Though extremely slowly, I started gradually getting better at the end of December 2009, through January 2010. I will NEVER forget the first day I started walking again!!! It was in the middle of January and I woke up one morning feeling a bit different. Feeling was coming back to my legs and so I got up and just started walking. I know it sounds weird hearing a young man being so excited about walking; but when you haven't walked in months and being bombarded with thoughts that you may never walk again, when you begin walking that is definitely something to get excited about! My wife and I cried as we experienced the serious healing power of God.
At this point in my journey I learned an extremely valuable lesson in my world: I learned the power of being alone with God. During the time when things got really bad for me I couldn't watch television, listen to music, or talk to people; the only that I was able to do was talk to God. I am not saying this because it sounds spiritual, or even powerful...thats literally all I could do: talk to God! While it was hurtful that some people weren't around, or painfully lonely experience; it was powerful in that I got stronger with God. Family is wonderful, but at the end of day YOU are the only one experiencing the full pain, or going through it, or taking the medicine, or going into foreclosure. I have come to realize that many of us have too many people around us that block God from really making a powerful difference in our lives. Could you say that you could honestly function if certain people weren't in your life? Can I suggest that there are people in your life right now who are not allowing you to experience the fullness of what God wants for you? There are certain things that God will only reveal to you when you are ALONE. Remember it was John's isolation that allowed him to receive and write the Revelation of Jesus Christ!
Let me be clear, God did create us for companionship and for relationship; but when other relationships crowd out God we will always have major problems. How many of us can relate to relationships that we have had that have gotten stronger than our relationship with God...those relationships never worked out did they?
I want to challenge you today to find some time to get along with God. He may wake you up early in the morning, while everyone is sleep. He may give you something when the house is completely empty. Whatever way you can, even if you have to literally fight for it, find time when you can be alone with God. God bless you as you realize that its okay to be alone...
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Expectations
It was in November 2009, that I received a pic-line (something they insert in your are that goes straight to your heart), because no oral medicine was working for me at the time. In much pain, I remember asking the physicians as they prepared to do the procedure, how long it would take until I started feeling better. They told me you will start doing better in THREE days. I can remember coming home from the procedure and beginning my count to feel better. One day passed, the second day passed and I didn't feel an ounce better. Finally the third day came and went and I was no better! I do believe that I sank to a new level of depression, feeling that possibly I would never get better. After all, they did say I would start doing better in three days. Maybe they really meant a week? It didn't matter, two weeks had passed and I still wasn't walking and in terrible pain.
Then came probably one of the worst parts of my whole process...PEOPLE. In my world, I have vividly learned that people can be a blessing and a curse. This is not to say that I or anyone else is better than others. However I do believe that, for what many of us go through, we can't stand to have certain people around us because they allow us to: wallow in our experience, only think negatively about our experience, and provide No help for our experiences!
Here are just some things that people said to me during my experience: How long do they say you have to live? Man, you look terrible! I remember when I got bit by a tick, I didn't get like you ended up. So, are you always going to be like this? The reality is, if you are physically sick but you are mentally strong, you have ALL you need to get where you need to go. I have met cancer patients, whose body's where filled with pain, and yet they strongly encouraged me! However if you are physically in pain, and are mentally unstable (which I was) you are in a difficult place. For many of us, our struggles could be remedied by allowing the Spirit of God to change our mindset. The circumstance may not change but once your mind does, you will have a completely difficult outlook on your pain. People knew that physically I was in bad shape, but had no idea that I was in a terrible state of depression and really didn't care about living another day. I'm not blaming people though, before this experience I must admit that I was extremely ignorant about what to say to suffering people. The reality is people don't need WORDS, they need your PRESENCE!
