Whose Battle is it Anyway?

When I opened my Bible© app on my phone today, the verse was James 1:12.  After reading it, I knew I had to blog about it.  It's such an encouraging verse, but there is so much power in this one verse alone!!

When I think of the word "trial", I think of anything that I may face in my life.  Whether it's the trial of "I need to stop procrastinating!!" or it's a trial of losing a loved one.  Trials and battles are not fun.  I don't like them, but I don't know many who do.  Especially when some trials come and go, but don't seem to end.  Life is full of trials, but it's full of victories, too.

"For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory."  Deuteronomy 20:4

To give you victory.  I want to park there and dwell on that last part for a minute.  God is on my side.  My side!!  He's on mine, yours, and anyone who will give over to Him the sword to fight.  The battle is not mine.  The trial is not yours.  We are just the ones going through it.  We are the reflectors of Christ.  Through us, Christ resembles His incredible power.  But in the end of any trial, who is glorified??  God! But, who is stronger?? We are!!  Jesus Christ is the bearer of all sin, but He is also our victor!!!

How cool is that??!!?!

So, anyway, don't lose hope, friends. The battle belongs to the Lord, so rely on His strength.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

Tomorrow's Worries

One of my good friends passed away this week, and it has been hard for everyone around here.  She (Barb) was an incredible woman and role model.  But, through all of this, I have grown in the wisdom of the Lord, and I think there's something to be said for that. (:

My friend and I were talking at the funeral today about knowing when one will die.  At first, it may seem like a good idea to want to know, but I had to think about it.  If I knew exactly when I was going to die, how would my life look different?  I would probably be more prone to do things I wouldn't ordinarily do.  Whether it's on the YOLO side of things, or more on the "be a good neighbor" policy, I would, no doubt, live my life a whole lot differently.

But is living life like that worth living?  For me, not knowing when the Lord will take me home is freeing.  That means that He knows my life far better than I do.  Plus, I'm able to live my life focused on today.  What will today bring?  How will I love those around me today?

I needn't worry about tomorrow.  Tomorrow has its own problems (Matthew 6:34).  I know, for a fact, that God wants me to live like that.  Just live.  Bring life to those around me.  Pour my time and love into those I come into contact with.

I know it won't be nor look perfect, but I need to at least try.  Try to help.  Try to love.  Try to live, and forget about tomorrow's worries.


Here's a song that encourages me in this area:

Morning Choices

Happiness.

One of my biggest struggles.  I face it every day.  I battle with it every minute.  But do I choose it?

Happiness is a choice we make.  We don't always make it voluntarily, but we make it all the same.

It's one of those things we can feel like we don't deserve.  Past choices, future worries, anything at all can trick us into thinking that happiness isn't for us.  It's for those who don't have anything to regret, or worry about.  People whose lives don't have creases or wrinkles.  People who have it all together.  Perfect people.

I thought that.  I do think that.  "Happiness isn't for me.  It's for people who don't have to worry if they're going to get a good grade on the next test; for people who are perfectly organized; those who always know exactly what to do or say.  Not me."

Lies.  All lies.

I really don't care what your history looks like, not what your future holds, or what crisis you're facing right now, or even how perfect your life is or may seem.  Every single of one of us when we wake up, have a very clear choice.  Happiness or Defeat?

 "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit drains one's strength."  Proverbs 17:22

Every exhausting, chaotic, beautiful morning we wake up is a gift.  God is giving us a new day to live life.  Live it glorifying your Savior, and not letting anything defeat your happiness.  God's blessings are new every morning.

How will you live it?

New Beginnings

"For if we have been united together in likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should  no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with HIm, knowing that christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Romans 6:5-11

"For sin shall now have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace."  Romans 6:14

Reading these verses this morning really gave me a different perspective on the concept that when we are alive with Christ our sins are washed away.

I don't know if you have ever felt this way, but for a very long time it was hard for me to ever grasp that concept. I always felt like it was wrong to let go of my sins and think of them as "washed away". To me, that was wrong because I felt like I deserved to dwell on my mistakes and inwardly punish myself. I knew that God had forgiven me and that my sins were "washed away". I mean, I read the verses, and I sang about it, but I didn't know it.

Just within the last few months God has been teaching me to let go. If we are truly sorry for what we have done, God has forgiven us. So, let's let go. Let go of past mistakes. Let go of the thoughts that tell us that we're a failure and that we'll never get this right. Let go of caring what other people think of us. If we don't we are throwing away the gift Jesus Christ gave us when He suffered on the cross.

Every day is a new day, a new beginning. You have a fresh chance every day to be a better person than you were yesterday. So, grasp on to the grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ and let it set you free!