Building Personal Trust in My Father

TRUST: 1. Reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety of a person or thing; confidence.

Trust is something that is earned, right? The more we know someone, the more (or less) we trust him/her.

So what about God? Do I really trust Him?

Photo: OpenResources.org

How well do I know Him?

His Word has proven true. He has never failed me. When it seems that He has let me down, I later come to understand that He had a purpose. Which is what He told me in the first place.

And we know that all things (not just some things) work together (multiple "bad" things together) for good (even when I can't see any good) to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose (His perfect plan) ~ Romans 8:28.

Did you notice my emphasis on "the called"? I am the called one, according to His purpose and plan. There is no one else who can fulfill that plan in the same way. And what is His purpose?

Verse 29: "...to be conformed to the image of His Son."

Did Jesus suffer? Did He not "learn obedience" by the things He suffered (Hebrews 5:8)?

Wasn't Jesus reviled... mocked... verbally abused (I Peter 2:21-23)?

How did He respond? "Committed Himself unto Him that judgeth righteously" (God, His Father)!

I can trust Jesus--He has already endured everything I go through in this life (Hebrews 12:2-3). Yet He never sinned (Hebrews 4:15). I can trust Him to understand my overwhelming feelings. I can trust that He knows how much I can bear. I can also trust that He is my advocate with the Father (I John 2:1).

I can trust God my Father--He has a reason and purpose to everything (Romans 8:28-29), and He makes everything beautiful in His time, not mine (Ecclesiastes 3). He loves me with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3)! Underneath me are His everlasting arms (Deuteronomy 33:27)! He rejoices over me with singing (Zephaniah 3:17)!

God picked up a sparrow 

That could no longer fly 

He brushed off its wounds 

And then watched it soar into the sky 

If He's mindful of creation,

On this I can depend: 

I am His child 

And I can place all my trust in Him! 

I can trust Jesus, 

I can trust Jesus-- 

He never once has failed 

To meet my needs; 

He is my strong tower, 

The strength in my weakest hour-- 

I can trust Jesus, 

He takes care of me! 

I have prayed some prayers, 

And felt they never were heard, 

But I held to God's hand, 

And kept right on trusting in His word; 

My wants and God's desires 

Don't always agree, 

But I lean on His will 

For He always knows what's best for me.

I can trust Jesus, 

I can trust Jesus-- 

He never once has failed 

To meet my needs; 

He is my strong tower, 

The strength in my weakest hour-- 

I can trust Jesus, 

He takes care of me! 

~ Gerald Crabb

H.A.L.T.

Okay, I know it's been too long, but last post, I promised I would share the H.A.L.T. concept that has helped me.

There are four areas in which I need to be aware of a need to halt:

H.ungry

If I am feeling hungry (especially with blood sugar issues!), I need to halt whatever I'm doing and grab a handful of raw almonds, put some nut butter on a multi-grain cracker, or grab an apple... Get something in that stomach.

Can this affect my spiritual walk? Absolutely! When I am hungry, and I force myself on, not meeting that need, I can become grumpy. Next thing you know, I've bitten a family member's head off or I'm just an emotional wreck. All because of hunger. The direction ongoing, unmet hunger takes us can affect our spiritual lives.

Note: Another reason for feeling hunger at times is simple thirst. Most people (myself included) do not drink enough water. You might be amazed how much better you would feel if, when you feel hungry or unwell, you would simply drink a tall glass of water in about 15 seconds! I try to make it a practice to do this first thing in the morning.

Hungry and thirsty, their soul* fainted in them. Psalm 107:5
*Soul=mind, will, emotions!


A.ngry

Angry feelings are a signal that something needs to be addressed. This does not mean that dwelling in the anger is justified. But ignoring it or denying it is not the answer. If I don't know why I am angry, I need to get alone with the Lord and ask Him to reveal to me the root. Once I'm aware of the root, with God's help and His Word, I can lay an axe to that root. Does this mean I should just cut off from my life the person who made me angry? Is that "dealing with it"? I don't believe so. Jesus said to love our enemies (Luke 6). In the same passage He told us to be merciful as God is merciful, because God is kind to the "unthankful and to the evil"! That kind of love in action is only done through a "yieldedness" to the Spirit of God within me. And that's a whole other topic for another blogpost! Ha ha!