I realize however, looking back, that the reason why I felt so hurt by people (doctors, associates, friends) is because I had WAY TOO MUCH confidence in them! I expected them to do certain things so that when they didn't perform or do things as I had expected it pushed me toward more depression because of what I expected from them. The more trust you have in certain people, the more hurt you will be when they let you down. For me, this experience showed me in a real way why some people continue to live in cycles. Cycles of pain, frustration, and depression. Oftentimes we expect things from people that they have not committed themselves to do for you. We look for affirmation and acceptance from people so much that when the affirmation and kudos don't come we don't know what to do because some of us live our lives based on the response of others. Can I suggest to you that you never live your life based on how people will respond to you because you will never be happy.
I have learned in my world to live my life to only please God. You will be happier, stronger and fulfilled when you get in the practice of making sure that the only person that is pleased from your life is God! How do you know what pleases God? Read Romans 12:1-2, it tells what God likes from us!
Then came probably one of the worst parts of my whole process...PEOPLE. In my world, I have vividly learned that people can be a blessing and a curse. This is not to say that I or anyone else is better than others. However I do believe that, for what many of us go through, we can't stand to have certain people around us because they allow us to: wallow in our experience, only think negatively about our experience, and provide No help for our experiences!
Here are just some things that people said to me during my experience: How long do they say you have to live? Man, you look terrible! I remember when I got bit by a tick, I didn't get like you ended up. So, are you always going to be like this? The reality is, if you are physically sick but you are mentally strong, you have ALL you need to get where you need to go. I have met cancer patients, whose body's where filled with pain, and yet they strongly encouraged me! However if you are physically in pain, and are mentally unstable (which I was) you are in a difficult place. For many of us, our struggles could be remedied by allowing the Spirit of God to change our mindset. The circumstance may not change but once your mind does, you will have a completely difficult outlook on your pain. People knew that physically I was in bad shape, but had no idea that I was in a terrible state of depression and really didn't care about living another day. I'm not blaming people though, before this experience I must admit that I was extremely ignorant about what to say to suffering people. The reality is people don't need WORDS, they need your PRESENCE!
I realize however, looking back, that the reason why I felt so hurt by people (doctors, associates, friends) is because I had WAY TOO MUCH confidence in them! I expected them to do certain things so that when they didn't perform or do things as I had expected it pushed me toward more depression because of what I expected from them. The more trust you have in certain people, the more hurt you will be when they let you down. For me, this experience showed me in a real way why some people continue to live in cycles. Cycles of pain, frustration, and depression. Oftentimes we expect things from people that they have not committed themselves to do for you. We look for affirmation and acceptance from people so much that when the affirmation and kudos don't come we don't know what to do because some of us live our lives based on the response of others. Can I suggest to you that you never live your life based on how people will respond to you because you will never be happy.
I have learned in my world to live my life to only please God. You will be happier, stronger and fulfilled when you get in the practice of making sure that the only person that is pleased from your life is God! How do you know what pleases God? Read Romans 12:1-2, it tells what God likes from us!
Monday, December 12, 2011
Tim Tebow
Over the last couple of weeks I, like many of you have become a fan of the Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow. I must admit that I, though being a Washington Redskins fan, have jumped on the Tim Tebow bandwagon, rooting as he continues to come back and surprise fans, commentators, and football players around the country. Because I am a Christian, I smile when I see him give thanks to God, through verbal gestures and after-game interviews. It's exciting to see someone who professes to be a Christian, not be ashamed to acknowledge Him as being a huge part of his life. I am in no position to judge, but I do know that there are many of us who may thank God publicly but privately our lives are far from being Christian. However, from my vantage point Tebow's spirit seems to show that he really does have a relationship with God. I love the fact that he is not ashamed to thank God in public!
What really intrigues me however about Tebow is not really his profession of Christ. What I am intrigued about is his desire to win! He finds a way! As you watch games, I am sure there are points in the game where you say: "I guess he will loose this one", and yet when the zeros appear on the clock you see him with him hands in the air, and hugging his teammates. After yesterday's win, I realized what Tim Tebow has realized, and that is you have to get in the habit of fighting to win! A win WILL NOT happen just because you want it to, YOU have to fight for it.
