All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
When I Am Down
When you feel down, beat-up or overwhelmed, what does God use to pick you up and get you through?
Lord Bless,
LT
TheNET Coordinator
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by littlesheep88 on
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You sure know how to respond to a persons comment lol. Thanxs for breaking it down for me. I realize God wants me to focus on Him. Sometimes I don't understand what that means, or that it means a lot of things... That He is everything I guess. Man, I hate growing up.
Looking forward to hearing your sermon though..
Thanxs for the encouragement.
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Permalink Reply by Carla on
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Here's a devotion that came in my email today. Remember to 'SAP' Stop and Pray! Blessings, Carla
Too Tired to Pray-Proverbs 31 Ministries
22 Nov 2010
Wendy Pope
"Then I prayed to the God of heaven..."
Nehemiah 2:4b (NIV)
Have you ever been in the midst of an ongoing challenge of life whose sting never ceased? As one day faded into the next, you wondered how you would have the energy to make it through. You looked for direction asking, "What can I do that will make my situation different?"
I have been there, done that, and bought the t-shirt. I am a survivor of some tough challenges. Challenges that stole my energy, zest for life, and belief that things could change. In fact, I am currently living such a challenge and have been for several years.
During difficult days my godly friends offer wise counsel. They point me to scripture with aspirations of encouraging me and bringing hop e to what I deem hopeless. My friends hold me up in prayer. They remind me to pray. However, there are times when the weight of my circumstances are so heavy, when I bow my head to pray I find I am just too tired.
I am tired of moving forward one day, only to run into another obstacle that prohibits progress the next day. I am tired of expelling my energies trying to make a difference, only to find myself right back where I was before. Because this situation robs me of spiritual, mental and physical energy, I feel too tired to pray.
I am too tired to pray until I remember a man in the Bible. This man found himself in a challenge that had the potential to rob him of spiritual, mental, and physical strength. He ran into one obstacle after another and worked hard each day trying to make a difference. Unlike me, this man was not too tired to pray.
The man is Nehemiah. He wept and mourned over the condition of Jerusalem after the exiles returned from Babyl on. He was motivated to help his people rebuild. Having the favor of the king and the presence of God on his side, one would assume the assignment would not be a challenge. However, government officials Sanballat and Tobiah, made it their personal business to undermine the rebuilding progress. Nehemiah responded to each insult and obstacle the same way: he prayed.
Nehemiah and the Israelites found praying was the needed prescription to revive them, restore their energy and continue building! Through the power of prayer their enemies were defeated and the wall was rebuilt. What a wonderful lesson for anyone struggling through life's challenges, too tired to pray. Let's examine this prescription for those who are overwhelmed.
We can simplify Nehemiah's prayer prescription as SAP (Stop and Pray). According to Dictionary.com the word sap means energy and vitality. Vitality is defined as exuberant physical strength or mental vigor; power to live and grow. Nehemiah had it ri ght. He made prayer his first choice, not his last resort. He discovered prayer would revive his spirit and restore the mental and physical energy needed to overcome challenges.
Do you find yourself facing a challenge? Have you felt just too tired to pray? Join me today as I SAP -- stop and pray. Let's allow the power of prayer to revive our spirit and restore our physical and mental vigor. By following Nehemiah's example we will have the energy needed to defeat the enemy and thrive in the midst of our challenges.
Dear Lord, through the power of prayer, today's challenge can be tomorrow's victory. Forgive me when I make prayer my last resort instead of my first choice. Help me remember the truths You have taught me today. Help me SAP when adversity comes my way. Thank You for prayer and the power I receive when I turn to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
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Great Word! Here are two others:
P.U.S.H Pray until something happens
PACE -Every morning, pace yourself by 1. Praising God 2. Accepting is love and mercy 3. Commit your day to Him and 4. Expect something good to happen!
I've been feeling sapped alot lately. Thanxs for the sharing.
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Permalink Reply by Sarah Gardener on
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LT and others,
He puts a song in my heart..... The other day it was (this was after prayer and communion):
Yeshua will Arise - by Carolyn Hyde!
