Do you struggle today to find words to speak? The suffering in our world is overwhelming, not to mention many of us have pain in our own little universe. Maybe like me, you are stunned by the injustice in our society, and your heart aches for the numerous lives lost not only to wrongdoing but also to illness. We are a nation that is hurting! There is a need to be bold and compassionate, but maybe we are not quite ready to be brave.
We stay silent because we don’t want to be attacked, judged, or misunderstood, and yet our silence says something too.
My mind isn’t clear, and my words will fall short, so today, I choose to solely point us to the one person who can bring us peace and understanding, and make us ready to be brave. It is Jesus! #understanding #Jesus Click To TweetJesus never ceases to amaze me with His responses. He never entirely reacts in the way I anticipate. Sometimes He turns the tables over in a loud gesture, and other times, it is in a quiet movement to someone in need. Yet, what stands out most is His love for you and me.
If we want to respond more like Jesus, we must first turn to Him in our anger and pain. #Jesus #respond Click To TweetWe must seek God for comfort from the world’s suffering. We must ask Him for wisdom in understanding what we do not know. Most importantly, we must let Him teach us how to love one another in the right way.
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
When You Need Wisdom and Understanding
“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.”
“Show me your ways, Lord,
teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.”
When It Is Hard to Find Words to Pray
“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.”
When You Need Peace
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
“I am leaving you with a gift— peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”
When You Desire God’s Will
“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good spirit lead me on level ground.”
When You Need God’s Love & Comfort
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.”
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Maybe your response will be in a quiet voice or loud, so many will hear. However, what is most important is that we let God direct our actions and our words. We must seek Him, to see things with new eyes and more understanding. He will equip us to be ready to be brave. But first, we must sit at His feet, ponder His words and listen for His voice.
Are you sitting at the feet of Jesus and letting Him show you how to respond and stand ready to be brave? #brave #Jesus Click To Tweet
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Embracing the Unexpected | Maree Dee
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We as American people need to get on our knees as a nation and ask God to forgive our sins as a nation and ask Him to remove this Covid-19 Virus from our shores. We need to accept Him as our Lord and Savior as a nation and follow His ways as a nation. This country needs a serious Christian Revival led by all Christians to walk to Washington again accepting God as our Father in Heaven to lead us in the immediate future. We need to seek His counsel comfort and grace to again be our focus to get out from under all the corruption and sickness we are experiencing. Not just as individuals but as a nation. I recognize all the good that is coming out of what is happening, people finally helping other people when they are hurting. People more than not showing love to one another. Time at home with your family as you should have and building a strong bond with your wife and children. Children playing and getting outside with their family and enjoying life as it should be. Not just binge of looking into a 2 1/2″ x 5″ box on a couch as this takes away their social activities and social skills as a person of value. How can we get all our Christian leaders to gather again in love of our Lord to show the rest of the world to bring people to Christ more than ever. We need to save this nation as a whole. God bless you and all you do for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!!
Greg, I agree many good things are coming out of this pandemic. I hope we can hang to those when it is over. However, there are also so many tragedies and loss of life. Yes, we need to be on our knees. Thank you for commenting.
Blessings,
Maree
Oh, so beautifully said. Scripture so perfectly suited to our struggles. Your words are a gift to me today.
I am so glad this was a gift for you today. God’s words are a treasure. Blessings, Maree
These are such good reminders, Maree. I know God is calling us all to be brave. Yet my timid little self often rebels against it. I have to force myself to often “just show up” scared, and trust God to do the rest.
Scripture to live by, to lean on, to fall upon and sleep under! Thanks for sharing His Word for such a time as these.
Thank you for stopping by and reading. Maree
Treading softly through the minefield of emotions. Thanks, Maree. One advantage of the mask – I can ugly cry in public and no one sees but God. Praying laments at the park this past week with sister churches, 6 ft apart. Tweeted!
Sue,
Yes, it is a minefield of emotions. I love that you prayed laments together at the park.
Ok, off-topic, but don’t they notice your eyes crying. Or, does your mask cover your eyes too? Mine just covers my mouth but I keep hoping people can see my eyes smiling when I smile at them.
Maree
Listen, ponder, and learn. God is waiting on the other side ready to equip us for the journey. Thank you for the call to be brave.
Amen! Yes, God will lead us; we just have to be willing. Maree
Such a kind nudge in a tough situation.
Thank you for the encouragement. Yes, these are tough times. We need to hear God’s voice. Happy Thursday!
I love this, Maree. We need to rest in the comfort of the only One who can help us. His ways are definitely not our ways. As the noise gets louder, I just stay away and curl up in my cocoon with Jesus. You’ve given some great scriptures here. Thanks much.
Wendy,
I am so glad you stopped by. Your cocoon with Jesus sounds pretty nice. I think I might do that for a few minutes this morning. Maree
Thanks for reminding me of this truth: Letting God lead us and not thinking we have to do it all on our own is part of being brave. I too am also surprised by Jesus’s answers. So often he responds differently than I think he will.
Theresa,
Thank you for adding to our conversation. I figure since Jesus responds in a way, I usually don’t expect He most likely will want he same fro me, which means I better be listening to Him. I hope your day is fantastic!