So, I know I had promised a series in 1 Corinthians, but tonight I want to deviate from my original plan.
Earlier today I was blessed to hear an incredible devotion by Olivia Curry. The focus of her speech rested in Psalm 46. This devotion was exactly what I needed to hear today, and maybe some of you will agree.
Today was one of my most hectic and stressful days of college yet.
Along with two classes, I had numerous meetings and training scheduled. I was constantly running and getting ready for my next appointment, and was unable to relax for more than fifteen minutes. I was unable to take the time to breathe, leading to an emotional breakdown.
The entire day, I played the pity card, continuously asking "why me" and "when will all of this be over". I failed to realize that God was telling me something.
The world that we live in is a constant cycle of chaos and movement. Every day, we live our lives according to a schedule. We follow that schedule religiously, our timing close to perfect. We are running from point A to point B, and we do not stop for a break. Then, at the end of the day, we wonder why we are so tired. We wonder why were are never satisfied.
We oddly find comfort in self-pity. We complain to ourselves because no one else will listen. We say that we have no advocate to help us get through the storm of life. We couldn't be more wrong.
Psalms 46 reads:
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."
Notice the bolded words: refuge, strength, fortress, exalted. What do these four words have in common? They all are characteristics of our incredible Lord.
Psalm 91:2 says: "I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."
Also notice the repetition of the phrase "The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress".
What do these small phrases tell us? God is here for us.
Possibly the hardest realization that I have come to is that God has already planned our lives. Even when we come unglued, He has a plan. Even on our worst days when we feel the most vulnerable to the evils of this world, He has a plan. We are not helpless. We are helped.
Why do we continue to ceaselessly move? We are wind-up toys. Our future predestined by the hands of our controller. We wonder aimlessly about until those same hands redirect us to another path. We have no plan, and our only goal is to keep moving.
If we could just stop moving for a second, we could realize all of this. We could see His plan in action. We could witness the peaceful sunsets of hope. We have to stop marching around. Ram Dass said, "The quieter you become, the more you hear."
Look at Psalm 46:10, for God gives us plain instructions. "Be still, and know that I am God."
Be still. For if we do not, stay still, we will fail to notice the incredible grace and life that God has given us. As Morgan Freeman once said, "Learning how to be still, to really be still and let life happen--that stillness becomes a radiance."
I hope you all have an incredible, peaceful week. As always, suggestions and shares are appreciated.
Blessings to you all,
Emily
Earlier today I was blessed to hear an incredible devotion by Olivia Curry. The focus of her speech rested in Psalm 46. This devotion was exactly what I needed to hear today, and maybe some of you will agree.
Today was one of my most hectic and stressful days of college yet.
Along with two classes, I had numerous meetings and training scheduled. I was constantly running and getting ready for my next appointment, and was unable to relax for more than fifteen minutes. I was unable to take the time to breathe, leading to an emotional breakdown.
The entire day, I played the pity card, continuously asking "why me" and "when will all of this be over". I failed to realize that God was telling me something.
The world that we live in is a constant cycle of chaos and movement. Every day, we live our lives according to a schedule. We follow that schedule religiously, our timing close to perfect. We are running from point A to point B, and we do not stop for a break. Then, at the end of the day, we wonder why we are so tired. We wonder why were are never satisfied.
We oddly find comfort in self-pity. We complain to ourselves because no one else will listen. We say that we have no advocate to help us get through the storm of life. We couldn't be more wrong.
Psalms 46 reads:
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."
Notice the bolded words: refuge, strength, fortress, exalted. What do these four words have in common? They all are characteristics of our incredible Lord.
Psalm 91:2 says: "I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."
Also notice the repetition of the phrase "The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress".
What do these small phrases tell us? God is here for us.
Possibly the hardest realization that I have come to is that God has already planned our lives. Even when we come unglued, He has a plan. Even on our worst days when we feel the most vulnerable to the evils of this world, He has a plan. We are not helpless. We are helped.
Why do we continue to ceaselessly move? We are wind-up toys. Our future predestined by the hands of our controller. We wonder aimlessly about until those same hands redirect us to another path. We have no plan, and our only goal is to keep moving.
If we could just stop moving for a second, we could realize all of this. We could see His plan in action. We could witness the peaceful sunsets of hope. We have to stop marching around. Ram Dass said, "The quieter you become, the more you hear."
Look at Psalm 46:10, for God gives us plain instructions. "Be still, and know that I am God."
Be still. For if we do not, stay still, we will fail to notice the incredible grace and life that God has given us. As Morgan Freeman once said, "Learning how to be still, to really be still and let life happen--that stillness becomes a radiance."
I hope you all have an incredible, peaceful week. As always, suggestions and shares are appreciated.
Blessings to you all,
Emily