(Based on Mal 4:2, Eph 1:7 and Rev 21:1, 4)
In the name of our God, be healed
In the name of our God, Be healed
There's only one name under heaven and earth
And we now by His stripes, we're healed
Yeshua will arise with healing in His wings (x 4)
In the name of our God, be saved
In the name of our God, be saved
There's only one name under heaven and earth
And we know by His blood we're saved
Yeshua will arise and He will take us home (x 4)
He will speak to me in the night seasons with dreams - the other day it was a dream based on the fact that Jesus is not far away and I will soon be transported from the 14th floor (1 on the earth) to the 17th floor (1 in perfection with HIM). In the dream Jesus was putting on his garment dipped in blood and He was nearly done. It was the only thing holding up the elevator to the 17th floor.
Many many more dreams of His return and retrieval of His loved ones. In that regard I do have assurance of salvation - haha - but I do not want to be complacent - so I must take heed lest I fall.
Sometimes it is a direct word of knowledge. Sometimes its a feeling like someone is collecting my tears as they fall. At times it is a presence - like a surrounding. Sometimes it is a scripture. Sometimes its a buzz as I study His scriptures and I am enlightened by His awesome Spirit. Once it was the presence of a mighty angel in the doorway stopping an evil presence. How safe I felt that night. My sleep was sweet. Sometimes He gives me a break in my illness - a small window where I feel normal again and I laugh when I know I should be sicker. Sometimes when His mercies are new in the morning - I know I have overdone it the day before and I feel reasonable. Sometimes its getting through the day and I know I should not have - and achieved much. I look back and know that He has been with me. When my illness gets to much and I feel I can't go on - its severity lifts for a couple of days - I know this is Him - He is not giving me toooo much to bare but enough to draw on HIM - my strength. O Praise the Lord for this illness for I am His through it - He has made me His - My beloved is mine and I am His. One in Spirit. My Yeshua is coming for me and I await Him with open arms and joy! He is stripping me of Linda-sufficiency and replacing it with Jesus-sufficiency. Halleluyah!
Anyway I have prattled on....
God Bless
Linda Ruth
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Hi Amanda,
I love these devotionals.. This one is really good from today:
Learning to Trust Again29 Nov 2010
Micca Monda Campbell
“Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
John 11:40 (NIV)
Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus were in Jesus’ inner circle of friends. As part of the “in” crowd, Mary and Martha felt certain Jesus would come to them when Lazarus got ill. They had seen Jesus heal and minister to complete strangers. Surely, He’d come to those whom He loved. However, we see in John 11:4-6 that was not the case.
Jesus indeed loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Yet, when He heard that Lazarus was sick He stayed where He was two more days.
Let’s pause here for a moment. I find it very confusing that while Jesus loved His friends, He waited two days before He went to their side. These verses appear to validate our fear of rejection. We think, “If Jesus ignored His friend Lazarus, then He can ignore me too.”
After my husband died, I felt unloved and forgotten by God. I had trusted Him and believed as His child nothing bad would happen to me. When something bad did happen, I bought Satan’s lie. “I knew it, God. I knew You really didn’t love me!” I believed Satan’s propaganda which caused me to doubt God. He had promised never to leave or desert me, but there I was, alone. How could God betray me? I wondered.
Do you know that hollow, helpless feeling that accompanies the pain of rejection, loss, and loneliness? It may be the loss of your home, the loss of a pregnancy, or perhaps a loved one rejected you in some way. The pain of that rejection warns that trusting again is too risky.
The truth is, when you and I experience either emotional or physical trauma, and God doesn’t respond like we think He should, we will do one of two things. Either we turn to God, trusting Him with the result; or we run from God and feed on bitterness. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We can learn to trust again.
Perspective is often limited by circumstances. God knows exactly what He’s doing in your life and it’s always based on love. When I’m overcome with fear I’m not really looking for answers. I’m looking for the assurance that God is near, that He’s in control, and He cares about me and my circumstances.
While others may reject us, you and I need not fear rejection from God. As I began to understand that God had not left me, but was in the pit with me, I started to see a deeper truth. Bad things are going to happen to me while on earth. Usually they are the result of living in this fallen world.
Sickness, abuse and death are part of life in a fallen world that God will someday restore. Until then, God may allow me to go through these things. It’s not to cause me any undue pain, but rather He allow them and then use them to accomplish spiritual growth. Charles Stanley explains, “Some things are so important to God that they are worth interrupting the happiness and health of His children in order to accomplish them.”
This was true with Mary and Martha. Jesus told Martha that she would see the glory of God if she believed. Did you catch that? Believing is seeing. If you and I choose faith over fear, we will see the glory of God turn our pain into life and blessings.
