This past Sunday, after church a I walked to the bathroom, I was talking to God about something. Basically it was me saying, "I want to give up on _______ now. It's too hard. It's too painful. I have no idea what's going on and I just want to shut down."
When I go to the bathroom at church, for some reason I always go in the first stall. I once read an article that said most people don't go in the first stall, so it's probably the cleanest. Being that we're meeting in an elementary school for church though, that probably doesn't matter. But this time I randomly decided to go in the second stall. I walked in and turned to shut the door. But it wouldn't close. I pushed - it wouldn't closed. I re-opened it and tried closing it again - still nothing. It just stopped like a foot before it would close. I sighed, irritated, and went into the 3rd stall, which did close. I felt like God just said, "I'm not asking you to close that door right now," about the situation in my life, as he just demonstrated with that literal door.
So I haven't yet. I am choosing not to shut down. I am choosing not to give up. It doesn't make it easier. In fact, God could decide in a few months that then is the time to shut the door. I have no idea. All I know is, that right now, God said, "Keep going."
I know, it all sounds cheesy. But describing what it sounds like / feels like to hear God speaking to you doesn't always make much sense.
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Thankful!
Things I'm Thankful For Lately
- The water pipes in our yard bust, so we had no water for about 2 days. I'm thankful for friends who let me shower at their house, and that we were able to buy water to drink and it wasn't too bad!
-It was great having several days off for my birthday!
-I got to have lunch with a friend from high school that I haven't seen in forever
-Three hours of Starbucks with my friend Emily was much needed. Quality time is one of my love languages so it was high time we caught up besides being around 30 people. :-)
-My friends got me a cookie cake for my birthday!
-Went to the movies with friends last week
-Went to a wedding shower / party for friends on Sunday
-Went to Olive Garden on Sun night with my parents for my birthday
-Spotify. Seriously, without it, I'd have little music to listen to. And that would stink.
-I have more exciting / fun things coming up the next few weeks!
-Yesterday at work was extremely slow and that was really nice since I have very little voice from being sick
-My friend Joy comes home in a month and a half from being gone for 2 years to Bosnia!! I saw her for a few weeks last year, but she's coming home to stay this time.
-I have a new partner for leading small groups in bible study on Thursday nights and I'm excited about that and how it encourages me to seek the Lord more as well
- The water pipes in our yard bust, so we had no water for about 2 days. I'm thankful for friends who let me shower at their house, and that we were able to buy water to drink and it wasn't too bad!
-It was great having several days off for my birthday!
-I got to have lunch with a friend from high school that I haven't seen in forever
-Three hours of Starbucks with my friend Emily was much needed. Quality time is one of my love languages so it was high time we caught up besides being around 30 people. :-)
-My friends got me a cookie cake for my birthday!
-Went to the movies with friends last week
-Went to a wedding shower / party for friends on Sunday
-Went to Olive Garden on Sun night with my parents for my birthday
-Spotify. Seriously, without it, I'd have little music to listen to. And that would stink.
-I have more exciting / fun things coming up the next few weeks!
-Yesterday at work was extremely slow and that was really nice since I have very little voice from being sick
-My friend Joy comes home in a month and a half from being gone for 2 years to Bosnia!! I saw her for a few weeks last year, but she's coming home to stay this time.
-I have a new partner for leading small groups in bible study on Thursday nights and I'm excited about that and how it encourages me to seek the Lord more as well
Friday, May 15, 2015
A time for metaphors
Marriage is like a bicycle. The guy is the front wheel because he takes the lead, but you have to be going the same speed and working together to go forward. Sure, you can be a unicycle for a while, and it's kind of fun and impressive, but it gets tiring. A bicycle stays upright easier, and has a kickstand. Of course it falls over every now and then, just as marriage has it's disagreements and frustrations. But you get back up again. In a marriage you travel over paved roads, gravel roads, dirt roads... you see beautiful views, you go through dark valleys, and you get flat tires. You cover the same ground as a bicycle as you do a unicycle, but you do it with another wheel (another person) instead of by yourself.
