Things I'm Learning... (Part 1)

...while reading "Get Out of That Pit!" by Beth Moore:

- She describes a pit as feeling stuck.

- Some bondages/patterns of thinking happen to us because life throws it at us, some we slide into in ignorance or stupidity, some we jump into, knowing full well what we do.

- God is always good. He is unapproachable light and He has no dark side. (Meaning we can trust Him in difficult circumstances. That is an encouraging thought, that God has no dark side. He is not playing games or plotting for our demise.)

- To avoid sliding into a pit, don't just practice innocence, practice integrity. (I have sometimes arrogantly thought that I had integrity because of my innocence, but innocence can be very ignorant and proud without an active commitment to grow in holiness out of love for Christ.)

- Lost innocence can be traded in for integrity. (This is my favorite! In areas where we have fallen, God can bring restoration, and we come out the other side with a new depth of wisdom and integrity, and the ability to help and warn others.)

- We can help someone else climb out of a pit, but we do not have the power to sustain them. Only God can. (Because only He has that kind of wisdom and staying power.)

- Encourage one another and do not let the lie be told that victory is impossible. (Especially with God.)

Laugh More

I was innocently reading through the yahoo homepage news stories and happened upon this happy bit of information. : )

"And it has been confirmed that personality profile Type C—people that tend towards melancholy, depression, and excessive worry — are prone to develop cancer."


I don't tend to be depressed most of the time, but the other things are characteristic.

God certainly knows that our attitudes can affect our health and Scripture says that a joyful heart is good medicine!

A Picture

Because I think kittens are incredibly cute to look at and because sometimes I feel like this, a little out of control and inadequate. : )

Change

Today I was looking through my old childhood school journals. Surprisingly enough, or not surprising at all actually, as a kid I enjoyed reading and being at home. I also described myself as someone with the inability to say no for fear of hurting someone's feelings.

I wonder if I've changed at all!

Of course with time my written expression has gone from things like "I like school. I like carrots. I can't wait for the pizza party," to thoughts a little more coherent. But I can still see my current self in that nine year old's reflections.

Something must be different, though, because my world is not so small anymore. Neither is my experience with God limited to my salvation. These things have grown and expanded.

Some parts of our personalities do not change entirely, that is who we are, but I think they can be refined to reflect the character of Christ in us. Scripture says we are being transformed and renewed.

I continually feel God pushing me to widen my circles of interaction and to make decisions for His sake and not just for the sake of those I would hate to disappoint. I'm glad He does, because if initiating change were up to me....

Life is Done by Little Decisions

I came across this, and it reminded me of a conversation I had earlier today. It definitely makes me think:

Today's Decisions Determine Who You'll Be Tomorrow
2007 National Conference
Randy Alcorn

The following notes were taken during the conference message.
Main Point
Whether or not you endure in your Christian life is dependent upon who you become. Will you become God's man or your man, Christ-dependent or self-dependent? It is the little choices of life that determine which one you become.
Life is Done by Little Decisions
Endurance consists of a "long obedience in the same direction." Losing direction is the cumulative result of many poor little decisions.
We have to look at our lives and consider what we are actually doing to become more Christ-centered. Real spirituality is the development of regular spiritual discipline.
2 Timothy 2:3-7. The soldier, the athlete, and the farmer must each be disciplined if they hope to keep and fulfill their jobs. So it is with Christians. The Christian life is hard work, hard God-empowered work (Colossians 1:29). And this hard work is what puts us in the position to bear enduring fruit (Psalm 1).
There Are Practical Implications
Romans 6:12-14. The purpose of self-discipline is so that we might be godly. We have a choice about who we present our bodies to. Romans 12:1-2. Offer your bodies (and minds) to God. We often regret certain ways we spend our time (i.e. watching too much TV), but have you ever finished reading God's word and felt that way?
Reclaim the hours of your day that are being wasted on useless activity. Read God's word and other great books. Have conversations with your family about what you're learning. Redeem the time so that it enriches you and makes you the kind of person you want to be.

Make heaven your motivation (2 Peter 3:13).
Clothe yourself with humility to encounter suffering (1 Peter 4:12).
Follow those who have finished well (Jim Elliot and his brother Burt).
And set your heart on who you want to become. Then pray to God that he would make it so.

© Desiring God

Romans 8:31-32

When you could just be silent
and leave us here to die,
Still you sent your Son for us
You are on our side.

(---Bethany Dillon)

Moping or Trusting?

Tonight in hall devos, Darcy talked about keeping our eyes on what is most important. We tend to hope for the best life we can have: close family and friends, successful endeavors. However, we are not promised any of those things. No one owes us anything. We do however, owe God everything.
I really needed to hear that, because I've been moping around the last few days about the things that I think I should have in my life right now, but don't. And God has been working on my heart, showing me that my life is about Him, about what He is doing, not about seeing my plans come to pass.
I'm glad God is with me and is always working, and that He always does the right thing.