As Mary and Martha believed, they witnessed the glory of God when He raised their brother from the dead. Their fears vanished and their faith was restored. If you and I want to exchange our fear for faith, we must believe that what Christ has in store for us is worth our present pain.
Dear Lord, even when I don’t understand Your actions, help me trust that You have my best at heart. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Blessings, Carla
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Hi Amanda,
It's surely not only for you.. It truly fits all of us.. But i believe the Lord put this on my heart to share with you for today.. many times this very message has been for me.
Blessings, Carla
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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on
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Amanda,
>>It kinda makes God saound awful, really. It's like the couple grieving the loss of their little daughter and someone tells them, Cheer up. God just needed another angel, another flower in His garden. Well, he is God. He can do anything. He can make another angel or another flower. Without interrupting people's lives or breaking their hearts.
Sis this life is but a vapor in which we are constantly allowed to be reminded by the consequences of the things God allows to come our way that this is NOT our home. We belong to two kingdoms; this one is but the porch to the next permanent one. A Christian couple who lose their baby girl can find the strength and comfort in the Lord to bring God glory through it all. We know God gives and takes away and we can rest knowing He is holy and good. A Christian couple knows that baby is with the Lord and this is an opportunity to bring Glory to our King. The disease that took the life of the baby is the consequence of sin. The strength to go on smiling through it all is something ALL Christians can posses.
God must be sitting on the throne of our hearts and not our kids, wife, hubby etc... We have the God given capacity, as the great cloud of witnesses we have show us, to be able to be extraordinary people due to the Holy Spirit residing in us. We are to be strong people who are not easily broken down by the trials and storms of life. It is very, EXTREMLY possible to be spiritually strong as we abide in Christ. The ability to rejoice through it all is available to us all. Yes we hurt and we missed whatever was lost but we are not sent on a spin as if we where people without answers, purposes and a Good and holy God.
I was engaged to a beautiful woman 3 years ago and she had to go through brain surgery to remove cancer on the brain she died after the procedure was unsuccessful. She was in a comma for a week, her will had stipulated that if she was brain dead to disconnect her. She was a nurse and was ok with going home. God gave me the strength to get on the pulpit on the following Sunday of the week I heard the news to tell the church that God had given and He had taken away, blessed be the Lord. I missed her and what we could have been, but I completely rested upon the knowledge that God knows best, I rested on knowing who God is. I am sharing this with you not to tell you what a great Christian I am. I fall short daily, but just to let you know that I am not speaking from other’s experiences which are abundant, but I am speaking from experience and of course to bring glory to my Lord and King.
I would never tell a person that God needed another angel or another flower in His Garden. I would tell them the truth. God has allowed this to test your faith and to strengthen it. Don't ask why, ask what am I to learn and teach from this.
Christians who have not acquire the maturity/ability in Christ to rejoice through it all should not feel condemned by their in ability to do so, but instead should long to get to that place where if God asked of them to sacrifice a part of their lives they would not go into depression, but rejoice in the fact that we can shine for Him. This life is not it family. This life is not it, it is not if. We are storing treasures for the next one.
Lord Bless you.
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Amanda ,
Depression is a normal response in the grieving process, that is exactly correct, it is the natural response, not the Spiritual one. Can a spiritual and mature Christian fall into depression? Of course, but it should not be so and when we do fall into such natural responses we need to do as David did. Who spoke to himself, kind of like telling himself to snap out of it.
Psalm 42
1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
under the protection of the Mighty One[d]
with shouts of joy and praise
among the festive throng.
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
My Savior and my God.
Mature Christians have learned how to deal with all or many of the pits we can fall into. Maturity in Christ is possible, very real and available to us all. The sad part is that we see so few folks walk in such freedom that we think is just a fairy tale. Depression wanted to fall upon me when my fiancé died, but I stood on the word of God and my soul was perfectly ok with my God allowing me to experienced that. I am not an exception, by God's grace and to his glory people have been able to live free from all the garbage the natural man can fall into. God can take weak, lost and blind folks and make them into blessings to a dying world, who will not be perfect, but are perfected in Him and through Him and ONlY through His empowerment can live lives that bring Him glory.
All praise to our king.