Friends are like books. Each one has a unique story. Some are happy and beautiful stories, and some are sad and tragic stories. Each of them makes you feel emotion and get caught up in their lives. Sometimes, the book ends, and it sits on your bookshelf, and you have good memories of the book... Sometimes you can pick that book up again and dust it off, and pick up where you left off. But other times, the book is finished, and you can't go back to the book. You can only re-read old chapters, but eventually the memories and the words on the page start to fade. But these books - these friends - are treasures. The cliché quote is true: “Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” Some are magical, like Harry Potter. When you're with them, great things happen. Sadly some friends turn into enemies, like Hunger Games where they're on your side one minute, and trying to kill you the next. (Ok, that's a bit extreme. But I couldn't think of another one with the same concept.) No two stories are alike. Some of the books have conflict in them. Some have resolutions, some don't. Some have happy endings, some don't.
Life is NOT like a box of chocolates, because I use a knife to cut them in half instead of not knowing what they are, or I use the diagram on the box of chocolates. I mean really, why would someone make a box of chocolate without a diagram? Because what if you're allergic to nuts, or hate coconut? (I'm not allergic to nuts, but I dislike nuts and coconuts.)
The church is like a symphony. Everybody plays their instrument, and together we make great music. God's the conductor. Yes, there are lots of the same instrument in an actual symphony, but it's like needing 10 people to help with the nursery, 10 people to help with youth, 10 people to lead worship, 12 people to lead a young adults' bible study... everybody is needed! Except within each of those roles, you bring your own style, your own melody. It's intricate, it's complicated, it's beautiful.
Friends are like books. Each one has a unique story. Some are happy and beautiful stories, and some are sad and tragic stories. Each of them makes you feel emotion and get caught up in their lives. Sometimes, the book ends, and it sits on your bookshelf, and you have good memories of the book... Sometimes you can pick that book up again and dust it off, and pick up where you left off. But other times, the book is finished, and you can't go back to the book. You can only re-read old chapters, but eventually the memories and the words on the page start to fade. But these books - these friends - are treasures. The cliché quote is true: “Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” Some are magical, like Harry Potter. When you're with them, great things happen. Sadly some friends turn into enemies, like Hunger Games where they're on your side one minute, and trying to kill you the next. (Ok, that's a bit extreme. But I couldn't think of another one with the same concept.) No two stories are alike. Some of the books have conflict in them. Some have resolutions, some don't. Some have happy endings, some don't.
Life is NOT like a box of chocolates, because I use a knife to cut them in half instead of not knowing what they are, or I use the diagram on the box of chocolates. I mean really, why would someone make a box of chocolate without a diagram? Because what if you're allergic to nuts, or hate coconut? (I'm not allergic to nuts, but I dislike nuts and coconuts.)
The church is like a symphony. Everybody plays their instrument, and together we make great music. God's the conductor. Yes, there are lots of the same instrument in an actual symphony, but it's like needing 10 people to help with the nursery, 10 people to help with youth, 10 people to lead worship, 12 people to lead a young adults' bible study... everybody is needed! Except within each of those roles, you bring your own style, your own melody. It's intricate, it's complicated, it's beautiful.
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
A beautiful creation
Anyone who creates something is very aware of their flaws. If they play a musical instrument or sing, they'll know when they hit the wrong note or messed up the rhythm, when other people may not have heard it at all. If they take a picture, they'll see where the lines aren't straight or a random thing in the background looks out of place, or something isn't as in focus as they wanted. If they paint or draw, they'll see where something is proportionate or not quite the right color. If they write something, they'll see the sentences that don't make sense or the grammar that's wrong or the synonyms they could have used to make their writing more interesting.
While others may see or hear this person's creation as beautiful, the person who created it may just be too focused on the flaws. Likewise, we might have that same perception about our lives. Instead of seeing the beauty in life or the blessings God has given us, we may be too focused on our flaws or the bad things or the unfair things, and miss out on the bigger picture.
That's been me the past few weeks and I realized it as I was writing in my journal. I was writing about how I was sad that my coworkers hang out and they never ask me to hang out, and even when I try to ask them they aren't able to. I was jealous of people who got to go cool places on vacation or are moving to cool places. I was writing how I was frustrated with certain people in my life and my bad days at work and my lack of money.
