You might wonder why I haven't posted in two days. I was away at our church's women's retreat with one of my best buds. We had a GREAT time. Linda Dillow was our guest speaker. She is the author of one of my all time favorite books, Calm My Anxious Heart! I can not recommend this book enough. So... over the next three days I am going to try to blog the highlights of the lessons learned! It was sooooo good, but some of it was painful. Sometimes truth doesn't feel good at first. That's just the truth...LOL...
Anyway, the first day she focused on being content no matter the circumstance. She said we must focus on God as the BLESSED controller of all things.
1 Timothy 6:15-God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
She went on to say that God is good and loves us with an everlasting love and has assigned your portion.
Psalm 16:5 5 LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. She said that contentment is a choice. She had us look at Philippians 4: 11-13. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have
learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (
So contentment can be learned). Then, she talked about how we have to trust His hand. An example of this is in the book, The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. In this book, two Christian sisters had to really learned to rely on their Loving, Creator and Father. It was their Bible and doing their best to live the teachings contained in the Bible that helped them through some of most unbearable of times. Corrie and her sister were prisoners in a concentration camp with terrible conditions. They some how had survived so much, but the conditions of the final barracks were well beyond what they thought they could bare -- including a thick infestation of fleas in the straw they were to sleep on. Corrie turned to her sister and cried, "Betsie, how can we live in such a place!" Immediately Betsie began to pray and soon the answer cam to her. They had read it in the Bible just that morning "Give thanks in all circumstances." Betsie was sure this was the answer. Corrie recounted the scene as follows:
"Betsie Said, "We can start right now to thank God for every single thing about his new barracks"
I stared at her, then around me at the dark, foul aired room. "Such as?" I said.
"Such as being assigned her together."
I bit my lip, "Oh Yes, Lord Jesus!"
"Such as what you're holding in your hands."
I looked down at the Bible. "Yes! Thank You, dear Lord, that there was no inspection when we entered here! Thank You for all the women here in this room who will meet You in these pages."
"Yes," said Betsie. "Thank You for the very crowding here. Since we're packed so close, that many more will hear. She looked at me expectantly, "Corrie!" she prodded.
"Oh, all right. Thank You for the jammed, crammed, stuffed, packed suffocating crowds."
"Thank you," Betsie went on serenely, "for the fleas and for--"
The FLEAS!! This was too much. Betsie, there's no way even God can make me grateful for a flea."
"'Give thanks in All circumstances,'" she quoted. "It doesn't say in pleasant circumstances. Fleas are part of this place where God has put us."
And so we stood between piers to bunks and gave thanks for fleas. But this time I was sure Betsie was wrong. Because they began to thank instead gribes, they had positive attitudes and became a positive influence on the others in their barracks. As their world grew blacker with evil outside the barracks, their world inside (even with the fleas) became miraculously brighter. What made the difference? They read the Bible to the others; soon all gathered at the end of everyday to hear the word of God. They all began to try to apply the teachings as they looked for light in a black world. The women in the barracks quit being mean to each other and replaced it kindness.
Normally these barracks had surprise inspections where their precious Bible that brought so much light and strength would have been seized. Miraculously, they never had such inspections. Much later they found out it was because their barracks were so flea infested that the guards dared not inter. The fleas allowed them to have God's Word for their strength and their hope. Upon learning this, Corrie very humbly knelt and truly thanked God for the fleas!
We should also give thanks in all circumstances! As with Corrie's, we may learn that the very "fleas" that we saw as only a plague to our lives are the very things that allow God to bless us with the things we need most.
Although Mrs. Dillow didn't share that story ...she did say that Corrie Ten Boom had said, "Worry empties us from our strength".
She then said to look at Phillipians 4:4-9
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
KEYS- pray, beg (petition), and give thanks!
Results: May or may not get what you want..but will get amazing Peace that will guard your heart and your mind!
George Muller- The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith. The beginning of true faith is the end to anxiety!
There was sooooo much more but this is the cliff-note version.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADPP8Y7SDEk
She then told us about this video. The cougar (the devil)/ the baby bear (us)... the adult bear (God).
...until tomorrow,
Rachel
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