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Beloved Amanda,
Those that suffer due to the reasons you have mentioned, do because of lack of knowledge. Lack of knowledge of who God is and who they are in Christ. When people approach me with stuff that is not biblical I don't receive that, actually I use that opportunity to teach the truth. My answers are not generic, they are scriptural and they are the truth and guard my heart. So if someone is tore in two because people are telling them stuff that is not applicable to them, then they have to learn that people can be wrong and they should seek God for their answers, mainly through God's word and mature Christians. I really firmly believe that for everything and every situation there is a solid biblical answer, people may not like it or accept it, but the answer remains. If church people would have approached me when I was going through my lost and told me well brother if I were you, I would examine myself because God maybe punishing you for something. I would have done what I usually do and prayed in my head to God to help me bless that person with the truth. I have suffered in the past the consequences of my wrong choices, the correction of God for those wrong choices and the trials that come to test our faith and as I abide in Christ I don't depend on anyone to tell me why I am going through something. I know why, God has taught me through the word why. As I examine myself I come to sound, solid conclusions and when the wrong counsel is given to me, again, it is just an opportunity to teach those folks to stop speaking unbiblicaly, for they can hurt some.
We are all different, but The word of God is the same for us all. You can have the God given ability to rejoice through it all. God is not into playing favorites, if you don't reach such maturity, you only have your own lack of abiding in Christ to blame for that. That is not meant to bring condemnation to you, but simply the truth. When I am beaten by sin or find myself wanting to fall into self pity, or I start wondering what God's will is for me in some situation is, or I am tire of this life, all those things are Red Flags that I am lacking in my communion with God, because when I abide in Him, Girl I am loving life, I know the will of God for me in almost all situations and I am full of Joy.
I love you too my sister and because I love you I will not sugar coat my responses to you while trying to be sensitive to where you are at, but only the truth can set us free. when I was being released from prison 14 years ago after serving almost three years in which I felled in love with God and where I came to know Him, I was so excited to finally be able to become a member of a church where I thought that I would find people who had been in Christ for way longer than me and who would be able to teach me so much, but to my sad surprise, most folks in church are biblically illiterate and are not able to give an answer for the hope in which we belief. I found they were not equipped nor did they have answers. Praise God, for He used that to tell me that that is not how it should be. They suffer all the things they suffer for lack of knowledge, they lack the truth. Is that God's fault when He has given us all we need for Godliness? Now we all for short and we all go through times when we get beat up by life, but those times should diminish as we continue to abide in Christ and mature.
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
2 Peter 1:3
31 To the Jews (Amanda) who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8
Love to you. I appreciate you a lot sister, you are very real with your responses and the issues you raise require real answers.
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Beloved Amanda,
You should know me better than that by now beloved, but I do not mind reminding you that I have often shared my weaknesses with all of you, but I also enjoy sharing the truth that we can be free from all the pits we can fall into. I would be a liar if I did not speak to you that truth so clearly affirmed in the word.
Beloved we are not arguing, at least I am not. This is what I live for, to speak about the beauty of my Lord. My favorite topic in life. Yes philosophy etc are cool topics, but nothing comes close to edifying one another. I love you sis, I really do and if my intentions in teaching you the truth about our walk is taken as me showing off, then I need to find better ways to communicate and give God all the Glory. Do pray for me sis. This year has been a tough year. My mother lost her eye sight a few years back, my father’s dementia and Alzheimer’s is getting real bad, to the point where we are seriously considering placing him in a home, which we really do not want to do. The consequences of my past life continue to affect my present in legal matters, I Lost my permanent job and I am self employed now, plus I left a church I labored in and love the people. My theology has change enough for me to leave and I still haven't found a place a can settle in. So sis I am no stranger to pain, but for His praise and glory I remain smiling. His word is true, His word is powerful. I have never shared these things before and I have been here for a long time. No one has heard me complain about my beautiful mother’s lost or why is my dad going through this horrible situation, not because I am superman sis, I am not even close to that, but because I understand and my heart is established in some beautiful truths. Which you can also build on beloved that is all I am saying sis.
Beloved is perfectly ok to share your fears etc... we all do at one point or another and if my desire to edify you comes off as arrogant, holier than though responses to you, then I am probably lacking the writing skills to word my responses in a way where it would be clear that my only desire is to love you and bring God glory.
I have never told you, you should be at peace with all that you are going through, I told you that the ability to overcome all those pits is available to you beloved, but getting there is a process for every Christian.
