence.

​

I know my Good Father loves me, and has promised to be my Shield.

In Christ, who lives forever, I have all I could ever need.

There’s no expiration date, there’s no termination.

He will never evict me from His shelter and His love.

He is always there to hold me.

So instead of crying helplessly in the wind and rain,

I will run to my Waiting Refuge.

He won’t turn anyone away.

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