Throughout the year this year, I have been led to change many things in my life. Over the last couple of years, I have felt God lead and change me through the weight loss that I have experienced, my adventures on the 3-day last year and how I am supposed to live throughout past years. But now, this year, I have not only seen Him leading me to go on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, but also to explore more of the world around me. To get to know people I might not have known before… to learn and expand my horizons so that I can use my gifts for Him more effectively… and to place my trust in Him like I never have before. And while I might not be getting the “answers” I want right now… I know that God is working to prepare me for these “answers”. I just have to keep praying about them.
How do I know God is talking to me? Earlier this year, I told God that I wanted to follow Him. I wanted Him to show me what path I was to take, how I was supposed to get to where He wanted me, and live the life that I am to life. That prayer was said before I started my first Beth Moore Bible Study on the Psalms of Ascent. Through this study, I learned more about what God wanted me to be. Then this summer, I “participated” (and I use that term VERY loosely) in the online Bible study of Jennifer Rothschild – “Me, Myself & Lies”.
Wow. Now that study blew me away.
Here I thought I was optimistic about myself and my life. I thought I had overcome issues of self-doubt and self-ridicule. Turns out that I just put them into “storage”… because as soon as I started that study, Satan began attacking me with it and everything suffered. I gained a little weight because all of a sudden I didn’t know how to deal with these feelings. Yup, I will admit it… my feelings over took me with this. And when I finally dealt with them (or I should say some of them… as I am still dealing with others), I finally felt like I was gaining ground. And by the way… I am back on the weight loss (or maintenance) track too!
I could go into so much more of what happened in my real life during that study (specifically events at work) – because it’s remarkable how God used it and boosted me up when I needed it. I know that God will keep working in my life and I am more excited about what is to come than ever before. I feel like the world is just opening up to me. And I like it…
Here are some verses that have been shown to me through my own study of the Bible, from listening to the radio, and the studies I’ve mentioned above. I hope you all can see God working in these verses as much as I can…
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
James 1:2-4 MSG
What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.
Hebrews 11:1 NLT
And it is so: All who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.
Galatians 3:9 NLT
The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17 NIV
Take delight in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4 TNIV
God is able to do far more than we could ever ask for or imagine. He does everything by His power that is working in us.
Ephesians 3:20 NIRV
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6-7 TNIV
Search me God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139:23-24 TNIV
Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.
Matthew 6:34 MSG
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. See His will in all you do, and He will show you witch path to take.
Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT
Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.
Proverbs 16:3 TNIV
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.
Philippeans 1:9-11 TNIV
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
The first verse you have is the one from James. It was one of the many that helped me make it through the past year and a half. I never thought I would really be thanking God for allowing me to experience trials of many kinds.
Love ya girl!