Joshua 1:8
"...[B]ut you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." (Joshua 1:8).
"You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me." (John 5:39).
"And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13).
So we just read about striving for perfection, and today I get to read about all the areas of my life that are so far from perfect. I can hardly skip a meal without being excessively cranky, let alone fast. I can not tell you how many times a day I ask the question "what will we eat", and yes I concern myself with what to wear... and I probably shouldn't get started on how much I worry about tomorrow, the next day, or the next year- definitely a reflection of my inability to hand over control and be more trusting of god. And then there's prayer. I used to pray the our father all the time, now my small snippets of prayer are not about helping me to forgive but are usually limited to nearly begging for patience. Hmm- josh did I miss anything? ;)
ReplyDelete7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do.
DeleteMary, I believe God actually listens to and values your "snippets". Praying the so-called "Lord's Prayer" is exactly what Jesus said to avoid, and I believe is so general and vague (as templates are meant to be) that God doesn't take it seriously when we do use it as our own, rather than making it our own.
Your snippets are real, vulnerable, and applicable - exactly what God wants from us.
I'm right there with you, Mary. However, I don't think the issue is so much not to plan what to make for dinner, or to think out what you're going to wear for the day, or even plan for the future. The issue is "worrying" about these things - to make them more important than they really are. I don't think God wants us all to be free-spirit hippies throwing caution to the wind. Rather, He wants us focused on what's truly important and to not stress over the little things...or the big things for that matter.
ReplyDeleteThe recurring theme here is to do everything unto God. This is especially hard for a proud, people-pleaser such as myself. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness...