Provision

Sometimes I struggle to really "trust" God. It's hard for me to rest in knowing that what He's doing is best. I'll say the right words when someone asks, but then in the quietness of a morning or in those last few thoughts before I fall asleep, the "situation" comes back to mind and I doubt. I doubt Him. I doubt that He's enough.
So today I'm going to try just as hard as I can to view everything that happens through the lens of His provision. I'm going to take everything someone says to me, everything I hear said around me, everything I say, everything I do and everything people do around me and try to see God's provision in it. When I hear a complaint or when I complain today I'm going to stop and instead of thinking about what isn't "preferable" I'm going to try to think about it with His perspective; how He's provided in that situation. When I'm cold walking to class I'm going to try to think about how He's provided me with a coat and gloves. When I hear that someone accomplished something I want to think about how it was by His provision that it was possible. Okay I think you get the point... I want to focus on His provision so that I can better understand how much sense it makes to trust Him. I know I'm suppose to trust Him just because, but He's given me soooo many reasons to trust Him that it just makes sense to try and focus on them. I think the more I can grasp how He's providing everyday for everyone around me the more I will desire to trust Him. Because ultimately... He is enough.

So what is it today that you know is true about God but you're struggling to live it out?
What is it today that you need to focus on in order to straighten out your perspective of Him and of your life?

Do you need to focus on His grace to stay humble?
Do you need to focus on His love to better love those around you?
Do you need to focus on His justice to keep from doing wrong?
What is it today?

97 Seconds With God

Day 1. Stupid

(For the next 28 days, I’m going to walk through Proverbs 12 verse by verse, with short, quick thoughts. I hope you’ll read along with me.)

Proverbs 12:1
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but he who hates correction is stupid.

I like this verse for a few reasons. First of all, it comes right out and says that if you hate correction, you're stupid. No wasted words, no soft peddling the truth or hand holding in the delivery. Yeah, you're stupid. Whenever I try to say, "The Bible is so complicated, I can't read it because it’s so difficult to figure out," I need to remember this verse.


This is a post by "Prodigal Jon." You can read the rest of his post on Proverbs 12:1 as well as follow him through the rest of Proverbs 12 here or click the link for 97secondswithGod under my "Blogs to Watch" to the right.

Stories

Had a great reminder this morning about how important it is to understand people's stories. How important it is to hear their background, their family, their circumstances and understand how those pieces of their lives have shaped their perspective and lifestyle. We can't underestimate the power of perspectives and habits that have been ingrained from birth.

Mozambique

I've done a lot of talking today...probably too much. So it was nice to just sit and watch the Superbowl quietly as others talked around me. As much as I enjoyed the game I spent a lot of time thinking about Mozambique. A lot of what I talked about and listened to this weekend revolved around Mozambique and the people I'd be spending time with. I'm extremely excited to watch God continue to work in me and all around me. I am praying that I will set aside my expectations and just stand in awe of what He chooses to do. I am just excited to spend time with friends and family while in Dondo this summer. It makes me smile to think about how He works.

Steelers and iPods

So... Grant's Steelers won.

As much as I wanted to see Kurt Warner get the win, and as impressed as I was with the Cardinals come back I've realized that there may be some good in the Steelers' win. The basic idea is this: Grant's not depressed. He recently "misplaced" my ipod and I'm hoping in his excitement over the win he will have extra energy to search for it! ..okay so probably not, but I'm trying to stay positive!

I've been thinking a lot lately about the choices people around me make. And I've been thinking about the bad choices that are often so obvious to everyone around that person and yet they just don't seem to get it. They don't grasp how bad the choice is, or how sinful. It's upsetting to watch as this sin is surrounded by blindness and ignorance. And yet how often am I blind to the sin in my own life, and instead focusing on it happening in others all around me. I'm so quick to get angry over a lost ipod and not even realize it. Instead, I think about how it was irresponsible of the other person to have lost it.

...You always hear about how people are too focused on themselves; too wrapped up in their own worlds. And yet when it comes to the sins and poor perspectives in our own lives how quickly does that focus shift? How quick are we to stop talking about ourselves and instead start gossiping and pointing out the faults in others? I'm afraid that I fall into this horrible routine far too often...