Category: Faith

A Sacrifice of Praise

I’ve been feeling very depressed over the past week or so. I can’t seem to pinpoint exactly what is the cause – I just know that I want to sleep all of the time, that I don’t feel like doing any kind of activities (including writing), and that I’m having a difficult time being grateful.

But does the fact that I’m feeling the way that I do mean that I don’t need to be grateful? I don’t think so.

What I need to do is offer a sacrifice of praise to my Father God (Hebrews 13:15). In this time of difficulty – even more so than when things are going well – it’s important that I focus on the many things that I have to be thankful for. Am I struggling to see the good things? Yes. But I have to believe that God will help me to change my perspective.

What is it that you’re going through that is making it difficult to offer a sacrifice of praise? And will you choose to give praise in the midst of the struggle?

Photo Credit: Ben White

Fearless

What would I do if I were fearless? What opportunities would I accept? What dreams would I pursue?

And how do I become fearless?

Fear is a big struggle for me. I fear that I’m not doing well at my job (even though I’ve been told I’m doing great). I fear that I won’t make the *right* decisions (even though I have the promise of God’s wisdom). And I fear what other people think about me (even though this is not important). And these are just a few!

But how would my life change if I didn’t constantly struggle with that fear, that anxiety?

I would be confident in my job performance. I would trust God to guide me with each decision that I make. I would rest in the knowledge that God created me just the way He wanted me to be, and not worry about the opinions of others. Also, I think that I would take baby steps forward in pursuing God’s purpose for me.

Now the big question is…how do I become fearless? I’ve found several Scriptures that will help us gain some more wisdom regarding this. Even though we may always struggle with the temptation to be afraid, we can rely on God to help us focus our minds on the truths in His Word.

  • “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  Isaiah 41:10
  • “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” Psalm 56:3
  • “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7
  • “Do not be anxious 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.” Philippians 4:6-7
  • “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
  • “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1
  • “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1
  • “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” Proverbs 29:25
  • “I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.  He freed me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4

From these verses we can see that the remedy for our fears is trusting in the Person and Word of Christ. This doesn’t mean we won’t struggle with fear. The temptations may continue to plague us. But when we turn to Jesus and rely on Him instead of ourselves, He gives us the power to be fearless.

What are some of your fears? How have you overcome them? What verse is special to you regarding this struggle with fear? I’d love for you to let me know in the comments section! ❤

Photo By: Julia Caesar

 

 

In His Perfect Time

I wrote the below post two days ago but wasn’t able to publish it at that time. So I’m posting it now. 🙂

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
    and he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
    out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
    and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
    They will put their trust in the Lord.” ~ Psalm 40:1-3

This is the passage of Scripture from which I drew the name of my blog. The words speak to my heart. I don’t know why, but the metaphor of being stuck in a pit with only God’s strong arms to pull me out truly resonates with me. It’s real. It’s graphic. And it meets me where I am.

I’ve been feeling down the past several days – well, let me rephrase that – I’ve been feeling more down than usual. I’ve been in the pit. The deep, dark, muddy, pit. And it’s not a fun place to be.

I’ve tried to be grateful for the little things. I’ve tried to focus on the cleaning and preparing that was necessary for having our friends over tomorrow night. I’ve tried to relax and enjoy the weekend with my Hubby. But I still feel that dark cloud enveloping me, following me wherever I go.

But you know what? God’s got me. I may be feeling low, but He is there for me. In the passage above, David writes about how He waited patiently for God to answer him. I’m not being very patient at this point in time. I want help NOW. But my Father wants me to trust Him and to await His perfect timing.

David also wrote that God gave him a new song. I could really use a song right about now. And I pray that the Lord will fill my heart with a harmony that only He can give. That’d He’d bring back my joy and peace and strength. That He’d pull me up out of this gloomy pit.

And I know He will…in His perfect time. ❤