I am going through a very challenging season at the moment. I feel like every aspect of my life is under a magnifying glass, pressure points are being exposed and I have felt very resentful and irritated with life. Then I found this gem today and I felt like God just turned my face from looking at my circumstances to Him.
This is a devotional by Max Lucado:
"Are you hoping that a change in circumstances will bring a change in
your attitude? If so, you are in prison, and you need to learn a secret
of traveling light. What you have in your Shepherd is greater than what
you don’t have in life.
May I meddle for a moment? What is the one thing separating you from joy? How do you fill in this blank: “I will be happy
when ________________”? When I am healed. When I am promoted. When I am
married. When I am single. When I am rich. How would you finish that
statement?
Now, with your answer firmly in mind, answer this.
If your ship never comes in, if your dream never comes true, if the
situation never changes, could you be happy? If not, then you are
sleeping in the cold cell of discontent. You are in prison. And you need
to know what you have in your Shepherd.
You have a God who
hears you, the power of love behind you, the Holy Spirit within you, and
all of heaven ahead of you. If you have the Shepherd, you have grace
for every sin, direction for every turn, a candle for every corner, and
an anchor for every storm. You have everything you need."
Max LucadoFrom: Lucado Inspirational Reader
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2011)
To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website
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Powerful and direct words! I hopefully can say, "I AM happy!!" :)
ReplyDeleteAhh, we have to always remember, God sees the bigger picture. When our prayers are not answered how we want or as fast as we'd like, then its time to relax and just let God do it His way.. Good on you. I am very glad you read the above and took it inside and let it feed your soul.
ReplyDeleteWhat good searching questions are in this! I have lately had this feeling of being in a sort of prison, though I felt I needed to rest contented in it. The last verse helps so much to do that. Somehow "a candle for every corner" lights up the corners of my heart. Thank you for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteI found this very challenging - because I know that I often am so consumed by my situation and wishing I could have constant "happiness" but I need to rather find the JOY and CONTENTMENT in every situation.
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