On my birthday every year, it's my "life inventory" check up. Time to look back at my new year's goals and see how that's going. Time to ask myself the hard questions about my life. Time to make new goals, change bad habits, and reflect on the past 5 months. Last night I made a list of all the good and exciting things coming up from now until August. There was a lot! I made a list of all the people that I call friends, who I enjoy hanging out with or have good conversations with. There were a lot! I made a list of things I'm thankful for that weren't on those other two lists. Again, a lot! I wrote down truth that I know from reading the bible and from what God has done in my life, on how God has a purpose for me and where I am in life, how He can use me to reach others by loving them unconditionally and with choosing to love them, and more. I have been so distracted by negative things in my life that I haven't stepped back to see the bigger picture - the creation that God has made!!
I don't have to hang out with my coworkers outside of work - I have other friends that God has blessed me with! I don't have to go on cool vacations or move cool places - I might later in life, and I have before, but right now I'm in a place where I love my church, bible study, leadership, and family, and I have fun with the people in my life or jut reading books in my room. There might be a season in my life when I have kids and am home with them for a few years and not working, but right now I'm in a season where I am working and interacting with a mission field that is just as important as going to Kenya. Where I am might only be planting seeds and not seeing much result, but somebody has to be the one to plant the seeds and start the process. Maybe while everybody is having a bad day, people will see that my response to it, as well as my response to frustrating people, is different and that is what will make them ask me why.
I will forever be making lists of things I am thankful for and things that make me happy because it is a constant reminder that He is good, and He is blessing me and I don't want to miss that. Sometimes I need the outside perspective of other people to point things out in my life, and sometimes I can do that myself or through praying. It's really hard not to feel something - to feel sad, to feel jealous, to feel mad - but when I'm reading the bible a lot, praying, and writing about good things, those negative feelings start to go away and are replaced by the good feelings.
While others may see or hear this person's creation as beautiful, the person who created it may just be too focused on the flaws. Likewise, we might have that same perception about our lives. Instead of seeing the beauty in life or the blessings God has given us, we may be too focused on our flaws or the bad things or the unfair things, and miss out on the bigger picture.
That's been me the past few weeks and I realized it as I was writing in my journal. I was writing about how I was sad that my coworkers hang out and they never ask me to hang out, and even when I try to ask them they aren't able to. I was jealous of people who got to go cool places on vacation or are moving to cool places. I was writing how I was frustrated with certain people in my life and my bad days at work and my lack of money.
On my birthday every year, it's my "life inventory" check up. Time to look back at my new year's goals and see how that's going. Time to ask myself the hard questions about my life. Time to make new goals, change bad habits, and reflect on the past 5 months. Last night I made a list of all the good and exciting things coming up from now until August. There was a lot! I made a list of all the people that I call friends, who I enjoy hanging out with or have good conversations with. There were a lot! I made a list of things I'm thankful for that weren't on those other two lists. Again, a lot! I wrote down truth that I know from reading the bible and from what God has done in my life, on how God has a purpose for me and where I am in life, how He can use me to reach others by loving them unconditionally and with choosing to love them, and more. I have been so distracted by negative things in my life that I haven't stepped back to see the bigger picture - the creation that God has made!!
I don't have to hang out with my coworkers outside of work - I have other friends that God has blessed me with! I don't have to go on cool vacations or move cool places - I might later in life, and I have before, but right now I'm in a place where I love my church, bible study, leadership, and family, and I have fun with the people in my life or jut reading books in my room. There might be a season in my life when I have kids and am home with them for a few years and not working, but right now I'm in a season where I am working and interacting with a mission field that is just as important as going to Kenya. Where I am might only be planting seeds and not seeing much result, but somebody has to be the one to plant the seeds and start the process. Maybe while everybody is having a bad day, people will see that my response to it, as well as my response to frustrating people, is different and that is what will make them ask me why.
I will forever be making lists of things I am thankful for and things that make me happy because it is a constant reminder that He is good, and He is blessing me and I don't want to miss that. Sometimes I need the outside perspective of other people to point things out in my life, and sometimes I can do that myself or through praying. It's really hard not to feel something - to feel sad, to feel jealous, to feel mad - but when I'm reading the bible a lot, praying, and writing about good things, those negative feelings start to go away and are replaced by the good feelings.
Friday, May 8, 2015
Celebrate
In the book, "Celebration of Discipline," by Richard J. Foster, one of the disciplines he talks about is the discipline of celebration. I know, it's funny because it's the title backwards. :-) This book is one of my favorite books, and I enjoy re-reading the parts I underlined. Anyways, in that section it talks about the importance of celebrating life!
