"Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty."
Psalm 104:1
I would like to start by asking you a few questions. Take a few minutes and think through them. We'll revisit again in a moment.
In what do you place your confidence?
In whom do you place your trust?
Where do you turn to in times of trouble?
I would guess that I'm not alone when I tell you that I am distraught and disappointed when I look at the world around me. I'm saddened that so many that I love are facing such difficult circumstances. I've witnessed people experience unimaginable loss which has left a hole so immense that they feel it will never be repaired. I've watched addiction wreak havoc on people that I least expected it from. I've watched families fight with all they have in them to hold it together and get back on track. I've watched the devastation that sickness has brought upon people that are very near and dear to my heart.
And given the opportunity to take that pain away, I would... I absolutely would in an instant. Why? Because knowing how heavy those burdens weigh on my shoulders for them, I can't imagine what it feels like for the ones walking through the muck every single day. But I can't fix it, I can't take it away, and truth be told, I can't even make it better. Why can't I? Because I'm not God and I don't have that authority. Authority belongs to the One that created the world in its entirety by simply speaking it into existence. In six days, God created it all and it was good. You see, He has that authority because He is unflawed and exudes perfection in every way.
As much as I tell you that the state of the world is far from what I wish it were, I also tell you that I look around in each and every situation that I have witnessed and I see the goodness of God. It's so evident in all of creation. I've seen so many moments of unimaginable beauty come from such undesirable darkness. I've seen a renewal in the hearts of ones who have encountered situations that they didn't ask for. And I've seen joy become a result of the depletion of temporary happiness. And though situations may be less than what we had hoped for, He is worthy of our praise. He isn't surprised are taken back by the current situations of our life. He's all-knowing in each and every situation.
"Bless the Lord, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with spendor and majesty."
And though this world seems to bring pain to so many lives, that pain is not meaningless....it's not for nothing. God can use us right smack dab in the middle of our darkest moments if we just place our trust in His majesty. How do we know that we can trust Him in all seasons of life? Because just as He is worthy of our praise, He is also worthy of our trust. The one that placed the sun and moon perfectly in place also placed us on this earth for a purpose and a plan. Do you want to know something else? It's not just in the deepest darkest moments of our lives that He is there. He is there in the everyday moments. Walking with us, comforting us, bringing us peace, and guiding our paths. I can promise you that you will never regret placing your confidence and trust in God. He is 100% without failure or flaw.
"He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows it's time for setting." Psalm 104:19
So...In what do you place your confidence?
In whom do you place your trust?
Where do you turn to in times of trouble?
As much as my heart may be troubled by the hurt and pain that I have witnessed, I can also tell you that wherever you find yourself today, God can use you exactly where you are. Broken and hurting....He can use you right there. Defeated... He can use you right there. Exhausted from the demands of this life... He can use you there. In the every day ordinary life.... He can use you there too. The big picture is this: He is with us daily, it is up to us if we choose to be with Him. The one that created every single aspect of the world we live in is where you can place your confidence in. When the rest of the world has left you depleted, remember, God is still there, just run to Him with open arms. He will never leave you nor forsake you.
spiritual disciplines
Spiritual Disciplines have been such a ginormous part of my growth in Christ. These disciplines changed my daily walk with the Lord and have taught me about reliance and dependence on Him! My prayer is that this space can help deepen your knowledge and understanding by teaching you to lean in closer to God. With that being said, my goal is to incorporate these disciplines slowly so that you can gain a clear picture and understanding of each one as well as learn how to incorporate them into your daily walk with the Lord. Here is a list of the 8 disciplines that we will cover. If these disciplines are already a regular part of your day, now is a great opportunity to reach out to a friend that could use some help learning and growing.
Bible Study
Memorization
Meditation
Prayer
Worship
Evangelism
Fasting
Solitude
Week 9
solitude
Solitude is a discipline in which I am extremely passionate. For me, it is imperative for my connection, closeness, and walk with the Lord. It puts my mind and heart in a better position to hear from Him, learn from HIm, and deepen my walk with Him.
This week's Bible Study:
Psalm 79-100
MONDAY: Psalm 79-81
TUESDAY: Psalm 82-84
WEDNESDAY: Psalm 85-87
Thursday: Psalm 88-90
Friday: psalm 91-93
Saturday: psalm 94-97
Sunday: psalm 98-100
This week's verse to memorize and meditate on:
Psalm 104:1
"Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty."
Tips and challenges this week:
Find a place where you will not be interrupted
Prepare your mind and your heart to hear from Him.
Set aside all distractions.
Use this time to just be with God.
Meditate on verses that you have memorized.
Private Facebook Discussion Group
Would you like to dig a little deeper into your weekly reading and spiritual disciplines? Join our Facebook group where we learn, grow and encourage one another.
Questions?
If you have questions or things that you don't understand, please email them to me and I will add them to the Q&A section. I can't promise you that I will have all of the answers, but I can promise I will do my best to find them if I don't have them.
Growing in God
Would you like a tool to encourage your growth in God? Check out my newly released 12-month spiritual disciplines book/journal. This journal will give you a brief understanding of 8 tangible spiritual disciplines as well as give you a space to implement these disciplines into your daily walk with God.
Are you searching for an accountability partner or a group? A person that can encourage you in your walk with the Lord? joyfully HIS has made this option available to you. Scan the QR code for more information or to sign up.
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