The Lord prompted me to revisit this verse this morning. I have a tendency to read and read a verse and then somehow I lose track of it and God in His Grace reminds me once again. I am so thankful He does!
And then He encouraged me to look back at a few of the previous verses.
1 Peter 5:5b-9, "clothe yourselves with humility toward others, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time. casting all your care on Him because He cares about you. Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him and be firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.
As I was reading verse 10 and thinking how thankful I am for God's grace and being reminded that it is my responsibility to express that grace towards others I began reading back a few verses and of course I just kept going further back! I want Him to personally restore, establish, strengthen and support me - I want it with a passion that is difficult to express. I also want to quit suffering - and yet I know that is unrealistic. And yet, I want to be sure that I am suffering for His purposes and not because of sin in my life due to my own choices - make sense? I want to bring Him glory and yet so often I simply get in His way.
I "suffer" on an ongoing basis with depression and anxiety. This is not something I share proudly and yet I share it boldly because I know many who suffer in this way as well and I pray that it helps to know you are not alone. I continually pray for deliverance and help for this and yet it appears to be the "thorn in my flesh" that the Lord uses in many ways in my life. I am weary - still; and yet I am holding on to the Lord and the fact that He has a plan. More accurately He is holding on to me, because I often want to quit and He won't allow it.
Anyway, this is what He spoke to me this morning. I must continue casting my care on Him and not forget that He cares for me no matter how I feel or perceive things/circumstances. Praise God, He gives me the very strength and ability to do this because His Holy Spirit lives in me! I struggle, it is hard and yet He will overcome - in His time and in His way - this is my problem, I don't always like His timing and His way- just sayin'. Because of this "thorn" I do long for heaven in a way that I know I would not without it. Thus, I have joy deep in my soul when joy anywhere near the surface is nonexistent. It is well with my soul even as I struggle with this flesh.
So this was supposed to be a short, quick writing - lol - that never happens once I start!!!
Here is what I wrote quickly in reference to seeing His work of restoration etc. in my life:
- Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God!
- Cast all your care on Him for He cares for you
- Be serious! Be alert!
- Resist the enemy & be firm in the faith.
Trust that God will do His part! And He will give me the strength to do mine -- if I let Him!!
Then He made me look back a few more verses - apparently, I like to read in reverse!!! Actually, I want the results without the work so many times. How about you?
- clothe yourselves with humility toward one another
There is quite a bit I am expected to do in order to be in a place to receive the provision of God. The good thing is that He does not expect me to do it in my own strength (good thing because I cannot, neither can you), but He provides the very strength to do what He requires (Philippians 4:13).
God is the GOD OF ALL GRACE!! He is teaching me to love that word - grace - to find liberty to live an abundant life and yet it is a constant battle. Why? Because I must wrestle the enemy and resist Him by staying firm in the faith. How? By staying in His Word, by experiencing Him in His Word, not just reading it. By praising and thanking Him regardless how I feel - and man, is this hard for me. It often takes me a while to get there - sometimes longer than others - but the victory is that He ultimately gets me there. Remember, this life is a journey! Am I going to chose to walk it His way or my own? He allows me the choice. Sometimes, I wish He didn't, but this is how life works. I choose to choose His process, to do this journey His way and I pray that I will get better at choosing His way more quickly. But I will always be thankful that He never leaves me or forsakes me - no matter what I feel, think or even do. He draws me back to Him. He forgives and He promises to "restore, establish, strengthen and support me". He will! He does! and He is!
Father God, forgive me for often giving in to my feelings and my perceptions. Forgive me for forgetting Your provision and to trust that You will provide once again. Thank You for reminding me today. Draw me further into Your Word with more regularity so that I can see what it true. Strengthen me to trust You more. To walk by faith and not by sight. Please God, forgive me for grieving and quenching Your Holy Spirit by my choices and my attitudes. Enable me to rest in knowing that You have me in the palm of Your Hand and You are at work constantly. May I experience You and Your Presence often - may I be paying attention because You live inside me and therefore You are always with me! Enable me to live in Your grace and express it to others. May I clothe myself in humility so that You need not resist me but You are able to pour out Your grace upon me. Forgive me for being proud, for spending so much time thinking of myself and how I feel. God, for many years I have prayed that You would change me from the inside out and You are. It hasn't been and isn't very pretty because there are a lot of layers in there for You to work through, but God thank You for Your faithfulness to make me more like You. Please give me the mind of Christ. Enable me to take serious and be alert concerning the tactics of the enemy but not to allow my focus to be on him but on You. Thank You that I can humble myself under Your Mighty Hand, God and trust that You will work and protect me from the deceptions of the enemy. Have Your way in me, please Jesus...
GREAT TRUTHS!!!
ReplyDeleteGod will use your transparency and suffering for others.
Thank you!!!
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