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Ephesians 4:26
The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy. Proverbs 14:10


L.onely

There are times when I don't realize I am lonely, but if I stop and think about why am I feeling sad or why I just generally feel "yucky" emotionally, I realize I am lonely. God created this need within us first and foremost, so that He could meet the need! I need to acknowledge God as my sole provider of comfort and friendship. He is all I need. My husband can't be with me every second of every day, and even if he is there, he is human and cannot possibly meet every single emotional need I have! So I have to turn to the Source of comfort. Secondarily, there are many times that I need to reach out to someone, even when I don't feel like it. Maybe I need to say hi to a neighbour, take some cookies to them, or set up a time to meet a girlfriend for coffee or have her over for tea.

A man [that hath] friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend [that] sticketh closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24


T.ired

Sometimes, I'm just plumb worn out! Moms tend to burn the candle on both ends. So I need to be sure I'm getting enough rest. Maybe that's six hours for you. Generally it's seven to eight hours for me. If something interferes {ahem, a three-year-old girl!}, then I need to take a nap when she does.

[It is] vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows*: [for] so he giveth his beloved sleep. Psalm 127:2
*Interesting that lack of sleep is associated with sorrow!

Next time you are feeling "yucky" spiritually, physically, or emotionally, and you cannot seem to find a reason, remember this little acrostic: H.A.L.T. There is an answer.

Priceless Simplicity

Side note: I just ran across this on another blog and loved the sense of humour... click the button... but please come back!



As you can see, I don't blog every day, or even every week. I do try to at least post once a month. Usually more often than that. But I don't want my blog to become a drudgery, I don't want to become a slave to it, and I definitely don't want it to become a tool the enemy uses to keep me from my responsibilities and ministries.

"Let all things be done decently and in order."~ I Corinthians 14:40

***

Simplicity. 

I love the sound of that word!

It's right up there with calm and peace!

I have a blue wipe-off board on my refrigerator. At times I write notes to family members, usually noting what leftovers are available in the fridge for them. Please eat the leftover pasta before it becomes a science project... Please and thank you!

Lately though, I've taken to putting up a Scripture or phrase of which I need to be reminded.

If you come into my kitchen, this is what you will see on the board:

The Simplicity that is in Christ

Some may consider that a strange "reminder" phrase. Let me explain. As most pink people in the world, I tend to be a complex, emotional woman! That's not all bad, because God made me pink for a reason! Just as he made my husband  blue for a reason.

(If you're wondering where all the pink vs. blue comes from, read Love & Respect  by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs... one of the best books on marriage! It helps you understand members of the opposite sex in general.)

Well, being pink, as I said, I can be quite emotional. And when I yield to those wobbling emotions over what Christ says, I can complicate life. This is what the enemy wants!

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. ~ II Corinthians 11:3

I'm a mess when I start telling myself a bunch of stories (about myself, about someone else, or about a situation). And things get complicated in a hurry.

Here's how this has worked at times in the past... Do you ever do this?

1. Someone doesn't say hi to you at church, so you think they are mad at you.
2. Then you wonder what you did.
3. Then you start to mull it over and try to figure out what you did.
4. When you can't come up with any offence, you become irritated. She always acts that way. I don't know what her problem is!
5. Next thing you know, you have a story built up in your head about how much this woman hates you.
6. Later you feel depressed for seemingly no reason.
7. You start crying at the drop of a hat. You lash out at those you love, or withdraw from them.
8. Your husband can't do anything right.
9. YOU can't do anything right or accomplish anything.
10. Your kids are a pain and inconvenience.
11. And the hobbies you used to enjoy just aren't fun anymore.

Now, what happened?

You just got taken down in a round by the enemy!

We need to start recognising these things for what they are: attacks of the devil! He does not want us to have victory in Jesus! He wants us to be miserable. He can render us ineffective and steal our children as well in this way.

Life in Christ is simple. Christ is not complex. I do not mean disrespect here. It's true that His "ways are past finding out," and we will never know it all until we get to heaven. What I mean here is that we don't need to run around like chickens with our heads cut off in life! Settle down. Calm down. LET the peace of God rule in your heart!

