It's All About Relationship #5

Stop, halt the progress of being, living in, existing, perpetually, for an indefinitely long time.

Let me make this perfectly clear. You can not stop "things" from coming to mind. What I love about breaking verses down word by word is the clear picture you can get of what is really being said. With the definitions of just three words I came to the realization that Jesus was not saying that we can eliminate the opportunity of being uneasy, anxious or worried. For an indefinitely long time was what caught my attention. To me that says, I will have these thoughts or even desires to be uneasy, anxious or worried but what Jesus was introducing to me was that how long I let them stick with me is up to me. I hope someone else sees this so that I'm not just grasping at straws.

STOP, halt the progress means that I can put an end to the progress of going from a thought to being uneasy and then becoming anxious and finally being a full fledged worrier. Before the progress of being begins I can predetermine what I believe. I set my mind on what I know to be the truth before it is challenged. John Maxwell says, "Make your decisions early and then just manage them." I think that's what Jesus is saying as well. Ed, make your decision to trust in my word. Ed... make the decision to believe that "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. Jeremiah 29:11 Then all I have to do is manage that decision. When uneasy begins I know that GOD has MY plan and there is nothing to be uneasy about. I mean how can I be uneasy, anxious or worried know that God's plan is for me to prosper and that I would not be harmed. How is it that am so often questioning my future because everything seems hopeless when God says that He gives me hope and a future. The repeating answer keeps telling me that I don't believe because I don't really know and I don't really know because there is a hole in my revelation of the relationship with my Father so I am unable to respond with the correct response. My response is based on something else that has taken precedence over what I thought I knew about my Father.

So here's what that looks like to me. My REVELATION of my RELATIONSHIP of my Father's love for me must become so established that my RESPONSE will be to trust Him. Then there will be no good days, no bad days, no good results, no bad results only GOD!

In closing Ecclesiastes 6:12 says, For who [ limited to human wisdom] knows what is good for man in his life, all the days of his vain life which he spends as a shadow [going through the motions but accomplishing nothing]? For who can tell a man what will happen [to his work, his treasure, his plans] under the sun after he is gone?

Yesterday God sent one of His own to visit me. He simply walked in off the street and asked for me by name. I later asked him how he had found the center and how he had gotten my name... he had no clue. My day was well planned and I had not left any room for an unexpoected visit especially from a stranger. Non the less when he asked for me by name they sent him right to my office. He proceeded to tell me that he had moved back here from Colorado to restore his relationship with his kids and wife. But most of his conversation was on how hard it has been and that he was depressed and frustrated and uneasy and anxious and worried. Imagine! I being the people person that I am gave him a couple quick words and got to the point by asking, what I could do for him. He simply asked for $2.50 for a bus pass. I toke care of that need and more and was ready to say goodby. He then shared about his experience at church this past Sunday and I gave him a God's Promise book. Okay, nice meeting you..... He then asked me to pray for him................................................................................... Now why didn't I think of that? The rest is history and in hind sight I probably should have driven him to where he needed to go verses throwing a few dollars toward it.

Application - Let's spend this entire week with yesterdays application. I need it! There were other moments yesterday where I intentionally worked my "Who I Am" words into conversations and it felt wonderful and encouraging to get back to basics. I am so glad that His mercies are renewed each and every morning.