"Celebration is at the heart of the way of Christ. He entered the world on a high note of jubilation: 'I bring you good news of great joy,' cried the angel, 'which shall come to all the people' (Luke 2:10). He left the world bequeathing his joy to the disciples: 'These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full' (John 15:11)."
"Celebration brings joy to life, and joy makes us strong."
"The decision to set the mind on the higher things of life is an act of the will. That is why celebration is a discipline. It is the result of a consciously chosen way of thinking and living."
Ways that he lists to practice celebration (that is in paragraph form but I'm turning into a list:
-Singing, dancing, shouting, worship
-Laughing
-Accent the creative gifts of fantasy and imagination
-Relish the creativity of others: go to art shows, musicals, concerts...
-Make family events into celebration and thanksgiving: birthdays, graduations, weddings, anniversaries
-Celebrate the smaller things in life too: a new job, finishing a major project, receiving a raise
-Spend time with friends
-Set up regular times to play games, watch movies, or read books (by yourself or with others)
Sometimes I think, "Ah, but some of these things cost money. And I don't have much money." But not all of those things require money! I'll add to that list hiking, going somewhere to take pictures, going to the park, long conversations at Starbucks, going to a neighborhood or apartment complex pool with friends (especially when there aren't 500 kids there), and bonfires.
I love birthdays because it's time to celebrate that person for who they are! It's a reason to get together for dinner or hanging out, and it's time for birthday cards telling them how much you appreciate them. It's a time when you allow yourself to just do things you enjoy and not be stressed. On my birthday I usually take the day to eat junk food, watch TV, read books, go to the park, etc. and do stuff without feeling bad about it! I spend a little bit of money on myself (usually by using coupons that places send me like Kohls or whatever for my birthday), and spend time with friends.
But, I also think it's important to do fun things and celebrate life the rest of the year too! Sometimes having something fun planned in life is a good thing to look forward to in a long work week. Even if it's something as small as a really great book you can't wait to get home and read for 3 hours.
I have no idea what this looks like in the life of someone who has kids. I assume that their idea of celebration is very different because it all has to be kid-friendly stuff, but I imagine that all the holidays are extremely fun! I had a friend at work say, "I'm pretty sure when you have kids there just isn't anymore fun." I said, "No way! That's when you get to take the kids in the car to see Christmas lights, and see their excitement in the stores and on Christmas morning when they get gifts. You get to dress them up for Halloween and see their joy over too much candy. You get to give them Easter baskets and go to Disney World and watch them learn to ride a bike. It's a different kind of fun, but I think it will be great." Which brings me to the point of saying, part of celebrating is also celebrating someone else! Someone else's joy and life. Kids, friends, family members, etc.
If you feel like your life is boring and lame, go find something fun to do. :-) There's plenty of things out there to do by yourself as well as with other people. Yes, I wish I had the money to travel awesome places, but I don't. So I will make my little corner of the world fun anyways.
"Celebration is at the heart of the way of Christ. He entered the world on a high note of jubilation: 'I bring you good news of great joy,' cried the angel, 'which shall come to all the people' (Luke 2:10). He left the world bequeathing his joy to the disciples: 'These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full' (John 15:11)."
"Celebration brings joy to life, and joy makes us strong."
"The decision to set the mind on the higher things of life is an act of the will. That is why celebration is a discipline. It is the result of a consciously chosen way of thinking and living."
Ways that he lists to practice celebration (that is in paragraph form but I'm turning into a list:
-Singing, dancing, shouting, worship
-Laughing
-Accent the creative gifts of fantasy and imagination
-Relish the creativity of others: go to art shows, musicals, concerts...
-Make family events into celebration and thanksgiving: birthdays, graduations, weddings, anniversaries
-Celebrate the smaller things in life too: a new job, finishing a major project, receiving a raise
-Spend time with friends
-Set up regular times to play games, watch movies, or read books (by yourself or with others)
Sometimes I think, "Ah, but some of these things cost money. And I don't have much money." But not all of those things require money! I'll add to that list hiking, going somewhere to take pictures, going to the park, long conversations at Starbucks, going to a neighborhood or apartment complex pool with friends (especially when there aren't 500 kids there), and bonfires.
