Week 17
Building A Relationship With God
Have you ever been consumed by stress? A situation in your life is so unfair and hurtful that it takes over every thought, word spoken and choice you make. You become physically sick from worry and stress. Your appetite diminishes. You start to recognize who is not there for you. You become depressed and feel alone. No one cares. No one is there to listen to you vent it all out. No one is there to agree with you and help you voice the unfairness. The people you have stood with disappear. You listened when they needed to vent; but no one wants to hear your problems.
This is a very precarious situation. You are past the point of choice. You are justified in your feelings. You are not wrong! You think that you cannot help or control your feelings or emotions.
How do we pull ourselves up and out of the all consuming darkness? How do we avoid revisiting this situation? How do we keep our peace of mind and stay in God's will when it feels like everyone is against us? How do we find joy when all we see is despair?
My Grand Mother's favorite saying, when I was upset as a child, was "Some little girl sure needs Jesus!" She would walk by me and say this, and I would cry harder. I didn't know how to let Jesus help me. She would make me so mad; but she was right. I needed Jesus. I also needed someone to tell me how to get Jesus. It took years of pain and rebellion before I figured this out. It is very simple; but hard too. We want approval from this world. We want comfort from those we love. I wanted my Grand Mother to stop, sit next to me, wrap her arms around me and tell me everything would be ok. she wanted me to find Jesus. The peace and comfort from my Heavenly Father is exactly what I needed.
How do we find Jesus? We find Jesus in the same way we find anything. We look for Him. We seek Him out. We cry out to Him. We ask for His help. We read the Bible and seek out His promises to us and we trust Him.
Here are some things God has promised us:
Peace: Isaiah 26:3 (KJV)
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Strength: Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Joy: Isaiah 35:10 (KJV)
And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Renewing of our Minds: Romans 12:2 (KJV)
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Supplying our Needs: Philippians 4:19 (KJV)
But my God shall supply all you need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Love: John 3:16 (KJV)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
God Will Fight For Us: Exodus 14:14 (KJV)
The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
God will not fail Us: Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
We are not Alone: Isaiah 41:10 (KJV)
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
I have listed a few promises from our Heavenly Father. The Bible is full of promises to us, children of God. How do we get these promises? It's simple. We have to believe that God sent His son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins and that He rose again and lives today. The Bible says we find salvation when we believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths.
Romans 10:9-10 (KJV)
9- That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10- For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
We just have to have faith in God. We have to trust Him more than we trust the things of this world. We have to turn our focus toward God instead of focusing on our situation. We have to desire to please God more than pleasing people.
Galatians 1:10 (KJV)
For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
We simply have to make a choice to trust in God and accept the glorious peace, contentment and joy that only He can give. No earthly hug or bended ear can replace the presence of God or the comfort from your Heavenly Father.
This week I encourage you to choose the peace of God over the drama of life. Pray for those who wrong you. Sing a song of Praise to change the atmosphere from chaos to peace. Accept God's gifts and let Him transform you with His love. Tell Him all your troubles and let Him fight your battles. Choose this week to strive to please God and not people and enjoy the precious gift of peace over your life.
Have a Blessed Week In Christ!
Jeanie Hannah