Something in the book I am reading for devotions at school this morning inspired me. It was a story about a Chinese Christian who was put in a horrible prison for his faith. He was extremely depressed and he said, "I began trying to think rationally, forcing myself to look at the facts." To me, the "facts" of his situation were the horrible conditions where he was living, the corrupt government, and the fact that he had no idea when he would be released. Harsh facts. Find a way to deal with it. But to him, the "facts" were the promises in the Bible. I do this so many times... pray about something, then say to myself, "You DO have to be realistic about this though! Look at the facts!" So why do I think that my "facts"... a tiny human perspective of how the past and the present has been, warped by the emotions that I'm feeling, and probably by Satan whispering lies to me.... is being more "realistic" than the promises of the Bible. I want to take those promises as truth... Solid facts, just as much as the earthly things that I can see, in fact infinite times more solid and enduring.
God says: Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
I say: But we have to accept the fact that doesn't always answer our prayers. Probably God won't give me this thing that I want so badly. God's plan is hard to understand. Basically I have to accept that my life may be one hard climb after another until I die, never getting what I want.
But... who made my heart and it's desires? God... and He cares about them. If I am sincerely serving him and my heart is controlled by Him, the facts are he will make my heart happy. That deep desire to have a fulfilling life, to love and be loved, God will give me. He can... actually WILL bring that to pass.
God says: Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
I say... But you have to look at numbers... facts. You have to think for yourself, panic about getting a summer job, all that. Basically commit to staying at home to save gas, eating peanut butter and jelly, not sewing any new dresses for the next school year, and maybe at the end of the summer still turning your vehicle in to the bank. (OK, maybe I'm the only one who has a brain that can escalate that quickly lol)
But... Hello, I'm going to be living with my parents, so the peanut butter and jelly lifestyle isn't probably going to happen. And I don't think they would let my vehicle be repossessed either. I live in one of the most privileged countries in the world, what do I know about financial problems? ... and read the verses! Apparently God even cares about clothes! :)
So these are really random thoughts I know... from someone who has a nature that overthinks everything to the millionth degree (and exaggerates)
So now I have to be realistic and look at the "facts"... I wrote instead of doing my planning for next week... why did I waste the whole hour while my kids were in music?!
Wait there I go again... actually the "facts" are this... God gave me an inspiration that I needed this morning, and I wrote it down so it would stay with me. Wish you a blessed day, and let's all stay realistic.
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