I love birthdays because it's time to celebrate that person for who they are! It's a reason to get together for dinner or hanging out, and it's time for birthday cards telling them how much you appreciate them. It's a time when you allow yourself to just do things you enjoy and not be stressed. On my birthday I usually take the day to eat junk food, watch TV, read books, go to the park, etc. and do stuff without feeling bad about it! I spend a little bit of money on myself (usually by using coupons that places send me like Kohls or whatever for my birthday), and spend time with friends.
But, I also think it's important to do fun things and celebrate life the rest of the year too! Sometimes having something fun planned in life is a good thing to look forward to in a long work week. Even if it's something as small as a really great book you can't wait to get home and read for 3 hours.
I have no idea what this looks like in the life of someone who has kids. I assume that their idea of celebration is very different because it all has to be kid-friendly stuff, but I imagine that all the holidays are extremely fun! I had a friend at work say, "I'm pretty sure when you have kids there just isn't anymore fun." I said, "No way! That's when you get to take the kids in the car to see Christmas lights, and see their excitement in the stores and on Christmas morning when they get gifts. You get to dress them up for Halloween and see their joy over too much candy. You get to give them Easter baskets and go to Disney World and watch them learn to ride a bike. It's a different kind of fun, but I think it will be great." Which brings me to the point of saying, part of celebrating is also celebrating someone else! Someone else's joy and life. Kids, friends, family members, etc.
If you feel like your life is boring and lame, go find something fun to do. :-) There's plenty of things out there to do by yourself as well as with other people. Yes, I wish I had the money to travel awesome places, but I don't. So I will make my little corner of the world fun anyways.
Thursday, May 7, 2015
...being watchful and thankful.
Colossians 4:2, "Devote yourself to prayer, being watchful and thankful."
Day 3: being.
Being... to be something. Not just to think something or do something, but to be something. I think it includes thinking and doing though.
BE devoted to prayer.
BE watchful.
BE thankful.
In this sentence, the "being" connects the second part of the sentence. Being watchful and thankful in your devoted prayer is like the adjectives. It's describing it further.
Day 4: watchful.
The Greek word is defined as: a) I am awake (in the night), watch, (b) I am watchful, on the alert, vigilant. The literal meaning is being awake and watching, and the figurative meaning is to be responsible and watching.
It is the same Greek word used in the verses that Jesus asked his disciples to stay and watch that they might not fall asleep as he went up the mountain to pray before he was taken away, and the same in Revelation 16:15 that says, "Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.” As well as other verses like this, of that urgent attention.
From biblehub.com that I really liked on this:
"Watch thereunto; as a sentinel suspecting the approach of an enemy; as a watchman guarding the city during the darkness of the night; as a physician attending all the symptoms of a disease; as the keeper of a prison watching an insidious and treacherous criminal. Our hearts need all this care; spiritual enemies are near; the darkness of the soul exposes it to danger; the disease of sin requires a watchful treatment; and the unparalleled deceitfulness of the affections can never safely be trusted for a moment. No; we must watch before prayer in order to dismiss the world from our thoughts, to gather up our minds in God, and to implore the Holy Spirit's help. We must watch during prayer; to guard against distraction, against the incursions of evil thoughts, against wanderings of mind, and decay of fervour in our supplications. We must watch after prayer, in order that we may act consistently with what we have been imploring of Almighty God, wait His time for answering us, and not lose the visitations of grace; for with God are the moments of life, of mercy, of enlargement, and of gracious consolation."
(Bishop D. Wilson.)
Day 5: and thankful.
I didn't find anything different about this Greek word. It is simply as it is, being thankful.
When someone comes from a third world country, or even a second world, and comes into a first world country, their thankfulness is skyrocketed. They are so thankful for clean water, running water, hot water, food, air conditioning, heat, a stove, a microwave... everything.
I had a job a few summers ago where I was an intern at a corporate office, and I may have been the youngest and lowest paying person in the building, with the smallest office, but straight out of college I was THRILLED about every single thing. The pay was great, I was so excited to have my own little office (I really didn't care that my window looked into the hallway instead of the outside), I was so thankful when they paid for me to pick out my own office supplies, I was so thankful for an hour off for lunch so that I could have lunch with friends when I wanted to... But lets say I stayed there for 5 years. Would I grow entitled? Would I grow resentful that I couldn't move up in the company even though I was unqualified? Would I become unthankful? Would I become jealous that other people got to travel all over the country, because this was their job, and I was merely an office assistant?