It was in realizing this that helped me understand why most of us are ashamed to declare the God we profess to know...we don't really know Him AND we are comfortable with loosing! As a Washington Redskins fan, I really can't understand how players can get in the frustrating habit of continuous loosing! I'm not sure what goes on behind the cameras and off of the field, but...nobody says: "I'm tired of loosing every week, lets do something different." Or maybe they do say that? But why is it that someone who is not even a textbook NFL quarterback winning? Because he has learned that wins don't automatically happen! You have to fight for them!
Now while some of you are laughing at my team, the Washington Redskins, don't be so hasty...because some of you have gotten in the habit of loosing in your spiritual life! You are accustomed to loosing so much that you are jealous when you see other people winning and the only reason you think they are winning is because they are cheating. You are satisfied with not talking to God, and not fellowshipping with believers, and not speaking to others about Him!
What's so great about God though, is that you don't have to wait for another year to win! Because of some teams records, they won't make the playoffs and have to wait until next year to try again; but with God, every day is another opportunity to win! Don't you want to start winning today?
2 Corinthians 2:14, tells us that WITH God, we always win!!!
What really intrigues me however about Tebow is not really his profession of Christ. What I am intrigued about is his desire to win! He finds a way! As you watch games, I am sure there are points in the game where you say: "I guess he will loose this one", and yet when the zeros appear on the clock you see him with him hands in the air, and hugging his teammates. After yesterday's win, I realized what Tim Tebow has realized, and that is you have to get in the habit of fighting to win! A win WILL NOT happen just because you want it to, YOU have to fight for it.
It was in realizing this that helped me understand why most of us are ashamed to declare the God we profess to know...we don't really know Him AND we are comfortable with loosing! As a Washington Redskins fan, I really can't understand how players can get in the frustrating habit of continuous loosing! I'm not sure what goes on behind the cameras and off of the field, but...nobody says: "I'm tired of loosing every week, lets do something different." Or maybe they do say that? But why is it that someone who is not even a textbook NFL quarterback winning? Because he has learned that wins don't automatically happen! You have to fight for them!
Now while some of you are laughing at my team, the Washington Redskins, don't be so hasty...because some of you have gotten in the habit of loosing in your spiritual life! You are accustomed to loosing so much that you are jealous when you see other people winning and the only reason you think they are winning is because they are cheating. You are satisfied with not talking to God, and not fellowshipping with believers, and not speaking to others about Him!
What's so great about God though, is that you don't have to wait for another year to win! Because of some teams records, they won't make the playoffs and have to wait until next year to try again; but with God, every day is another opportunity to win! Don't you want to start winning today?
2 Corinthians 2:14, tells us that WITH God, we always win!!!
Friday, December 9, 2011
What would you do?!
What would you do, if you didn't know God?
What would you do when you are stressed every day?
How could you cope when the world has gone mad?
What would you do when all has gone bad?
At times it gets so rough, that no one feels your pain
Calls from friends don't come, yet they don't understand the strain
So what would you do, if you didn't know God?
What would you do to help you through it all?
Who can really handle your hurts and your aches?
So be encouraged my friends because there is something you can do
Get to know Jesus, I promise, if HE helped me, I know HE can help you too!!!
What would you do when you are stressed every day?
How could you cope when the world has gone mad?
What would you do when all has gone bad?
At times it gets so rough, that no one feels your pain
Calls from friends don't come, yet they don't understand the strain
So what would you do, if you didn't know God?
What would you do to help you through it all?
Who can really handle your hurts and your aches?
So be encouraged my friends because there is something you can do
Get to know Jesus, I promise, if HE helped me, I know HE can help you too!!!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Knowledge is Power
After seeing the doctor he talked to my wife and place me on a plan to get me back where I needed to be. I didn't know at the time, but he later told me that I was probably the worst case that he had seen. He gave my wife instructions as to what I desperately needed to do to get on track. The first thing that I had to do was to get a pic-line. They insert this sometimes into pregnant women, and often with cancer patients to get medicine in them quickly or if they are not able to take medicine orally. I also had to take other medicines that would help deal with the Lyme disease as well as other infections that I had gotten from the tick bite. We had though, so many questions when going to see the specialist! Why wasn't the current medication I was taking working? Why were some doctors telling me that I didn't have Lyme, even though I was testing positive for it and even telling me that I may have other things that I wasn't even testing positive for? Was I going to recover?!?!?
