Thursday, May 23, 2013

Trust Part II: Learning to Trust

Learning to Trust.

Once again I feel led to talk about the issue of trust. Our society likes to think of themselves as independent and self-reliant so we essentially have forgotten how to trust. But tonight at my moms Bible study at church we studied trust and how it builds the bridge to joy. A book I read a long time ago, One Thousand Gifts, was the topic of discussion.
First, I want you to think of roadblocks in your life that make you too afraid to step out of your comfort zone and trust the will of God. These roadblocks, are the things that blind you to truth, truth that brings about trust. Once you have thought of these things, I want you to write them down on a paper and visualize the words. Then one by one I want you to pray over each word and cross it out. Because we all have to tell satan that he has no control over us, and that our strength comes from God.



I am embarrassed to admit, and for a long time I wouldn't admit it, but for sooooo long I relied on food. I not only relied on it but for a while it had become my backbone in life. To the point that when things in life didn't go my way I would just eat rather than getting in the word. I would physically fill myself up rather than allowing God to spiritually fill me up. Essentially my trust was in food, because of my strong mental reign that dictated over my spiritual. But there are other roadblocks such as control  selfishness, busyness, and failure. All of these roadblocks we allow to steal our joy and control our spiritual life.

The author of this book, Ann Voskamp, brought  up a lot of good points and one that really convicted my heart was that, every time I choose stress/worry/food over Him I am committing an act of disbelief, a form of practical atheism. Belief is a verb, it is something that you actively do.

So I ask the question, how do you begin to trust? How do you truly believe that God is real and capable of acting in your life????
Well, I know this is going to sound stupid easy but, its as simple as counting your blessings! When you count your blessings you recognize who can be counted on in your life. When you give thanks to God for what He has already done then you can begin to trust Him in the future.

Romans 8:32 [ He who did not spare his own Son, but gave Him up for us all,
 how will he not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? ]

When we get away from our facebooks, twitters, pinterest, cell phones, distractions, etc... and reflect on all that we  have, we are able to see all that God has done... There is nothing to lose in trusting Him to continue His work in your heart and life. 

Monday, May 20, 2013

Trust.

So this week I have  been praying asking God to reveal to me what He wanted posted on this blog and I felt like He wasn't speaking to me, but honestly I wasn't truly seeking His will because I was too preoccupied with Netflix and Facebook. But when I finally got away from them for a few days I was able to hear His ever so quiet whisper.

Last week mom and I were doing yard work when we discovered a birds nest in one of our trees we were pruning. Well I noticed how fiercely the mother abandoned the nest when we were coming, but she never stopped watching us work around the tree. As I reflect back on that moment, I wanted and I knew I could help the momma bird! Our society is so capable of doing above and beyond what that momma bird needs for her babies! WE practically could raise her babies for her and give them all of the nutrition that they need. But she would abandon the eggs if we tried because she doesn't trust us.

When I think about this concept, I look to my relationship with God. Like the momma bird, I like to think I know how to control the situation and make sure everything is great. However,  like the caring gardener [God], when He tries to intervene on my behalf, I get scared and don't trust Him. I am like the bird, I abandon Him because I am no longer in control. This is a toxic cycle and has caused me to stumble many times because of my stubbornness and desire to be in control!

A wise pastor recently told me, we trust God to a point, we struggle with trusting him because we believe we are not capable, we are insecure, we make every excuse to not trust God.  It is hard to trust God with all those things, but God is omnipresent and all powerful. God has given us the keys to the kingdom. He trust us with His kingdom, yet we fail to trust him with all these little things. [Pastor John Matson, Bayside Community Church]

Isaiah 42:16-18
[I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,    along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them   and make the rough places smooth.These are the things I will do;  I will not forsake them. But those who trust in idols   who say to images, ‘You are our gods,’ will be turned back in utter shame.“Hear, you deaf;    look, you blind, and see!]

Proverbs 3:5-6 
[Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight.]

Friday, May 10, 2013

Post Traumatic Tech Obsession

Post Traumatic Tech Obsession

Have you ever tried to talk to someone who is focused on their technological device of choice? Ever feel like you are disturbing them from their game or snap chat that is clearly more important than you? What has happened to our society, we are unable to have a conversation without pulling out our iphone or ipad. We are so "wanted" by everyone else that it is impossible to maintain 5 minute conversation without getting cut off by someone else who is miles away.

Well I fell into this trap my sophomore year of college. I wanted to feel wanted and desired by my friends, which of course meant that the only way I could do that was through a smart phone. I loved it! Literately every spare moment I had I would stare into my smart phone rather than trying to be friendly or meet people. This lifestyle consumed me and I was unable to make new friends because I refused to leave the security of my phone. My phone had become part of my self-identity and confidence. I couldn't live without it because I lived for it.

I titled this blog, Post Traumatic Tech Obsession, because I still suffer from my addiction to my old phone. I know this sounds weird, but I had to quit cold-turkey and walk away from my phone because it was my idol and I was unable to grow closer to God when I was living for the world. I go through days where I feel left out or "abandoned" because I don't have the latest technology or an iPhone. When all my friends are snap chatting, face timing, or checking their Facebook, I am sitting there with my dumb phone and not a Bible app but a good old-fashion paper Bible.

It took me years to figure out that living for my phone pushed me farther away from the Lord, and if anything, it blinded me to the truth and His will for my life. I walked in my own will and claimed that I was unable to discern God will, when really I didn't want to have anything to do with it. I challenge you today to reflect on these questions that helped me break away from my obsession:

1. How many times do you check your Facebook a day? versus. How many times do you check in with God a day?
2. How many text messages have you sent today? versus. How many people have you lifted up in prayer today?
3. What is the definition of an idol?
4. Who is the ruler of your life (i.e. in our busy world who engulfs the majority of your time)?

Ironic how as I am writing this blog, a friend on Facebook posted, "I miss my phone, I never thought I would become this reliant upon technology."  I am so guilty of this technology obsession, I have to constantly cut it out of my life before it begins to control me and draw me away from the Lord.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Stress.


Stress. 
It seems to wash over me like the waves in the sea. One moment the stress is there and next moment I am embracing the dry sand and sun. This week has been a tsunami wave for me, except the stress I once before felt is no longer there. I no longer worry about the grades that I will receive because worrying and stressing never made the teacher grade easier or like me more. I have let go of the momentary, the things I have no control over and allow God to do what He does best.

This stress we allow to control us, from daily chores to final exams and ultimately with life altering choices. Rather than allowing God to be in control we have put ourselves as masters and ultimately in bondage to the stress and worry, when it really has no legitimate power over us. One of my favorite verses Philippians 4:6-7  [ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.]

As a college student these past few weeks have been hard, and everyone reacts to the change in workload differently but regardless God has been in control since the beginning of time and He is not going to stop during finals week of Spring 2013.