While I will never get the chance to know, my point is that I want to be thankful no matter what. To someone in a mud hut in Africa, I am incredibly rich and blessed. But stepping back from a human perspective, God has given each of us things to be thankful for.
When I was in college and living with a roommate in a house, she would put her dog inside her room on days it rained or was too cold while she was at work. But the dog just saw it as a punishment. She whined as I left the house to go to class, with her still in the room instead of outside... she didn't understand that where she wanted to go, outside, would be much worse than being inside, dry and warm. This thought process is something I think of every once in a while and try to remember. Where I see things being unfair or frustrating or slow, God smiles and sees that I am exactly where I need to be. I am thankful for a God who puts me in places I need to be, instead of allowing me to always go do things my way and be miserable about it.
And so, in prayer, this thankfulness guides the conversation with God. To be thankful and watchful and devoted to prayer... these are three important ingredients to prayer.
Day 3: being.
Being... to be something. Not just to think something or do something, but to be something. I think it includes thinking and doing though.
BE devoted to prayer.
BE watchful.
BE thankful.
In this sentence, the "being" connects the second part of the sentence. Being watchful and thankful in your devoted prayer is like the adjectives. It's describing it further.
Day 4: watchful.
The Greek word is defined as: a) I am awake (in the night), watch, (b) I am watchful, on the alert, vigilant. The literal meaning is being awake and watching, and the figurative meaning is to be responsible and watching.
It is the same Greek word used in the verses that Jesus asked his disciples to stay and watch that they might not fall asleep as he went up the mountain to pray before he was taken away, and the same in Revelation 16:15 that says, "Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.” As well as other verses like this, of that urgent attention.
From biblehub.com that I really liked on this:
"Watch thereunto; as a sentinel suspecting the approach of an enemy; as a watchman guarding the city during the darkness of the night; as a physician attending all the symptoms of a disease; as the keeper of a prison watching an insidious and treacherous criminal. Our hearts need all this care; spiritual enemies are near; the darkness of the soul exposes it to danger; the disease of sin requires a watchful treatment; and the unparalleled deceitfulness of the affections can never safely be trusted for a moment. No; we must watch before prayer in order to dismiss the world from our thoughts, to gather up our minds in God, and to implore the Holy Spirit's help. We must watch during prayer; to guard against distraction, against the incursions of evil thoughts, against wanderings of mind, and decay of fervour in our supplications. We must watch after prayer, in order that we may act consistently with what we have been imploring of Almighty God, wait His time for answering us, and not lose the visitations of grace; for with God are the moments of life, of mercy, of enlargement, and of gracious consolation."
(Bishop D. Wilson.)
Day 5: and thankful.
I didn't find anything different about this Greek word. It is simply as it is, being thankful.
When someone comes from a third world country, or even a second world, and comes into a first world country, their thankfulness is skyrocketed. They are so thankful for clean water, running water, hot water, food, air conditioning, heat, a stove, a microwave... everything.
I had a job a few summers ago where I was an intern at a corporate office, and I may have been the youngest and lowest paying person in the building, with the smallest office, but straight out of college I was THRILLED about every single thing. The pay was great, I was so excited to have my own little office (I really didn't care that my window looked into the hallway instead of the outside), I was so thankful when they paid for me to pick out my own office supplies, I was so thankful for an hour off for lunch so that I could have lunch with friends when I wanted to... But lets say I stayed there for 5 years. Would I grow entitled? Would I grow resentful that I couldn't move up in the company even though I was unqualified? Would I become unthankful? Would I become jealous that other people got to travel all over the country, because this was their job, and I was merely an office assistant?
While I will never get the chance to know, my point is that I want to be thankful no matter what. To someone in a mud hut in Africa, I am incredibly rich and blessed. But stepping back from a human perspective, God has given each of us things to be thankful for.
When I was in college and living with a roommate in a house, she would put her dog inside her room on days it rained or was too cold while she was at work. But the dog just saw it as a punishment. She whined as I left the house to go to class, with her still in the room instead of outside... she didn't understand that where she wanted to go, outside, would be much worse than being inside, dry and warm. This thought process is something I think of every once in a while and try to remember. Where I see things being unfair or frustrating or slow, God smiles and sees that I am exactly where I need to be. I am thankful for a God who puts me in places I need to be, instead of allowing me to always go do things my way and be miserable about it.
