What's the meaning of endurance? According to the wordnetweb, it is "the power to withstand hardship or stress".
Ever started a workout and felt like, "Oh my gosh, I can't do this!" Or thought to yourself, "Man...how much longer?!" I have thought and felt both these things. And yet, I always "muscle through it". Why? Because I know that the end is 1-2 hours away.
Life is a lot like working out. There are moments when I get started on my day, and feel so tired and think, "Oh my gosh, I can't do this!" Or in stormy seasons I often ask the question, "Lord, how much longer?"
If I'm able to see the end when I'm working out, why is it I cannot always see the end of difficult seasons in life?
I guess the easy answer would be that as I stated earlier, I know that an hour or two from when I start working out, I'll be finished. While when facing a life trail, I don't know when the end will come.
Jeremiah 29:11 has become one of my theme scriptures for 2011. "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future'." (NIV)
Unlike exercising, in life sometimes we have to go through things that require endurance. But we can rest assured that God does not get a kick out of seeing His children suffer. He has also promised that He won't give us any more than we can bear. We need only call on His name and He will give us rest and strength to endure the remainder of the storm.
Psalm 33:4 also states, "For the word of the Lord is right, and all his works are done in truth." (KJV) We can rest assured that God keeps His promises.
As we're battling our storms, we can also find comfort in knowing that just like the weather seasons never stay the same, our seasons in life never stay the same either.
If you're dealing with something that seems to be wearing you down, I encourage you to surrender your thoughts, heart and feelings to God today. Ask Him to take it because you feel like you can no longer bear it. Or ask Him to give you the strength to endure the remainder of the stormy season. Trust in Him and His plan for you. He'll see you through. After all, His grace is sufficient for us and His power is perfected in our weakness. (2 Corinthians 9, NIV)
I also encourage you to meditate on Isaiah 40:28-31, which reminds us that there's only so much we can do in our own power. But when we wait on God, He'll renew our strength.
PAR
Showing posts with label God's promises. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God's promises. Show all posts
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Monday, December 27, 2010
Day 22
Day 22 of my Prayer of Jabez challenge. I cannot believe I've been consistent for 22 days with this. I cannot believe it's almost over. I always wanted to do a 30 day Prayer of Jabez challenge, but never felt ready to commit to it.
I keep having these dreams. I'm not exactly sure what they mean. I wake up feeling like my head is in a cloud of smoke and I'm missing something. Some very important message that I need to know. But because of the smoke, I'm not seeing it.
Last night, my Mother in law gave me some scriptures she's been wanting to share with me for encouragement. One was Jeremiah 29:11-14. I told her it was funny she'd share that one with me, because I got a journal for Christmas with Jeremiah 29:11 on the front of it, and I'd just finished writing a blog referencing Jeremiah 29:11.
Clearly God is trying to tell me something. I'm not sure what it is. But I have a feeling Jeremiah 29:11 is part of it.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
I've been considering doing a fast in order to better hear God's direction for me. I'm very sure that He's trying to tell me something right now. I know it's very important because it's coming from God. This year I've had a hard time both hearing from God and fasting. I'm beginning to wonder if those issues are related...perhaps not. But even when I do hear direction from God, I have a hard time understanding what it means. So I've been thinking maybe I should fast for more clarity.
Matthew 6:16-18 states, When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
I know that as a Christian I am expected to fast. Jesus didn't tell us "If you decide to fast" or "If you want to fast". He said, "When you fast". That in itself tells me He expects us to fast. I've been praying about that for the last couple of weeks. I think though, in order for me to break free of that cloud that seems to be keeping me from understanding the message, I may need to fast.
It might be an adventure worth documenting...or not.
PAR
I keep having these dreams. I'm not exactly sure what they mean. I wake up feeling like my head is in a cloud of smoke and I'm missing something. Some very important message that I need to know. But because of the smoke, I'm not seeing it.
Last night, my Mother in law gave me some scriptures she's been wanting to share with me for encouragement. One was Jeremiah 29:11-14. I told her it was funny she'd share that one with me, because I got a journal for Christmas with Jeremiah 29:11 on the front of it, and I'd just finished writing a blog referencing Jeremiah 29:11.
Clearly God is trying to tell me something. I'm not sure what it is. But I have a feeling Jeremiah 29:11 is part of it.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
I've been considering doing a fast in order to better hear God's direction for me. I'm very sure that He's trying to tell me something right now. I know it's very important because it's coming from God. This year I've had a hard time both hearing from God and fasting. I'm beginning to wonder if those issues are related...perhaps not. But even when I do hear direction from God, I have a hard time understanding what it means. So I've been thinking maybe I should fast for more clarity.
Matthew 6:16-18 states, When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
I know that as a Christian I am expected to fast. Jesus didn't tell us "If you decide to fast" or "If you want to fast". He said, "When you fast". That in itself tells me He expects us to fast. I've been praying about that for the last couple of weeks. I think though, in order for me to break free of that cloud that seems to be keeping me from understanding the message, I may need to fast.
It might be an adventure worth documenting...or not.
PAR
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Day 17
1 Chronicles 4:9-10 And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.
Yesterday was an ordinary day. It was the day after the last day of Operation Shake the Hunger. I'm glad it's over.
My frat brother, Deston, left some really great and wise words of encouragement on the Day 16 blog. We also received two emails filled with encouraging words from a couple of people that participated in OStH. Bethany and Allison, thanks again for your contributions and for your words of encouragement. God bless.
I realized what I learned during the week we stepped out in faith for the Operation Shake the Hunger project.
1) Obedience is not easy
2) Obedience does not always feel good.
