Showing posts with label plans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label plans. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Worried About Work?

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I am.

I have been worrying about work a lot lately, to be honest. I know I've got some time with one more year of college and probably a couple years of grad school, but it will fly by. People ask me all the time what I want to do with my degrees, and I don't have a definite answer. That is frustrating. I don't want people to think I'm aimlessly going about my life and looking for something easy, just going to stay in school forever for a good time, or other things that might make me sound lazy or whatever my brain is afraid of. Maybe I do love school, and maybe I don't know exactly what I want to do after that. But I do know that God opens doors at the right time, and He will guide me on paths that will eventually get me to some doors. They won't all be right, and I may go in and out of a few before I find a home (literally, too?), but I have to keep my head up and keep walking (running?) in order to find any doors. God rewards faith and action, not fear and apathy. Things don't happen without some trust and trying.


Today my devotion hit on this topic like it has related to my situations so many times. I have picked up these little booklets from a desk at church a couple times over the years, and it is just a small, daily devotion, but they have made some of the biggest impacts in my days. It doesn't have to say that much when it says the right thing. I'm not on the "right" days by the calendar, but buddy I am on the "right" days in God's calendar! It is like a quote calendar lined up with days of the week and months and seasons of the year, but a devotion calendar lined up with the happenings of my life: the author knew what would be coming at the time I would be reading it. 

Aka there's a God, and He is always working for our good.

Sunday, July 29th 2018 was titled "Giving and Receiving" with the verse Luke 6:38, "Give, and it shall be given to you." 
Quick outline of the ways it related to me throughout the passage: loving to give but having fear of what will be left for myself, seeds and harvest, the people and business making claims that we act on, God's promises that can't fail

Honestly we like and support a lot of people and things. How many causes and pages do you "like" on Facebook? How many people do you see doing good things and think, "Aw, I'm so glad they're doing that!" but don't give any support beyond that? How many activities does your church put on that you pray for but don't give a dollar or volunteer time? I know I'm guilty. We just have fear of actually doing something for what we believe in. We fear failure. That's human nature. It's also what Satan uses to hold us back.

Sometimes we have to invest before we can reap any benefits. Without taking a step, we can miss the great opportunities that can come from where we do something. So you talk to someone, oh look, now you have a lunch partner. You go to a volunteer event, you find a new favorite pastime. You give to the love offering on Sunday, your husband surprises you with your favorite snack and coffee at work the next day. Sometimes these things work out simply, and sometimes they lead to much greater things. Anyways, the world needs more godly people to step up and make a difference.



I've been worried a lot about work lately, both for this summer and for my future. I know I need money to save up and have to start out a life, and I need a job later on to keep things going, but I just don't know what I want to do, what will be the best use of my time and talents. But I can't worry so much about reaching for these things that I miss what is right here in front of me. The devotion mentioned banks, people, and businesses that make claims and promises for money, services, and products that may or may not actually work out or amount to much, but we jump right at the chance to get them. Let's be honest, people are so unreliable (so we can step up and be reliable people!). But God promises to bless us for our work, and there is not a single economic issue, law, person, weather, location, or anything that can thwart His plans! Why do we not put ourselves into His work more than the worldly things?

This is what I needed to hear today. In my indecision, trust Him. In my between times, look for what I can do with the situation. When I get an opportunity, try to see it through His eyes. No matter where I go or what I do, I can work for God, and His blessings will not fail. That's why I took the time to write this post today.



Here are some more verses on this topic!

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not men...it is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23-24

"May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us." Psalm 90:17

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" Jeremiah 29:11

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:3

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9


Wednesday, November 15, 2017

A year ago today...


Today I realized that it was exactly one year from the day my life path was suddenly changed in ways I never imagined. I hated my life. I thought it was over. But little did I know that looking back on that event, I would be thankful. It was not the end, but the start to a new and better life. God sends us good things, but never leaves us at good; He wants the best for us. A year later, I am not where I ever imagined myself to be, but I am content and seeing God's blessings all around me. The past year has been the hardest year of my life, and I would never wish it upon anyone, but I know that is why God helped me through it, so now I can use it as a testimony to help and encourage others through their troubles. It may have broken me at the time and broken me in other steps along the way, but where I stand today, I and my faith are stronger than they have ever been.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

More Verses Coming Together

Yesterday, I was getting a little worried that I wouldn't find a great verse for me this week that I wanted to share at Bible Study with the team.  But have no fear!  Jesus always answers my prayers in one way or another.  So I had prayed for Him to lead me to some great scriptures.  Looking through the verses I had found in my reading the past couple days, I read one of them again and had the Yes! excited thought go through my head. 
"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."  Proverbs 16:9
This goes right along with the song Strangely Dim by Francesca Battestelli.  This is the part of the song that I thought applies to my life, especially now as things are so busy: 
"I've had all these plans piled up sky high, a thousand dreams on hold, and I don't know why...
...But when I fix my eyes on all that You are, then every doubt I feel deep in my heart grows strangely dim
All my worries fade and fall to the ground
cuz when I seek Your face and don't look around, any place I'm in grows strangely dim"
I love to make plans of things I want to do, but no matter how hard I try, God's plans overrule mine.
"All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."  Psalm 139:16
Just knowing this gives me peace because I know as long as I do my best, God will "make all things work together for the good."  Romans 8:28.  Whenever I start to get nervous or stressed out, I just try to remember that I really have very little contril.  When I feel overwhelmed with obligations and work to do, and I don't get everything done that I feel I need to, and I don't get to do things that I want, there is no reason to be worried or disappointed, because there is a reason that it didn't work out.  Something I know I always have to focus on improving is following Hebrews 13:5 "Be content with what you have, becuase God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'"
When I fail, but look to Christ, He is exalted.
"My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness...For when I (my human self) am weak, then I am strong."  2 Corinthians 12:9-10.
With God in my heart, I have all I need.  I don't need victory, good grades, people's attention, pretty clothes, money, or other silly things I worry about accomplishing.  By setting my sights completely on serving God, I am filled with joy that I can never bring myself.
"Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."  Proverbs 37:4