And so, in prayer, this thankfulness guides the conversation with God. To be thankful and watchful and devoted to prayer... these are three important ingredients to prayer.
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Devote yourself to prayer
I'm reading more than one book at a time, because that's just how I roll. One of them talked about reading a verse by focusing on one word a day. I know, crazy right? But he gave an example of what he was thinking about each day during that word, and basically "journaled" through each day. For him, he came to great realizations and deeper meanings of the words and verses! So, because I've never done that, I am trying it out right now.
Colossians 4:2, "Devote yourself to prayer, being watchful and thankful."
I looked up a few other versions of it and liked this one best in NIV.
Day one (yesterday): Devote.
Long story short, one of my coworkers said yesterday, "I'm willing to listen to anyone who devotes their life to something," in the context that he goes to a Buddhist temple to meditate every Sunday, but is not a Buddhist. Although I was unable to talk to him about it more, because we were at work, my thought process was this: Obviously if an Olympic gymnast told me about their life, their training, and their advice, I would listen to them far above someone who just does gymnastics for fun, because that Olympian has devoted their whole life to it. Out of context of this verse, I obviously want my life devoted to the Lord, and I want people to see it, and maybe someone, like my coworker, will listen to me because they see how important it is to me.
In context of this verse, devoting yourself to prayer means you will see more results, see more answers, and get to know God more. Obviously other spiritual disciplines are just as important, it's not that you have to devote all your time to praying or else there would be no time for anything else, but the cool thing about prayer is that you can be doing it all the time. Even during other spiritual disciplines!
I combined the word, "yourself" with yesterday because it turns out that it's more of an implied word - it isn't used in other translations, nor does it have a correlating Greek word which it was directly translated from. I thought about it anyways, and came up with nothing. Haha.
Day two: to prayer.
In the book I read, he actually took one day for the small words too, but again, I couldn't think of much for just the word "to." In the Greek words for this part of the verse, devoting yourself to prayer, it says, "literally, to interact with the Lord by switching human wishes / ideas for His wishes as He imparts faith." Or, the Greek definition: exchanges of wishes. This is so interesting! I think it's so true. My prayer, for example, is sometimes for God to help me get a new job. Now. I'm being specific and persistent here. Lol. But, ultimately I want what God wants for me. I want His will to be done, and I know His timing is better than mine, so in the process of praying for what I want, He is also putting it in my heart for things to do while I'm waiting. Ways to serve and love those I work with. Peace and joy.
I pray at work when I wash dishes or am doing something where I don't have to keep my mind focused on something else (like taking people's orders or making drinks). Not the whole time, every day, but when I can. I also write prayers down as a letter sometimes. I think I'm generally too heavy in the area of prayer where I pray for needs / wants of myself and others. Because obviously I want to see God answer prayers for people who are sick, or the desires of my heart, or for His will to be done. I also tell Him what I'm thankful for a lot. I miss out on the part of listening a lot of times though. Listening in silence. Or just praising Him for who He is. Those are things I want to work on.
I only discovered biblehub.com this week, I hadn't ever used it before, and it's fantastic! It makes studying make a lot more sense to me. For every verse there are sermons that people have written too, and commentaries and a billion other things. So I came across these two quotes that I liked that were in a short sermon from C.H. Spurgeon:
"If not always shooting your arrows up to heaven, keep your bow well stringed."
"We cannot make the wind blow, but we can spread the sails, and when the Spirit comes we may be ready."
The second quote was actually more in reference to the part of the verse about being watchful, but it's still being watchful in prayer.
So, to sum up day one and day two... devote yourself to prayer! I'm pretty sure doing things this way will make me memorize it too. Lol. It's not the only way I will be studying/reading scripture, but this is an interesting thing to do. I'm aware of the "taking it out of context" possibility, in thinking about only one word or only one verse, but I am also reading the chapter in which this verse is in, so that I know the context.
