Thursday, March 11th, 2010

Have we thrown off those weights that was slowing us down? Are maybe it's something that will take time but, we are trying and that's what matters. So, we are still in this race and hopefully pacing ourselves pretty well.
I have a question. Our we catching ourselves looking at someone else's race and wishing we had what he has, or thinking "his life looks so easy"? Or we may be thinking, "I can't do what others are doing, I can't give what others give, I can't say what others say".
We have got to get our eyes on our own track and concentrate on it. One comment I seem to hear about the devotions Joseph and I put out, is "It's coming from my heart". I will say now, nothing could be more true and I thank the Lord, with His help it does come straight from my heart. I wouldn't want it any other way. Again, this devotion is from my heart. I will admit I am not good at keeping my eyes on my own track. I, too often, find myself looking at what others are doing, and I want to do it also. The problem with this......God gives us our own race and our own
track. He has missions he has costumed designed for us and only us. Have you ever heard the saying, "bloom where you are planted"? I am working on that right now.
I see things others are doing and I want to do them, but, God knows I am not ready for it, "if" it is His will for my future. That's where "blooming where we are planted " comes in.
Someone that has known me for a long time, told me a few weeks ago, they are very proud of how I have grown spiritually over the last few years. This person knew, as far as my past, how I was an insecure person with little self confidence and low self esteem. I quickly told them, it was certainly the Lord in me. I found my confidence and self esteem in God. My insecurities and low self esteem occasionally still stick their ugly heads out. I therefore must keep my eyes on God if I am to be a work in progress. I, personally, never thought I would be where I am now spiritually, and I owe it all to the Lord. A lot who read this will might find it hard to believe, how emotionally insecure I was, way back when.
All I can say, God is good. "IF" we want to bloom where we are planted, God can see to it we
do. That's all there is to it. I have spiritual dreams and goals for myself, and I know what God has me doing right now, is apart of Him teaching and preparing me for other things in the future.
My biggest problem is, I am some times tempted to be impatient, and I want to get ahead of
God. Not meaning to, I will look at someone else in their race and loose sight of my own tract and my own goal.This is a mistake and because of this, I know I am a work in progress. Sometimes it could be things of the world that take our eyes off our track. Does any of this sound like anyone we know? Are we thankful for each new sunrise God gives us? Each new sunrise means another chance for us to hit our refocus button. It's a time for us to get our eyes back on our track and the Lord.
So why have I bothered to explain where I came from with my insecurities? All of our post are dealing with prayer and the power of prayer. The Lord has allowed me to grow and bloom because of lots and lots of prayer. I have done, and still do, a lot of praying for myself.
God has proved Himself in my life over and over again, so I have faith He will continue to be there. I have come along way, but I certainly do have room for improvement. I have also had family to faithfully lift me up in prayer and I know their prayers have helped.
Don't be a Christian couch potato roaming around with out a goal, no direction, or no desire to walk with a greater faith in God. Start each day by entering His presence with purpose and with faith in God's power. We both have needs and we should be encouraged. God can and will provide. He still owns the cattle on a thousand hills and the wealth in every mine. If He's interested in a little sparrow, He's interested in us today too. Don't forget, in James 1:5, God says
if we will just ask for wisdom, He will give it. He is just waiting for us to ask. I don't know about you, but I know I don't have any time to waste. I certainly need wisdom and all I can get. I can assure you, as I enter daily into my prayer closet, I will be requesting wisdom and knowledge every day, and I know He will give it to me.
In Christ,
Stephanie