We later learned that a lot of professionals within the medical community (no disrespect to anyone who works in the medical field), don't know much about Lyme disease. If you contract Lyme and are not seen by a Lyme literate doctor chances are that you may not get the best help. Sure, if you get bit, find out and are seen by a doctor a simple round of Amoxicillin or even Doxycycline will be fine. However if you are like me, who didn't know that I had gotten bit nor did I get the "bull's eye rash", which some say is the absolute sign that you were bit, things may get worse. Lyme has three stages. I was receiving medicine as if I was at the first stage, but I was already at stage three so the oral medicine that they were giving me was not doing anything. For many reasons (For much more information please check out the movie: Under Our Skin, which is a very informational movie on Lyme) some doctors do not think that Lyme is an actual disease, and because some will not be honest enough to say they don't know about Lyme they will tell you that you have something else. To their credit however: You may have Lyme and not test positive for it; because Lyme has cycles you may get tested in a cycle where the Lyme is not dominate, therefore would test negative! Lyme is also called: The Great Imitator. It mimics other diseases such as Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis; AND if not treated properly can lead to other, much serious diseases. That being said, by body was like a time bomb waiting to explode. Even though I felt like and at times even wanted to die...from a medicinal standpoint, the truth is that my body was shutting down.
The Lyme infection or 'spirochetes' as they are called, can infect ANYTHING in your body! They can move into any organ. That what was happening when I got rushed to the doctor as well as cardiologist. They infection had moved to my heart and to my brain as well!!! If you need a reason to thank God today, go ahead and borrow my experience and thank Him for sustaining my life!
When leaving the Lyme specialist office, I was still in bad shape, but grateful with all of this new found information! Now more than ever I understand in a very fundamental way that knowledge really is power! With that being said: How much do you Really know about God? I mean, really? I am not referring to what someone told you or even what your denomination has informed you about Him. What do you personally know about who God is, what He has said (AND is saying), and what He can do? It's interesting to me when I talk to Christians and listen to them talk about their experiences. Not unbelievers, BUT Christians!!! I am left leaving the conversation saying that they must not know too much about God, but they love to carry the name Christian; because once you KNOW God there are certain things that give you confidence.
Yes, you are sick; But HE said that by His stripes you are healed! I understand that you are broke, but He said that He will supply ALL of your needs! You are definitely stressed out, but He said that He WILL keep you in PERFECT PEACE!!! Can I suggest to you its possible we don't know as much about God as we think? I'm not talking about deep theological questions of scripture. I am really referring to stuff like: He loves You! You were created for His purpose! He is able to KEEP you from falling!!!
Get to KNOW HIM today, because knowledge really is Power!
We later learned that a lot of professionals within the medical community (no disrespect to anyone who works in the medical field), don't know much about Lyme disease. If you contract Lyme and are not seen by a Lyme literate doctor chances are that you may not get the best help. Sure, if you get bit, find out and are seen by a doctor a simple round of Amoxicillin or even Doxycycline will be fine. However if you are like me, who didn't know that I had gotten bit nor did I get the "bull's eye rash", which some say is the absolute sign that you were bit, things may get worse. Lyme has three stages. I was receiving medicine as if I was at the first stage, but I was already at stage three so the oral medicine that they were giving me was not doing anything. For many reasons (For much more information please check out the movie: Under Our Skin, which is a very informational movie on Lyme) some doctors do not think that Lyme is an actual disease, and because some will not be honest enough to say they don't know about Lyme they will tell you that you have something else. To their credit however: You may have Lyme and not test positive for it; because Lyme has cycles you may get tested in a cycle where the Lyme is not dominate, therefore would test negative! Lyme is also called: The Great Imitator. It mimics other diseases such as Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis; AND if not treated properly can lead to other, much serious diseases. That being said, by body was like a time bomb waiting to explode. Even though I felt like and at times even wanted to die...from a medicinal standpoint, the truth is that my body was shutting down.