One of my favorite thing in the bible is in Daniel where an angel comes to Daniel and says, "Daniel, I have come here to give you insight and understanding. The moment you began praying, a command was given. And now I am here to tell you what it was, for you are very precious to God." (9:22-23) Along with that, in chapter 10, this is also fascinating: An angel said, "Don't be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come to answer your prayer. But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia." (10:12-13) There was a WAR amongst the angels and the "spirit prince" which I assume is like satan or one of his demons, that stopped God's command from being fulfilled right away, so another angel had to come and battle so that angel could go on!! And to think if Daniel had given up in his prayers!
Colossians 4:2, "Devote yourself to prayer, being watchful and thankful."
I looked up a few other versions of it and liked this one best in NIV.
Day one (yesterday): Devote.
Long story short, one of my coworkers said yesterday, "I'm willing to listen to anyone who devotes their life to something," in the context that he goes to a Buddhist temple to meditate every Sunday, but is not a Buddhist. Although I was unable to talk to him about it more, because we were at work, my thought process was this: Obviously if an Olympic gymnast told me about their life, their training, and their advice, I would listen to them far above someone who just does gymnastics for fun, because that Olympian has devoted their whole life to it. Out of context of this verse, I obviously want my life devoted to the Lord, and I want people to see it, and maybe someone, like my coworker, will listen to me because they see how important it is to me.
In context of this verse, devoting yourself to prayer means you will see more results, see more answers, and get to know God more. Obviously other spiritual disciplines are just as important, it's not that you have to devote all your time to praying or else there would be no time for anything else, but the cool thing about prayer is that you can be doing it all the time. Even during other spiritual disciplines!
I combined the word, "yourself" with yesterday because it turns out that it's more of an implied word - it isn't used in other translations, nor does it have a correlating Greek word which it was directly translated from. I thought about it anyways, and came up with nothing. Haha.
Day two: to prayer.
In the book I read, he actually took one day for the small words too, but again, I couldn't think of much for just the word "to." In the Greek words for this part of the verse, devoting yourself to prayer, it says, "literally, to interact with the Lord by switching human wishes / ideas for His wishes as He imparts faith." Or, the Greek definition: exchanges of wishes. This is so interesting! I think it's so true. My prayer, for example, is sometimes for God to help me get a new job. Now. I'm being specific and persistent here. Lol. But, ultimately I want what God wants for me. I want His will to be done, and I know His timing is better than mine, so in the process of praying for what I want, He is also putting it in my heart for things to do while I'm waiting. Ways to serve and love those I work with. Peace and joy.
I pray at work when I wash dishes or am doing something where I don't have to keep my mind focused on something else (like taking people's orders or making drinks). Not the whole time, every day, but when I can. I also write prayers down as a letter sometimes. I think I'm generally too heavy in the area of prayer where I pray for needs / wants of myself and others. Because obviously I want to see God answer prayers for people who are sick, or the desires of my heart, or for His will to be done. I also tell Him what I'm thankful for a lot. I miss out on the part of listening a lot of times though. Listening in silence. Or just praising Him for who He is. Those are things I want to work on.
I only discovered biblehub.com this week, I hadn't ever used it before, and it's fantastic! It makes studying make a lot more sense to me. For every verse there are sermons that people have written too, and commentaries and a billion other things. So I came across these two quotes that I liked that were in a short sermon from C.H. Spurgeon:
"If not always shooting your arrows up to heaven, keep your bow well stringed."
"We cannot make the wind blow, but we can spread the sails, and when the Spirit comes we may be ready."
The second quote was actually more in reference to the part of the verse about being watchful, but it's still being watchful in prayer.
So, to sum up day one and day two... devote yourself to prayer! I'm pretty sure doing things this way will make me memorize it too. Lol. It's not the only way I will be studying/reading scripture, but this is an interesting thing to do. I'm aware of the "taking it out of context" possibility, in thinking about only one word or only one verse, but I am also reading the chapter in which this verse is in, so that I know the context.
One of my favorite thing in the bible is in Daniel where an angel comes to Daniel and says, "Daniel, I have come here to give you insight and understanding. The moment you began praying, a command was given. And now I am here to tell you what it was, for you are very precious to God." (9:22-23) Along with that, in chapter 10, this is also fascinating: An angel said, "Don't be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come to answer your prayer. But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia." (10:12-13) There was a WAR amongst the angels and the "spirit prince" which I assume is like satan or one of his demons, that stopped God's command from being fulfilled right away, so another angel had to come and battle so that angel could go on!! And to think if Daniel had given up in his prayers!
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