Rocky and I took a morning walk today. I sipped on cup of hot tea as we walked down the gravel road past our neighbors homes. It is the first sunny morning we have had in a while and I am enjoying it greatly. Sunshine magically lifts our spirits, doesn't it? I was greeted by the beautiful flowers and greenery that had sprung up since my last outing. I was amazed at the amount of growth that had occurred but realized that we have had a couple of ugly, drizzly, coldish weeks of weather. Boone, NC's lushness and beauty is presenting itself quite majestically. Thank You Holy Dad for the enjoyment I have experienced this morning!!
Enjoyment. Do you experience it? God wants us to experience it. But do you believe it? Do you trust what He says is the truth? Do you believe that enjoyment is celebrated and experienced only by confident folks?
As Rocky and I were enjoying our morning, sunny walk I talked to God about searching for a job in a month or so. I think we will be able to get a second vehicle and hopefully by me having employement Keevin will be able to find a job here in Boone. I told Holy Dad how beautful this neighborhood is and that I was enjoying it. I then asked Him to grant me somethng. My next job--I want it to be an enjoyable experience and if there are coworkers (there is no "if" b/c there is always someone who doesn't like us) who treat me disrespectfully that He would help me to let it go in one ear and out the other. What about you, is that your wish? Well God reminded me of a verse I have memorized. Psalm 37:4 (NIV) "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." I have always understood that verse to mean "do what God wants and He will give you things you really want." Is that what you thought about that verse also? We'll talk later about this one.
I looked in the concordance of my Bible for "worry" verses. He led me to Psalm 37 for alot of word dealing with worry and fret and anxiousness. We all know the feelings of worry. Just last night our sweet neighborhood black lab, Shadow, barked all night long. Ordinarily I can fall back to sleep but last night I would reawaken and fall back to sleep several times b/c of Shadow's barking. I kept having a reoccuring dream of worry--that someone would break in on us. I really had no basis for my fear but the dream kept me from resting well. As the morning dawned and I spoke with Keevin, he suggested that maybe she was barking at deer running through the neighborhood. And that is a very possible explanation being that we have seen the deer in the early morning hours. Can you see how fear caused a mental anxiety in me that showed up in my sleep? Guess what the definition of worry is?: to be anxious, troubled and a troubled state of mind. Troubled state of mind. A troubled state of mind is far from being a confident state of mind.
Let's take a look at chapter 37 of Psalm and figure this thing out.
Verse 1. (NLT): "Don't worry about the wicked. Don't envy those who do wrong." Remember those people who don't like you?
Verse 2. (MSG): "In no time they'll shrivel like grass clippings and wilt like cut flowers in the sun." That's what God promises will happen to them--so don't worry about them! But I have a feeling for most of us worry is a worrisome habit--one we need to break.
Verse 3. (NLT): "Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper." Do you find yourself slowing down in the "hope" department because you just can't trust God to the extent that will help you? Look at The Amplified: Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness, and truly you shall be fed." Did you see the word confident? It means to be confident in God. Your confidence comes from God's confidence. The way trust works is you have to use the little bit you have and God will grow it---it really happens. I have experienced trust-growth and know how it has changed my life. Have you heard the saying "one thing leads to another?" Well one little bit of trust leads to another bigger bit of trust.
Verse 4. (NIV): "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." We've heard this one already today but I discovered a little gold nugget as I looked at other translations. (NCV): Enjoying serving the Lord, and He will give you what you want." Did you see the word "enjoying?" Enjoy doing what? Serving the Lord! It means you should be having a good time whatever it is you are doing to serve God. God reminded me of this translation as I talked to Him earlier during the morning walk. He wants me to enjoy the job He will give me and not let the people who won't like me (they will be there, too) to mess up my enjoyment. I always pictured that to delight God meant doing things to please Him, not necessarily doing things to please me. But when a person loves Holy Dad as much as He wants them to then pleasing me and Him are basically the same thing. Doing things His way = confidence. And isn't it funny that He tells us to trust and enjoy in the middle of all these worry verses?
Verse 5. (NCV): "Depend on the Lord; trust Him, and He will take care of you." 2 days ago (prior to this research) I journaled my thoughts: You are my worry-free Lord, my "I'll take care of you" Jesus, and my "I'll show you the way" Holy Spirit. And look, He showed me in His word that I got it right! But don't overlook the word "trust" in the verse. Trust means to have a firm belief in the reliabilty, etc of another --confident, expectation, hope, etc. Grow your trust = grow your confidence.
Verse 6. (MSG): "He'll validate your life in the clear light of day and stamp you with approval at high noon." Your life is officially important!
Verse 7 (NLT): "Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes." And (MSG): "Quiet down before God, be prayerful before Him. Don't bother with those who climb the ladder, who elbow their way to the top." I spoke of coworkers earlier but this could apply to a sibling who is trying to get all of mom and dad's attention. Or a Christian brother or sister who is trying to scoop up a Sunday School teaching position that has been given to you. This verse plainly tells us what to do and how to act when these situations happen--and they will happen.
Verse 8 (GNT): "Don't give in to worry or anger; it only leads to trouble." Remember the troubled state of mind?
Verse11 (NCV): "People who are not proud will inherit the land and will enjoy complete peace." You have to give up what you consider to be confident growing ways (that aren't working--at least long term) and do it God's way. Peace. Enjoyment. That's what you can look forward to.
Verse 23 (NCV): "When a person's steps follow the Lord, God is pleased with his ways." That sums it up. Follow God's ways. Trust Him. Grow your trust. Please Him.
Have I convinced you yet to do it His way? Proverbs 3:5 (AMP): "Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding." This verse touches on the trust, confidence and mind. (MSG): "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own." He knows the reasoning we think with--our reasoning.
When you find yourself in a troubled state of mind audibly speak and listen to your voice. Perhaps name the location of where you currently are. Hearing your voice pulls you out of the state of mind and places you back in the present. If you aren't in a situation to speak audibly then handwrite it or use a firm voice in your thoughts. Tell yourself to stop it and say it very firmly and mean it. After a while your brain will recognize that you mean business and your subconcious will obey you instead of you obeying your subconcious.
Bob Beckel on The Five (Fox News channel) said last night that AA has a saying: "get out of your own mind." Friend, you would do well to get out of your own mind and into God's.
Do you want a 21 Day Journal Note? Here it is for those of you employing these:
(Psalm 37) I am refusing to worry about those who don't like me. I am not jealous because it seems they are unscathed by the bad things they say and do. God, you say that in time they will fade away. I am trusting you unconditionally and will continue to do good. I am enjoying your good life and the things your good earth has to offer. Father, because of your great love for me, I am enjoying serving You and giving back to You. I feel so honored when I experience Your goodness. When I am confronted by the folks who don't like me I will quiet down and be still in your presence. Their presence will shrink away and You will rise up. I refuse to get into mental trouble by worrying. You have promised to help me stand up and bear any trouble, danger or fear (2 Cor. 12:9) and I claim this promise. Thank You Lord for Your healing, peace and good life!
end of journal note.
Enjoy confident living! Jesus' healing and peace to all, Wynndy