The Lyme infection or 'spirochetes' as they are called, can infect ANYTHING in your body! They can move into any organ. That what was happening when I got rushed to the doctor as well as cardiologist. They infection had moved to my heart and to my brain as well!!! If you need a reason to thank God today, go ahead and borrow my experience and thank Him for sustaining my life!
When leaving the Lyme specialist office, I was still in bad shape, but grateful with all of this new found information! Now more than ever I understand in a very fundamental way that knowledge really is power! With that being said: How much do you Really know about God? I mean, really? I am not referring to what someone told you or even what your denomination has informed you about Him. What do you personally know about who God is, what He has said (AND is saying), and what He can do? It's interesting to me when I talk to Christians and listen to them talk about their experiences. Not unbelievers, BUT Christians!!! I am left leaving the conversation saying that they must not know too much about God, but they love to carry the name Christian; because once you KNOW God there are certain things that give you confidence.
Yes, you are sick; But HE said that by His stripes you are healed! I understand that you are broke, but He said that He will supply ALL of your needs! You are definitely stressed out, but He said that He WILL keep you in PERFECT PEACE!!! Can I suggest to you its possible we don't know as much about God as we think? I'm not talking about deep theological questions of scripture. I am really referring to stuff like: He loves You! You were created for His purpose! He is able to KEEP you from falling!!!
Get to KNOW HIM today, because knowledge really is Power!
Monday, December 5, 2011
The only thing to do!
October moved into November of 2009 with me still in the same position and not knowing what was going to happen. I believe God gave me strength to answer a call, as I can remember it, one evening when my mother called. She went on to tell me that a family friend asked her how I was doing and asked how I was doing. She told them that I was told it was Lyme disease but at this point we weren't really sure. He said: "You know my brother is a Lyme Disease specialist, why don't you give him a call?" Despite her excitement, I was so depressed and in such a physically poor place, I remember telling her: "Mom, there's nothing anybody can do. If they could have helped me, they would have done it already..."
But thank God for a LOVING wife!!! She said, OH NO, we are going to see him, because somebody is going to help us out! Let me suggest to you that everyone needs somebody in their corner who knows how to keep pressing regardless of how you feel, because if it was up to me I promise that I would NEVER gone to see him. I was done with doctors! I had been seemingly let down so much that I really didn't have any faith in any doctors or any kind! I remember talking to the Lyme Specialist a couple of days later. He asked me to start telling me what had been going on and after about three minutes of me going into my story he stopped me and said: "Do you feel dizzy? (yes), When you try and walk, does it feel like you are walking on a bunch of rocks? (YES) Do you have terrible nausea? (YES)" How did you know?!?! (For the first time I felt like I was really talking to somebody who could help me) "I know how you are doing because I have had Lyme disease myself, BUT you really need to come in to see me as soon as possible so that I can get you some help"
Still skeptical, my wife and I went to see God's servant, my specialist! I have forgotten some things about my first visit with him, but I do remember him asking me a very important question: Do you trust me? Based on what I have been through, I have to admit that I didn't have too much trust in anyone at this point, much less doctors! Yet, I began going on this journey of recovery. Can I suggest to someone today though, that ALL of the pain that you are experiencing right now may be God's way of helping you understand that unless you fully trust ME I can't do much for you. When Jesus walked on this earth, the bible records that there were places that Jesus COULD NOT do miracles in because there was no faith in that place. In my world I have definitely learned that sometimes people will stay sick, people will continue to die, marriages will keep dissolving, people will stay locked in addictions; not because things can't turn around but because we have often been sick for such a long time, or operate in dysfunction for so long that we don't believe life can be seen from any other vantage point.
