July 29, 2018

I have had a great long weekend at a Christian conference that encourages women to pursue the unique calling that God has whispered into their lives.  Usually after a retreat or conference, I come home tired and emotionally drained.  This conference was no different.  The battle for my heart and my attention is a real one.  It is easy to get distracted by life’s daily challenges.  The way I view my daily responsibilities has a great deal to do with the quality and frequency of the last time I spent with the Lord.  If I have spent time in His word and had a conversation with him through repentance and praise, my outlook on life is different.  I am able to handle the day-to-day struggles and view them as opportunities.  If I haven’t spent time in the presence of the Lord, I struggle to “keep my chin up” and try to make it through the day with a smile on my face and joy in my heart. God always wants to spend time with his daughter.  He loves His children and desires an intimate relationship with them.  He wants to meet our needs but first, He wants us to surrender.

I know that I have felt God pursue me at different times in my life.  Actually, I am sure that He has pursued me all the days of my life, but I only heard him on the days I was open to his communication.  I find that is a pretty regular struggle in my life.  I have to be honest.  If I don’t want to hear what God has to say to me, I just turn on the tv, radio, computer games, or other distractions that keep me from being in touch with my Father.  The more I try to divert my thought process, the farther away He feels.  The distance between us is often the very trigger that allows insecurity to well up in my heart and the feeling of doubt that robs me of my joy.  If I don’t get right with the Lord right away, the distance grows.  If I ignore Him long enough, I find it harder to make my way back.

Satan has a plan to distort the things of God.  He is successful when I allow him access to my thought life.  Doubt grows in absence of truth.  Psalm 86:11 says, “Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name.”  

My short comings become larger when I can’t see myself as a child of God.  My perspective is extremely distorted when the view is from my human eyes and not my Father’s eyes.  Psalm 86:15 continues, “But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.  Turn to me and have mercy on me; show your strength on behalf of your servant; save me because I serve you just as my mother did.”

Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious of about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Since we have recently talked about the idea that joy is established in the peace of knowing God and resting in His strength, the failure that I often find in my own walk with Christ is simply just laziness or selfishness.  I “turn off” the voice of the Lord, and my life reaps the consequences. Oh, I pray that the frequency of time I spend trying to tune him out dwindles and the time I surrender to His plan for my life is more frequent.   Deuteronomy 31:6 say, “Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you, he will never leave you or forsake you.”

Be encouraged sweet friends. God will never leave us or stop pursuing us even when we have blocked out the whisper of His voice.  He is always there, ready to love His children and re-establish the intimacy that our souls long for.

Kathy.

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