Archive for the ‘Encouragement’ category

This is a re-post from Proverbs 31 Ministries – could not help but pass it along as I sit here @ 11:30pm (yes, that is LATE for  ME!) with “stuff” on my mind.  God is good and bigger than all my anxious toil.  AMEN!!!! I think I will go to bed now, sweet dreams everyone!

Encouragement for Today From Proverbs 31 Ministries

Daily Devotions for Women
February 11, 2011
Sweet Dreams

Karen Ehman

“It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.”
Psalm 127:2 (ESV)

I restlessly rolled over and squinted sleepily trying to focus my eyes on the bright blue digits still taunting me in the night. The alarm clock on my dresser flashed the awful news:

3:18 AM. Ughhhh!

I had crawled into bed nearly four hours earlier, eager to rejuvenate my body with a sound night’s sleep. My ever-full schedule as a wife, mother, daughter, volunteer, neighbor, friend and part-time work-at-home woman had me worn and weary. Not only was my body tired, but my brain raced as well.

Random thoughts strung together like an annoying necklace of woes: Would my latest project be done in time? Is my adult daughter doing okay in her new job and living situation? Is my elderly mom going to slip and fall on the ice in this nasty winter weather? Did I offend my friend when she’d asked for my honest opinion about her child-rearing decision? Are my sons making wise choices when it comes to their peer groups? Would I gain back the twenty pounds I’d just lost…..for the third time?

And then…the dreaded “what ifs.” What if the young mom in my Bible study discovers her husband is having an affair just as she suspects? What if my high school son with special needs doesn’t do well on his ACT exam next year? What if my friends lose their home to foreclosure? What if my sister-in-law’s ex-husband threatens her again…or worse?

And so I tossed and turned; and tried to no avail to induce sweet slumber that would whisk me away from all of my fears, both real and imagined.

Finally giving up, I dragged my flannel-clad self into the kitchen to heat some boiling water in my kettle and steep a bag of chamomile tea. I hoped it might do the trick.

» Read more: For every mamma out there losing sleep, this is for you!

2 Chronicles 20:17 “You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”

It is 11:30 at night. The house is quiet and slightly aglow with Christmas lights. It is WAY past my bed time!  So what keeps me up this late?  First, it was restlessness in my legs (so I thought) and the cure was some Advil and an ABC family movie (again, so I thought).  After the movie I was glancing around Facebook (yes I am addicted and need help!) and as I was looking at some pictures I had posted of my girls playing the snow I became overwhelmed at God’s goodness and blessing in my life. Not simply because I have two amazing daughters, a husband (and incredible father) who cherishes me and them, but because I have a Savior who loves me more than I love my husband and daughters, and more than they love me… how mind boggling is THAT! 

As I pondered all this I was brought to tears that I have lost sight of HIM during this season.  It’s as if along with the lights, the glitter, the glow and the gatherings of the season my brain was hijacked into “mission mode” as I call it and the mission was …GETTING THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS!!!!

How sad is that.  I know it is not Jesus’ actual birthday on December 25th (sorry if I just burst anyone’s bubble) yet this is a special time, not the ONLY time, to reflect on our Savior’s birth and all that it meant.  This has brought me to 2 Chronicles 20:17, a verse that stops me in my tracks.  This verse describes a paricular battle with an odd strategy – prepare to fight but let someone else do the actual fighting. It says “stand firm, hold your position and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf.”

JINGLE BELLS!  In the quiet of this night, it dawned on me how God calls us to prepare for battle but reminds us it is not up to us to FIGHT every battle.  Sometimes God calls us to “see the salvation of the Lord on [our] behalf” or as I like to think of it, “watch God do HIS thing!”

I don’t know about you but so much of my time, I am realizing, is wasted on fighting battles God has not asked me to fight – battles too numerous to name so I won’t even try. It is no wonder I feel drained, complacent, and detached – I am squandering my energy fighting battles that are not mine to fight instead of simply standing firm and holding my position of faith and trust in God.

This season, I have been choosing to fight the battle of checking off my holiday list and it’s not a battle God has called me to fight.  During the special time of year, as with most of our year, God is asking me to focus on understanding more about him and how I can alter my life to be filled more by him, but the chaos once again distracted me.

Don’t think though that God has trained us to sit on the sidelines and watch while he does the work in all the battles of life.  OH NO, there are battles out there for us to take on (some hand-to-hand combat, no doubt).  But, I would dare say that all too often we get “trigger happy” and leap right into a battle without asking God if it is one HE has called us to fight.

My prayer is that you will seek God in the daily challenges of life, whether mundain or monumental. Maybe He is asking you to jump in there with both hands or maybe He wants you prepare for a battle but trust Him enough to rest in Him and watch Him win the battle and glorify Himself in your life.