A Poem Inspired by My Sunday School Teacher

Relief for The Heart

by Lisa Akers

Rumbling.

Frustration.

Threatening to dissolve my resolve.

Longing.

Searching.

Needing answers and direction.

This loneliness demands company.

Relax.

Recall.

My God is in Control.

Realizing I’m never alone

As a Child of God.

And the heartache can only be relieved

When deposited into God's heart.

 

 

A Blessing Or A Burden?

How many times have I judged another person’s actions based on my perceptions?  Too many I am afraid.  It becomes so painfully apparent when I am on the receiving end of such a judgment call.  Lord help me to be sensitive to your leading more than my need to be approved or to have my opinion heard.  Although I agree that fellow Christians are to endeavor to help one another stay on the straight and narrow--we should be doubly sure that we are not being legalistic and setting forth a standard that God has not called us to.  

I know I have been guilty of judging others in the past.  And honestly I really didn’t know what my friend or family member was dealing with.  I used to be a rule-follower believing that would enable me to be a better Christian.  But I have learned the best way to be a better Christian is to be real with the Lord and with people.  That means I cannot be perfect and I need to be ok with that.  The Lord God created me so He’s not surprised by my failings and shortcomings.  In fact, I believe His mercy reaches out to minister then--and I am more able to look to Him for my strength and healing because of those same weaknesses.

Now I can be honest and I can say I am not where I want to be in my relationship with the Lord but I am not running from Him.  I’m just learning to slow down and let Him work in me and on me--healing my body, my mind and my spirit.  In the past, I was overwhelmed and in too big of a hurry to allow Him to work because people were depending on me.  I’m learning to say “no” and I’m learning to rest.  The Lord is delivering me from being a people pleaser and from a performance-based mindset.  I am trying to listen for the Lord’s direction in the things that I do and say.   Even though some difficult issues have presented themselves in my life, I am not abandoning my faith in the One who has all the answers.

So, friends, let’s be cautious about making assumptions and do not judge others when they  don’t do what you think they should be doing.   Walk beside them and show them your love, concern and support.  And above all, use your words to pray to our Father to meet the needs represented in their lives.  When our brothers and sisters in Christ are experiencing challenging times, be a blessing not a burden.

Romans 14:13  Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

Transform Your World With Your Words

In order to grow and gain victory over our challenges, we must examine our thinking and speaking.  Realize that God created the universe by His Word and we are created in His image.  So just as God created all we see with His spoken Word, OUR words carry creative powers.  We must be aware of and cautious with the words that pour from our mouths because they carry the power to build up or tear down (especially with our children).  If we speak blessings over our children, we will see that come forth.  If we speak fear, worry and regret over them, we will see those things manifested in their lives.  

God has used many influences in my life to transform my thinking and speaking.  Of course, scripture is transformative and carries great power and teaches us how to live and breathe and hope in Him.  There are many wonderful ministers and authors who have written books and produced video teachings that have been invaluable to me in my journey to find answers.
 

As we grow in our understanding, we realize that everything is a process—there are no quick or simple fixes to the problems and challenges that we face daily.  At times the journey may be short and sweet and sometimes the paths of discovery are long and arduous—and others prove to be bittersweet at the end.  Once we come through a time of challenge and discovery, we have learned invaluable information about ourselves and about God that maybe could not have been gained any other way.  Thanks and praises to God for not giving up on us - His patience and faithfulness is so comforting. 
 

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Trust In The Lord God - He's Got Your Back!

 

Someone who appears to be gifted with a persistent and determined focus or mindset can wade through a lot of problems without “throwing in the towel”.  However on the flipside of that same coin is a stubborn and willful attitude that throws roadblocks in the way of God working in and through them.  When problems park on our doorstep, we need to accept the fact that we do not have it all figured out.  We need to grow dependent upon God and His direction during these times.  He wants us to give up our pride and our self sufficiency and lay our heads against His chest, listen to His heart and know that He’s got our back.

 

Psalm 73:28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all Your works.

A Purpose For Every Rock In Our Path

 

Everyone encounters setbacks and disappointments.  I admit some have more than their fair share and we struggle to wrap our minds around the “whys”.  Sometimes our choices in life lead us along a rocky path and many times it is another person’s choices that create havoc in our lives.  Now it’s not easy but this is when I have to step back and make the decision:  I will not be ruled by frustration or my emotions and I will accept that God is in control.  He is the Creator of the Universe and knows the beginning from the end and every point in between.  He knows every thought and event that comes into the life of His children and nothing happens without His allowing it to be put into motion.  He directs our path—we may not know or understand His plans but just know there’s a reason for every step, every stumble, every success and every failure.  We must trust Him at all times regardless of how we feel – this is a decision we make and we must not allow our emotions to take control.

 

 

Colossians 1:16-17   For it was in Him that all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [by His service, intervention] and in and for Him.  And He Himself existed before all things, and in Him all things consist (cohere, are held together).

The Truth Sets Us Free

For a couple of days I have been contemplating upon the idea of how to help people when they ask for advice but they cannot recognize or accept that they have a “thinking” problem and they avoid attempts to help them see their error.  Now I’m not talking about tearing someone down but trying to help one grow into a more healthy way of thinking and behaving.  I understand we live in a sin-sick world but it is not productive for us to don the “rose-colored” glasses and pretend there are no problems or if there are problems to blame it on someone else’s issues and not ours.  I’m learning that wisdom dictates my silence and prayers more often than my handing out advice in these situations.
 

Ephesians 4:15 Rather, let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, [even] Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).