Tag: encouragement

Trust God. Give Thanks. Repeat.

“Lather. Rinse. Repeat.”

This idiom partially captures how my life has felt for the past several weeks. I oversleep in the morning, try to accomplish a few tasks during the day, go to bed early, and start over the next day.

Now granted, I do engage in other activities during the day. I help my Hubby to get off to work. I take care of the pets. I take a shower (even this can be difficult, for lack of energy). I prepare and eat meals. I do laundry…to name some of the activities. But each day feels very much like the day before.

I know that I have much to be grateful for, and that I need to focus on these things. God loves me. I have a husband and family that loves me. I have friends who are supportive. God provides for our needs (even if things are extremely tight). We have pets who keep us company. We have a roof over our heads. And so much more. I pray that the Lord will help me to keep all of this in mind when I start to get discouraged.

Another piece of the story is that I struggle with feeling alone. My Hubby works long hours trying to provide for us, and I don’t get to see him as often as I’d like. I do talk to my Mom on the phone quite a bit, which is helpful. I have other family and friends who I could reach out to, but I often feel like I would be bothering them if I called/visited.

While I was cooking dinner tonight and feeling rather lonely, a verse came to my mind. It’s Isaiah 41:10 – “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” It was just what I needed to hear. God is with me – all the time. He will give me the strength and encouragement that I need. On top of that, I know that my family and friends are there to support me, even when I feel otherwise.

Instead of the “lather, rinse, repeat” idiom that I began this post with, I want to establish a new idiom for myself:

Trust God. Give thanks. Repeat.

This will most certainly be a better way to occupy my time when I’m feeling lonely or like life is too repetitive. And it will help me to focus on the truth: God is with me, and He will enable me to accomplish the tasks that He calls me to do. ❤

 

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

He Holds Tomorrow

I struggle a lot with anxiety.

Whether it be navigating a social situation, obsessing over something that I haven’t done perfectly, or feeling completely overwhelmed by an upcoming task –  my tendency is to rely on myself instead of looking to God for help.

But I know that this is not the right way to respond to life’s difficulties.

There is a song by Jason Gray called “Sparrows.” I like it because it helps me to put things back into perspective when my world feels like it’s spinning out of control.

Here are some of the lyrics:

You can’t add a single day by worrying
You’ll worry your life away
Oh don’t worry your life away
You can’t change a single thing by freaking out
It’s just gonna close you in
Oh don’t let the trouble win

You may feel alone
But you’re not on your own

If He can hold the world He can hold this moment
Not a field or flower escapes His notice
Oh even the sparrow
Knows He holds tomorrow

So how would it help me if I truly believed that my God holds tomorrow? If I trusted that He cares for even the sparrows – and that His love for me (and you) is so much greater? I should think that it would have a major, positive impact!

But it’s a little more difficult to flesh this out in daily life.

When you can’t pay your bills…
When a loved one is sick and there is nothing you can do…
When you fear for your safety…
When a relationship is falling apart…

It could be any number of things. But I think the important thing is that we try to bring each worry to God. He is the One who sees us and loves us and desires to take care of us.

So what is it that you’re worrying about? Why not give it over to the Father – situation by situation – and let Him handle today’s worries…along with the worries of tomorrow.

 

Photo by Przemyslaw Reinfus on Unsplash

Choosing Praise

I’ve been struggling with a number of things over the past several weeks. But I have consistently been reminded through Scripture or through loved ones that I need to trust God in the midst of what’s going on – and also that I need to be grateful and continue to praise God. The below poem is my heart’s cry in response to this. I pray that it will be worked out into my life each day as I seek to give my Father the praise that He is due, despite my circumstances.

I will praise you in the morning

When the sun does rise;

Praise You in the evening

Through the darkening skies.

 

I will praise you when I’m joyful

And when I’m feeling low;

Praise you simply because

You tell me to do so.

 

My God, I will praise You

When each need of mine is met;

And Father I will praise You

When the bills tempt me to fret.

 

I will pour our Your praises

When my family’s healthy and strong;

And still I’ll choose to praise You

When sickness lasts too long.

 

Jesus I will praise You

For all You are and all You’ve done,

And I will continue to praise You

Until into Your arms I run. ❤

 

Photo by Michał Gałężewski on Unsplash