3) Obedience does not always look like a blessing
4) Sometimes our interpretation of God's message gets lost in translation
1) Obedience is not easy. Genesis 12:1-3 "Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
When God told Abraham to leave his home and go to an unknown land, this could not have been easy for Abraham. Imagine if you will someone tells you to leave everything you know, everything that is comfortable to you, your home and your family so that you can be a blessing to others. Abraham had no idea where he was going, he only knew that God told him to go. He told him to go and He would bless him. I'm pretty sure Abraham didn't even understand the promise that God told him. However, Abraham went obediently.
The first time I ever told Marcus I wanted to move to LA, he said something like, "LA is a nice place to visit, but I don't want to live in LA." That pretty much ended that conversation. Over the course of a three year period, I'd causally mention to Marcus the idea of moving to LA only to be hit with that first response. Sometimes he would add to his response, "I had to travel all the time when I was a kid because my Dad was in the military. I finally found my place in Austin. I'm comfortable here. I don't ever see myself leaving."
After many years of causually mentioning the idea of moving to LA to Marcus and getting the same response, I finally said to him one day, "I'm moving to LA. I want you to come with me. But if you choose to stay here, I will understand." After this conversation, I didn't ask Marcus to move to LA with me again. My mind was made up, and I was moving. Marcus' decision to leave the comfort of Austin came about through much prayer.
2) Obedience does not always feel good. Genesis 22:1-3 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, [here] I [am]. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only [son] Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
When Marcus brought up the idea of Operation Shake the Hunger, I didn't want to do it. I used every single excuse I could to talk myself and him out of it. I spent a lot of time wrestling with myself, and wrestling with God in prayer. Finally, I realized it was something we needed to do. I have never been the kind of person to ask friends or family or strangers for help in anything because of my fear of rejection. Rejection for me, is one of the ugliest feelings in the world. Even the thought of rejection makes me a little queasy.
Looking at Abraham's example, it could not have been easy for him to take his only son to a place where he knew he'd be sacrificed before God. Abraham finally had his promised son of God after all this time, and now God was telling him to offer him up to Him as a sacrifice....wow. I can't even imagine how Abraham must have felt in that moment. Abraham's heart must have ached more and more with every step he took toward Moriah. Yet, he trusted God and obediently continued on the journey.
3) Obedience does not always look like a blessing. Matthew 27:41-43 Likewise also the chief priests mocking [him], with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.
4) Sometimes our interpretation of God's message gets lost in translation. Genesis 17:15-21 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah [shall] her name [be]. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be [a mother] of nations; kings of people shall be of her. Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall [a child] be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, [and] with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
PAR
Yesterday was an ordinary day. It was the day after the last day of Operation Shake the Hunger. I'm glad it's over.
My frat brother, Deston, left some really great and wise words of encouragement on the Day 16 blog. We also received two emails filled with encouraging words from a couple of people that participated in OStH. Bethany and Allison, thanks again for your contributions and for your words of encouragement. God bless.
I realized what I learned during the week we stepped out in faith for the Operation Shake the Hunger project.
1) Obedience is not easy
2) Obedience does not always feel good.
3) Obedience does not always look like a blessing
4) Sometimes our interpretation of God's message gets lost in translation
1) Obedience is not easy. Genesis 12:1-3 "Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
When God told Abraham to leave his home and go to an unknown land, this could not have been easy for Abraham. Imagine if you will someone tells you to leave everything you know, everything that is comfortable to you, your home and your family so that you can be a blessing to others. Abraham had no idea where he was going, he only knew that God told him to go. He told him to go and He would bless him. I'm pretty sure Abraham didn't even understand the promise that God told him. However, Abraham went obediently.
The first time I ever told Marcus I wanted to move to LA, he said something like, "LA is a nice place to visit, but I don't want to live in LA." That pretty much ended that conversation. Over the course of a three year period, I'd causally mention to Marcus the idea of moving to LA only to be hit with that first response. Sometimes he would add to his response, "I had to travel all the time when I was a kid because my Dad was in the military. I finally found my place in Austin. I'm comfortable here. I don't ever see myself leaving."
After many years of causually mentioning the idea of moving to LA to Marcus and getting the same response, I finally said to him one day, "I'm moving to LA. I want you to come with me. But if you choose to stay here, I will understand." After this conversation, I didn't ask Marcus to move to LA with me again. My mind was made up, and I was moving. Marcus' decision to leave the comfort of Austin came about through much prayer.
2) Obedience does not always feel good. Genesis 22:1-3 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, [here] I [am]. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only [son] Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
When Marcus brought up the idea of Operation Shake the Hunger, I didn't want to do it. I used every single excuse I could to talk myself and him out of it. I spent a lot of time wrestling with myself, and wrestling with God in prayer. Finally, I realized it was something we needed to do. I have never been the kind of person to ask friends or family or strangers for help in anything because of my fear of rejection. Rejection for me, is one of the ugliest feelings in the world. Even the thought of rejection makes me a little queasy.
Looking at Abraham's example, it could not have been easy for him to take his only son to a place where he knew he'd be sacrificed before God. Abraham finally had his promised son of God after all this time, and now God was telling him to offer him up to Him as a sacrifice....wow. I can't even imagine how Abraham must have felt in that moment. Abraham's heart must have ached more and more with every step he took toward Moriah. Yet, he trusted God and obediently continued on the journey.
3) Obedience does not always look like a blessing. Matthew 27:41-43 Likewise also the chief priests mocking [him], with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.
4) Sometimes our interpretation of God's message gets lost in translation. Genesis 17:15-21 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah [shall] her name [be]. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be [a mother] of nations; kings of people shall be of her. Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall [a child] be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, [and] with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
PAR
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