There are times in life when you feel out of control. The circumstances of life seem to be taking you down a river full of rapids and all you can do is hang on to your life jacket in hopes that you won't go under.
It is one thing to say "Fret not," but a very different thing to have such a disposition that you find yourself able not to fret. It sounds so easy to talk about "resting in the Lord" and "waiting patiently for Him" until the nest is upset - until we live, as so many are doing, in tumult and anguish, is it possible then to rest in the Lord? If this "don't" does not work there, it will work nowhere. This "don't" must work in days of perplexity as well as in days of peace, or it never will work. And if it will not work in your particular case, it will not work in anyone else's case. Resting in the Lord does not depend on external circumstances at all, but on your relationship to God Himself.
Fussing always ends in sin. We imagine that a little anxiety and worry are an indication of how really wise we are; (oof, ouch) it is much more an indication of how really wicked we are. Fretting springs from a determination to get our own way. Our Lord never worried and He was never anxious, because He was not "out" to realize His own ideas; He was "out" to realize God's ideas. Fretting is wicked if you are a child of God.
Have you been bolstering up that stupid soul of yours with the idea that your circumstances are too much for God? Put all "supposing" on one side and dwell in the shadow of the Almighty. Deliberately tell God that you will not fret about that thing. All our fret and worry is caused by calculating without God.
Have you ever been white-water rafting? It is an exhilarating experience. The Ultimate thrill. You realize as you are hurtling through the tumultuous water, that at any moment you could be flung from the raft and hit your head on a rock. But actually, the rocks are not the danger... every river guide will tell you that if you fall out of a raft, you must stay calm, don't panic. Lean back, with knees bent and arms crossed over your chest. Go along with the flow, if you hit a rock, push off with your legs and you'll float around it.
Calm. What is that?
Peace in the midst of tumult.
Knowing that you have a life jacket on and a Guide to help you.
The following is an exerpt from Oswald Chambers "My Utmost For His Highest", July 4th ~
One of God's Great Don'ts
"Fret not thyself, it tendeth only to evil doing." Psalm 37:8 (R.V.)
It is one thing to say "Fret not," but a very different thing to have such a disposition that you find yourself able not to fret. It sounds so easy to talk about "resting in the Lord" and "waiting patiently for Him" until the nest is upset - until we live, as so many are doing, in tumult and anguish, is it possible then to rest in the Lord? If this "don't" does not work there, it will work nowhere. This "don't" must work in days of perplexity as well as in days of peace, or it never will work. And if it will not work in your particular case, it will not work in anyone else's case. Resting in the Lord does not depend on external circumstances at all, but on your relationship to God Himself.
Fussing always ends in sin. We imagine that a little anxiety and worry are an indication of how really wise we are; (oof, ouch) it is much more an indication of how really wicked we are. Fretting springs from a determination to get our own way. Our Lord never worried and He was never anxious, because He was not "out" to realize His own ideas; He was "out" to realize God's ideas. Fretting is wicked if you are a child of God.
Have you been bolstering up that stupid soul of yours with the idea that your circumstances are too much for God? Put all "supposing" on one side and dwell in the shadow of the Almighty. Deliberately tell God that you will not fret about that thing. All our fret and worry is caused by calculating without God.
Worry. That thing that plagues me.
The worries jostle and struggle with one another for the place of importance in my mind.
I juggle them around until I grow weary. Better to drop them all.
So I did.
~ christa jean
4 comments:
I know what you mean! About a year ago I had a nursing/breast problem that really made me struggle with fear. I fought to trust God, but I had to keep fighting it all the time! Finally one day, I felt like God was asking me to commit to not being afraid. I haltingly said "I commit to try" but in my spirit knew that wasn't what He was asking, and I kept feeling strongly like if I was going to walk in obedience, I needed to commit, "I won't be afraid". I was scared to say it because I really didn't want to lie to God! :( Finally in "fear and trembling, because He asked it of me, I promised, and it dawned on me that He Himself would make my promise good!
You know, it was amazing! The struggle just drained out of me! Then shortly the Lord brought someone to my door, unasked by me, with a remedy for my problem.
God is so good, and so faithful! And apparently this is something He really wants me to get through my thick head... my problems are really His problems if I am His child! So...here's to being a baby!!! Great post! Thanks!
Sorry, one more thing... I just read "The Shack"... loved it! I think it was in there it was asked about whether we dwell in the past, present, or future. Then it was brought out how when you find yourself worrying about the future, stop and notice whether God is there in your imaginings. It shocked me, because I realized the things I have anxious thoughts about, I'm totally not having God in the equation. Then I think as a way of breaking our worry habit, we could imagine all the ways God might choose to come through for us. Pretty soon that would get boring, because we can actually experience Him now! Let's enjoy every moment of today, reveling in His presence and savoring who He is!
This is the perfect analogy...so much truth...so beautifully written
I'm glad you dropped them. It's impossible to hold everything up.
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