Let me encourage someone today: Everything that you have been experiencing has been an attempt for you to trust God. I know you feel that the enemy is getting the best of you, but in reality all the enemy can do is be accused of attempted murder. If someone is convicted of attempted murder, it means that they had the opportunity, sometimes motive, and means to kill you. The person may have been shot, stabbed, or caused terrible harm...BUT they didn't die, so the person gets convicted of ATTEMPTED murder. Thats all the enemy does, makes attempts; because he tried, you may come out with some pain and some scars. Yet because God is always in control HE can't kill you, he can't break you. Why not?!? Because God said so..LOL. So, since God is in charge, why not put your trust in Him. You've been trusted everything else but him and how has that been working for you?!?!?
But thank God for a LOVING wife!!! She said, OH NO, we are going to see him, because somebody is going to help us out! Let me suggest to you that everyone needs somebody in their corner who knows how to keep pressing regardless of how you feel, because if it was up to me I promise that I would NEVER gone to see him. I was done with doctors! I had been seemingly let down so much that I really didn't have any faith in any doctors or any kind! I remember talking to the Lyme Specialist a couple of days later. He asked me to start telling me what had been going on and after about three minutes of me going into my story he stopped me and said: "Do you feel dizzy? (yes), When you try and walk, does it feel like you are walking on a bunch of rocks? (YES) Do you have terrible nausea? (YES)" How did you know?!?! (For the first time I felt like I was really talking to somebody who could help me) "I know how you are doing because I have had Lyme disease myself, BUT you really need to come in to see me as soon as possible so that I can get you some help"
Still skeptical, my wife and I went to see God's servant, my specialist! I have forgotten some things about my first visit with him, but I do remember him asking me a very important question: Do you trust me? Based on what I have been through, I have to admit that I didn't have too much trust in anyone at this point, much less doctors! Yet, I began going on this journey of recovery. Can I suggest to someone today though, that ALL of the pain that you are experiencing right now may be God's way of helping you understand that unless you fully trust ME I can't do much for you. When Jesus walked on this earth, the bible records that there were places that Jesus COULD NOT do miracles in because there was no faith in that place. In my world I have definitely learned that sometimes people will stay sick, people will continue to die, marriages will keep dissolving, people will stay locked in addictions; not because things can't turn around but because we have often been sick for such a long time, or operate in dysfunction for so long that we don't believe life can be seen from any other vantage point.
Let me encourage someone today: Everything that you have been experiencing has been an attempt for you to trust God. I know you feel that the enemy is getting the best of you, but in reality all the enemy can do is be accused of attempted murder. If someone is convicted of attempted murder, it means that they had the opportunity, sometimes motive, and means to kill you. The person may have been shot, stabbed, or caused terrible harm...BUT they didn't die, so the person gets convicted of ATTEMPTED murder. Thats all the enemy does, makes attempts; because he tried, you may come out with some pain and some scars. Yet because God is always in control HE can't kill you, he can't break you. Why not?!? Because God said so..LOL. So, since God is in charge, why not put your trust in Him. You've been trusted everything else but him and how has that been working for you?!?!?
Thursday, December 1, 2011
How to Get Through
If you are going through ANY TYPE of struggle or difficulty in life right now, today's blog is JUST for YOU! I want to give you something valuable that I have learned about in my world, and that is how to stand and manage your way through difficult circumstances of any kind. Because we live in such an evil world, people go through so many things: sickness, job loss, divorce, separation, financial difficulties, death of a loved one, etc. So I would like to give you some very practical lessons that I have learned on how to get through your "storm of life" I have learned so many lessons but I will only list four today,
1. You MUST memorize scripture! Go through the bible and find some texts that you know can encourage you and memorize them. Once you have memorized text of scripture, then you will always have something to fall back on when your face an unfavorable situation. Don't just memorize them, quote them back to yourself. Speak God's word on Your situation. Believe, Repeat, and OBEY his word and I promise that it will be a true source of support during your difficulty. If you are at a time of 'peace' in your life right now, practice memorizing scripture anyway because it draws you closer to God and it will prove to be a great blessing later!