There will be people who will listen to you and not say a word to you and simply let you unburden your heart. I am capable of doing that as well when the Lord guides me to just be a sounding board for someone, but you have such individuals, so I find it my obligation to remind you of the beauty of Christianity. What are the benefits of being in Christ - Way too many to enumerate here, but among them is our ability to stand and smile through it all.
I love you as I love every member of the body of Christ and that love drives me to share some beautiful truths with you beloved. That is all.
Love to you my sis. -
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One last thought sis Amanda. It is obvious to me that you are a strong woman in Christ and my desire is only to remind you of the beautiful truths we at times of the storms tend to need to be reminded of. From reading your post I see a strong Christian woman and that gives me the freedom to speak to you as I do.
As our sister Linda has stated my intentions were not to come off as being in a high horse, but I think you know that deep in your heart. You have not offended me ever and I understand that life is hard and at times we respond in different ways to the challenges that come.
Love to you my friend and sister. -
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Hi Everyone,
I love the simplicity of this message.. It seems that I have posted alot of devotionals here lately.. but they are all so good. :-)
Here's another one:
Don't Overthink It1 Dec 2010
written by Rachel Olsen-proverbs 31 Ministries
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.”
Philippians 4:6 (NLT)
I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with my life — and I’m running out of time to figure it out. What if I never find it? Will I always be unhappy and unfulfilled? Will I never achieve my purpose? What will God do about that – will He call me a bad servant? But I can’t help it. Why doesn’t He answer my prayers for direction?
Maybe I’m just too sinful or something. I know I should read the Bible more. Is this limbo I’m in some kind of punishment for that? Am I really so much worse than everybody else? Maybe I just don’t have any special gifts or talents. Or they just never got developed. Maybe that’s it, and maybe now it’s too late. So what do I do now? I don’t know what I’m supposed to do …
Does this resemble your thinking sometimes? Perhaps not about your calling, but about finding a spouse, or affording a house, or exercising regularly, or a conflict with your mother or boss. Do you tend to overthink things? To worry and ruminate? To endlessly, passively, excessively ponder the meanings, causes and potential consequences of your problems? Do you dwell on them?
Many of us believe that when we feel down about something we should try to evaluate our feelings and our situation from every angle to attain insight and find solutions to relieve our unhappiness. However, a host of research in the last 20 years has shown that dwelling on thoughts like this creates negative outcomes: it sustains or worsens sadness, fosters negative thinking, depletes motivation, saps energy, interferes with concentration, and typically impairs our problem-solving.
Professor Sonja Lyubomirsky writes: “Although people have a strong sense that they are gaining insight into themselves and their problems during their ruminations, this is rarely the case. What they do gain is a distorted, pessimistic perspective on their lives.” She adds, “You need to free yourself from the clutch of your ruminations – in other words, immediately stop overthinking.”
Based on what he wrote in Philippians 4:6-13, I think the apostle Paul would agree with the professor. Pause and scroll down to read the whole passage now in the “Power Verses” below and then come back.
As we see, in verse six, Paul gives three clear instructions for those of us who ruminate on our problems. He says:
1) do not worry about anything
2) pray about everything
3) thank God for everything
What if today we took this instruction to heart and put it into practice? What if today we decided not to worry about anything? What if when we found ourselves worrying, we stopped and handed the situation over to God in prayer? What if we then thanked Him for taking care of the issue?
In fact, what if we spent most of our mental free-time today thinking about what good care our awesome God takes of us?
What if we counted our blessings and God’s acts of faithfulness today — and again tomorrow and next week too? What would happen then?
Paul says in verse seven, we will begin to experience amazing peace — a kind of peace we can’t even imagine. Peace that makes no earthly sense! This kind of peace is so powerful that it has a protective function on our hearts and minds — which only makes it easier for us to stop worrying and be thankful.
That sounds like a state of happiness to me! So let’s not over-think it today. Let’s not under-pray it either. Let’s actively choose to have a happy, thankful day. And then let’s get up tomorrow and do it again.
Dear Lord, I’m turning over all my fears and problems to You to handle today. I can’t fix a single thing by worrying about it – but You can fix anything because nothing is impossible for You! Thanks for being in charge of my day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Have you gotten a copy of Rachel's new book It’s No Secret: Revealing Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know?
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