Day Two… July 25, 2012
I was a bit nervous when I woke up today at 4:40 a.m. I woke up very alert. Too alert.
I wanted to go back to sleep. I
begged God to make me sleep. In fact, I was afraid not to sleep. When I don’t
sleep, I get crabby… I get
irritable… I am easily frustrated and
angered. But sleep wouldn’t come. I finally surrendered to wakefulness and to
God. And God blessed me. He washed Ephesians 4:29 over me. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of
your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their
needs that it might benefit those who listen.”
This has been my Word from God to help me be aware of not
only what I say, but the tone in which I say it to my loved ones. It has caused me to ask myself these
questions about my words… Is my tone
helpful and encouraging? Does it build
others up? Does it meet their
needs? Are the words and phrases I am
speaking helpful? Encouraging? Building others up? Do they meet others’ needs?
I praise God for the good days. But to be real, I also have bad days. And I’m so tired of using a clipped,
exasperated tone when everyone in my house is not doing exactly what I think
they should be doing - or when I am just
plain exhausted. I don’t use this tone
or speak harsh words continually, but I do it often enough that I hear the same
tone coming from my children at times.
Ouch! It hurts. It is convicting. And honestly, it breaks my heart. My sinful, unnecessary, unwholesome talk is
being passed on. And I want change. I want every tone and word coming from my
mouth to be helpful, encouraging, and building.
“Every” seems like a lofty
goal for this girl – especially when sleep deprived!
So I wrote the verse on the white board in our kitchen. I pulled out very large index cards, wrote
the verse on several of them, and placed them all over the house. I have it on my van dashboard. It is on each side of the door we use to come
in and out of the house. I have it above
my kitchen sink… above the water/ice area
on my fridge… on the wall we face going
into the hallway… below the TV’s… on my bathroom mirror… on my dresser mirror where I fix my
hair. Seem like overkill? I don’t think so. I want it everywhere I turn. I want it to consume me from the inside
out. I want it to not only be in my mind
and heart, but I want it so deep that I can’t help but live it. To me it can’t be overkill because God’s Word
is alive and I want it living in my home and within each of us! In fact, I may put it up a few more places as
soon as my hand is done cramping!
Even with very little sleep, it has been a calm day. Of course, maybe it helps that I have the day
off to catch up from our vacation, the boys are at the movies and Zoe is
napping… but I’m calm in my spirit… and that is a nice change for today! But really, I think the only true explanation
for little sleep and calmness is Jesus.
And I’ll take it!
***
It is 1:18 p.m. and
I’m feeling encouraged, Lord. I feel
like freedom is available… I feel like
it is possible… and I want to remember
this moment. I want to savor it in my
mind… how it feels… how I feel… because I know the temptations
are going to come. Please Lord, bring
this moment to my mind when they do come.
Remind me of this time of peace and rest in the midst of the busyness.
I know the verse
coming to mind is from You. I know the
thought of not raising my voice for any reason comes from You. I asked for Your help and You are. Please give me something each day to build
upon the previous day. I honestly don’t
know what I’m doing… I just know I’m
following You… and that feels so very,
very good.
I thank you that I
cannot fix my broken self. I thank you
that You can. And for today, I see Your
hand and I’m listening… and I’m seeking… and I’m trusting You to do the work You long
to do in me.
***********************************
You are listening today, Child.
You are listening and following Me.
And I am pleased. I love
revealing mysteries to you. I love
placing My Word across Your heart… and I
love it even more when You listen and heed.
I am blessed when you accept the blessing I give to you.
Relish in this moment of peace.
And remember, this is possible.
In My strength it is always possible.
You must also remember you cannot fix the broken things and people of
this world… not even yourself or those
you love. It is not your job… it is not your burden to carry… it is not your role. Trust Me.
Trust Me to heal the brokenness in My time and in My way. Don’t grumble or complain or argue… just trust My ways and My plans. For I have already told you they are much
higher than what your mind can comprehend here on earth… and they are good… they are very good… and every one of them is for the plan of
eternity.
I am with you. I will not
abandon you. I will not leave you even
for a moment. Trust Me. For My love for you is more than you can
fathom… and it will never end.
Love,
Your proud Dad
I wonder what you struggle with in your life. My unwholesome talk may seem trivial to some,
but it is real to me. And it is what my
Savior wants to set me free from. There
are plenty of other sins and strongholds God wants to free me from, but this is
where my journey started. Where will
yours start? What has God shown
you? Is it unwholesome talk? Is it a haughty attitude? Is it an ungodly relationship? Or maybe an ungodly habit or addiction? What is it in your life that brings you to
the Savior over and over again seeking forgiveness?
Do you know He has a Word for you too? He has given us 66 books to guide, direct,
comfort and love us. And I guarantee you
there is a Word for you. If you haven’t
found your Word yet, I’d love to help you.
Just email me at hgillespie@fccn.org
and give me a brief synopsis of what you or a friend is struggling with. I’ll do my best to find and share with you
verses you can plaster all over your house and car too! It has made a difference for me. Why? I
believe it is because of the truth found in Isaiah 55:10-11, “As the rain and the snow come
down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making
it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower
and bread for the eater, so
is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will
accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Read those words I emphasized one more
time. What does God say about the word
from His mouth? 1. It will not return to Him empty.
2. It
will accomplish what He desires.
3. It
will achieve the purpose for which He sent it.
God’s Word is powerful.
It brought me peace and calm the second day… and while my journey continues with ups and
downs (which I’ll continue to share with you for a season), the peace I
received was one that was from the depths of my soul… the kind of peace that only comes from
Jesus.
Close today by asking God for something from His Word, the
Bible. And email me for some help if He
leads you to do so.
For further study:
Read 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.”
How should we give our anxiety, or as the original Greek
text says, “our cares which trouble us,” to God?
What will He give us in return if we are open to receive it?
Read Isaiah 55:8-9, “For
my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares
the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher
than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
What do you learn about God’s thoughts and ways?
Does this comfort you?
Scare you? What does this mean to
you?
Read Deuteronomy 31:6, “Be strong and courageous. Do
not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your
God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
What does God promise? What does this
mean to you?
What do you learn about God’s thoughts and ways?
Does this comfort you?
Scare you? What does this mean to
you?
Read Deuteronomy 31:6, “Be strong and courageous. Do
not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your
God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
What does God promise? What does this
mean to you?
No comments:
Post a Comment