Let's work back through our scenario and see how we could have let His peace rule.

1. Someone doesn't say hi to you at church, and you may think they are mad at you.
2. You may wonder what you did.
3. You ask the Lord if you did offend this person, if you are imagining things, or if it's their issue.
4. When the Lord does not reveal any offence, you pray for the person.
5. You may go to her, privately, and ask in sincerity if she's okay (as appropriate to the person or situation).
6. She may respond and ask you to pray for her, and realise that she has a true friend who really cares about her.
7. Later you feel happy, free, and released because you have listened to the Lord's leading, not to your unstable emotions!
8. You are free to love those you truly love, and draw closer to them, as well as to this fellow church member.
9. You believe you have the best husband in the world! You are content and grateful for the blessings in your life.
10. You believe you are right where God wants you, accomplishing all the things that He wants you to accomplish. This is fulfilling.
11. Your kids are a joy, and you enjoy being with them and teaching them the principles of God, because you are truly seeking to practise these principles yourself.
12. You enjoy your hobbies to the fullest.
13. You have a greater sense of your God-given purpose in life.

See what a relief that is? Jesus is the answer. Yielding to HIM is the answer. Setting your affection on things ABOVE is the answer. Let's purpose to change our responses and not go down the wrong emotional track!

Next time we'll talk about an acrostic that has helped me: H.A.L.T.

Personal Experience With Depression

I have personally suffered from depression for years and took anti-depressants for more than 10 years. I have struggled, seeking answers.

Three years ago I was able to wean off of the anti-depressants (not without fear and trepidation!) by starting a daily regimen of Omega-3 supplements along with 5HTP capsules. The 5HTP helps me get into a deep sleep and stay there through the night, as sleep problems many times contribute to depression.

I highly encourage anyone suffering with depression or mental illness NOT to make anti-depressants and medications their first option. Seek to find the SOURCE, rather than just treating symptoms. This is what most anti-depressant drugs do: treat symptoms.

Seeing a naturopathic doctor helped me as well, to check for food allergies, etc. Sometimes a gluten or wheat allergy wreaks havoc on someone’s system! Until someone reaches “bottom,” he/she may be unwilling to change his/her lifestyle and diet, but trust me, once you reach that all-time low, you’re willing to try just about anything. It seems to me that it’s better to try healing your body naturally with the things that God created (herbs, vitamins, etc.) than to immediately jump to a synthetic solution. Too many times the cure proves worse than the disease in the medical arena. (I speak with all due respect to medical professionals. I believe there is definitely a time and place for their services.)

Another thing that helped me is an exercise regimen. I definitely see a difference in my mood and a lack of feeling hopeless when I’m exercising or active in some way.

Most important of all–-and above any natural health or fitness solution-–JESUS is THE medicine! Singing and choosing to be with people (instead of isolating) are areas that helped me also. But THE most important is the input of GOD’S WORD daily. Jesus IS the WORD (John 1:1). Play Scripture music. Play the Bible on CD. Read it. Post print-outs of Scripture around the house. Make your own songs up out of the Scriptures that are meaningful to you. Meditate and saturate yourself with Scripture!!


The Apostle Paul had a "thorn in the flesh, a messenger of satan to buffet" him. He asked God three times to remove it, but God told him that His grace was "sufficient." This is how I have come to accept my battle with depression. I do all the things that God has allowed me to find that help me, but if I fight a day or two here and there when I feel depressed, I accept it that God still wants me to remember I need to run to Him first. He is my hiding place (Psalm 32:7); not my Omega-3 supplements or exercise, or anything else outside of Him that I have found to help me. Those findings are good and important, and I believe they are answers from heaven. However, when it comes down to it, HE is all I need. HE is my all in all.


...And when it comes down to it, I have a choice. 

‎"Lincoln once said that most people are about as happy as they decide to be. In the end, you may have to pray for the grace and courage to decide to say "yes" to life and, by so doing, prove to the world that you have indeed been saved: "by grace through faith." To make such a decision is not to be a Pollyanna. It is willing to will the will of God." ~ Tony Campolo

If you would like more info that I have found  in my search for help with depression, please feel free to message me.