2. Especially when your situation seems impossible, MAKE SURE you ONLY have people around you that know how to spiritually speak into your life! Its enough to go through rough patches and then at the same time deal with people that are not pouring into you, but taking from you. You are fighting to keep your head above water, and yet there are people whether intentionally or unintentionally that will literally ROB you of your peace, joy, and even your sanity. Oftentimes to get through your situations in life you may not be able to talk to people that you know are not able to spiritually sow into your life. Your not better than them, and they are not bad people at all; its just that you cannot afford to be robbed of what you need to get you through...Most people however literally don't know what to do when things get rough, and their ignorance about what to do or about your situation doesn't help you. Make sure that you surround yourself with people who are able to be used by God during your difficulty. If you don't have these type of people in your life now, pray that God will send them to you.
3. If and when you are able, WRITE down your experience during the trial or after you come through it. This allows you to get your thoughts out of your spirit, which is helpful when, at times you can't talk about it. It allows you to look back at where you were and see where God has brought you from. It also proves to be a great blessing to other people. Someone should be able to see your testimony and say: "WOW, if God did that for them, then I know He can do something for me as well"
4. It was helpful for me to finally understand that, God is not like me and HE ALWAYS has OPTIONS. God's timing is and will never be our timing. God is not constrained by time, so what may appear to be a year of going through hell, is only a couple of seconds to him. But I have learned that God's timing is always the best timing. If God doesn't come through in the way that you expect or even want Him to, then trust and believe that He is able to do it another way, he always has options. When your thinking runs out, His just begins! He probably has 1000 or more ways to fix your ONE problem.
These four perspectives have helped me in so many ways in my world and I pray that they will proved to be a blessing to you as well!
1. You MUST memorize scripture! Go through the bible and find some texts that you know can encourage you and memorize them. Once you have memorized text of scripture, then you will always have something to fall back on when your face an unfavorable situation. Don't just memorize them, quote them back to yourself. Speak God's word on Your situation. Believe, Repeat, and OBEY his word and I promise that it will be a true source of support during your difficulty. If you are at a time of 'peace' in your life right now, practice memorizing scripture anyway because it draws you closer to God and it will prove to be a great blessing later!
2. Especially when your situation seems impossible, MAKE SURE you ONLY have people around you that know how to spiritually speak into your life! Its enough to go through rough patches and then at the same time deal with people that are not pouring into you, but taking from you. You are fighting to keep your head above water, and yet there are people whether intentionally or unintentionally that will literally ROB you of your peace, joy, and even your sanity. Oftentimes to get through your situations in life you may not be able to talk to people that you know are not able to spiritually sow into your life. Your not better than them, and they are not bad people at all; its just that you cannot afford to be robbed of what you need to get you through...Most people however literally don't know what to do when things get rough, and their ignorance about what to do or about your situation doesn't help you. Make sure that you surround yourself with people who are able to be used by God during your difficulty. If you don't have these type of people in your life now, pray that God will send them to you.
3. If and when you are able, WRITE down your experience during the trial or after you come through it. This allows you to get your thoughts out of your spirit, which is helpful when, at times you can't talk about it. It allows you to look back at where you were and see where God has brought you from. It also proves to be a great blessing to other people. Someone should be able to see your testimony and say: "WOW, if God did that for them, then I know He can do something for me as well"
4. It was helpful for me to finally understand that, God is not like me and HE ALWAYS has OPTIONS. God's timing is and will never be our timing. God is not constrained by time, so what may appear to be a year of going through hell, is only a couple of seconds to him. But I have learned that God's timing is always the best timing. If God doesn't come through in the way that you expect or even want Him to, then trust and believe that He is able to do it another way, he always has options. When your thinking runs out, His just begins! He probably has 1000 or more ways to fix your ONE problem.
These four perspectives have helped me in so many ways in my world and I pray that they will proved to be a blessing to you as well!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)