I had coffee with a sweet friend yesterday. She was always so encouraging of my morning Facebook posts so I mentioned a few reasons why I haven’t posted in a while. But I assured her that, even though I’ve been rather silent, God certainly hasn’t been.

Later in the afternoon, I went to a Tuesday Morning. I had seen their summer ad and remembered that our swim towels weren’t even worthy of being cleaning rags, so I wanted to get some new ones. While I was there, I began looking for the really cool portable cooler from the ad, but I couldn’t find one. So when I was at the register, I asked about it. The lady looked at me and laughed, “Girl, those were wiped out the first day. People were buying multiples, they were so popular. Now all the stores are wiped out. They are gone. You have to face the crowds to get something like that.”

I told her that I don’t have any desire to do that anymore. Then we began talking about other things. Seeing the towels, she shared about visiting the beach with her sister…the one she gets along with. And I was shocked when she told me her age. After a few moments, I paid my bill and she said she’d see me next time.

I went out to my car and just leaned over the seat, trying to decide if I wanted to grab one more of a certain item since there was only one left. I’m in the throws of getting Mags ready for dorm life, ya know. So I went back inside, only to find that there wasn’t one, after all. I figured someone had grabbed it so I just began to walk away….when I happened to look up to the top of a rack… and saw a portable cooler.

I smiled when I saw it…I knew I had checked out all the racks before. And I knew it was just another “gift” to me from my Heavenly Father, so I couldn’t wait to share the news with the lady at the register.

Her back was to me when I walked up and said, “There wasn’t another one; but look what I found.” She turned around and her mouth dropped open. I just smiled. And I told her, “I’m not a believer in prosperity preaching, but I am a Christian and a true Believer in my Heavenly Father’s Love for me. This kind of thing happens to me all the time. And I’m so very grateful.” Her mouth was still hanging open as I looked down and whispered, “Thank you, Lord.” That’s when her mouth turned into a smile and she said, “That’s how you should be…”

Turns out, a lady brought back two last weekend because she decided she didn’t like the pattern. I just “happened” to find one of them. So I just “happened” to be able to share about God’s Goodness with a stranger. And I was gently reminded….of how Wonder – full it is to share about His sweet Love with strangers…and friends. 🙂

My day, yesterday, deserves no more thought…except as honest disclosure that we all make disappointing choices…that’s why I’ll share. I was in a certifiable “funk”.

It began on Wednesday. It had been a day full of “challenges”; but it was also the last day of the month. My sales had been great all month and I had several projects pending…even my Manager commented how close I was to reaching my personal goal. But I sat there the last two hours of the day with no returned phone calls or emails…and ended the month less than I hoped…and I was disappointed. My budget would be affected and my plans, as well…yuk.

Then yesterday morning, I woke up entirely too early and began writing my post…only to have my phone have some weird glitch with copy/paste not even coming up on my notes; and when I tried to force it, the note deleted…and I had to start all over again. Double yuk.

Then I wanted to crawl back in bed after carpool; but the neighbors were having their concrete patio torn up…surely, they heard it in Houston…no rest for the weary…triple yuk.

And, at that point, I allowed the “cloak of funk” to settle over me…the day got better with lots of favor in my circumstances…but it was like I was walking through a cloud. It was peaceful…but my inner Joy was being held down…and I knew it. Just couldn’t shake off the “cloak”.

When I finally accepted that I couldn’t rest, I went about my errands, met my prayer partner for a wonderful gift, and then we raced to our prayer group. When the last gal arrived, she mentioned my curly hair… It wasn’t until I got home and looked in the mirror to brush my teeth before bed that I realized what she meant…my hair was a disheveled mess of curls and my eye makeup was smeared from the night before…I LOOKED like I was in a funk…and I started laughing. And the cloak began to crack.

And when I laid my head on my pillow…in the glorious silence of darkness…this tape began playing over and over in my head…”I am the Righteousness of Christ….I am the Righteousness of Christ…” And the cloak completely shattered.

That’s what I needed all along…to be reminded of WHO HE IS and, therefore, who I am IN HIM…and I was gently reminded…just as there is no room for doubt when you’ve accepted Christ as your Savior…there is truly no reason to wear the “cloak of funk”…when you wear His Robe of RIGHTeousness. 🙂

“And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment; so that ye may approve the things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and void of offence unto the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians 1:9-11 ASV)

Last night, I teased someone that “honesty is the best policy”; but I really do believe it. So…honestly, if you had asked me a few years ago if I would be blogging so vulnerably on Facebook, I wouldn’t have believed it. But I’m committed to share the words that come to me, Trusting that they are intended to enCourage. I keep hearing that they do…so I keep sharing. And I am blessed to share God’s goodness to me…in the “good” times…and also in the “not so” good…because that’s the true “test” of Faith.

And just as I’ve come to be open to sharing the words, I’ve also come to expect to “life out” my morning posts during my day. Yesterday was no different…as soon as I dropped the kids in carpool, the “attacks of opportunity” began for me to choose to either cave to doubt and fear, or to stand firm in my Faith and rest in God’s goodness. Honestly, I lost count how many times I caught myself saying, “Father, I CHOOSE to BELIEVE…anyway.”

And when I received a very honest reply from my hurting friend, I responded with equal honesty. I admitted to my “hard” day. And that I understood how it can seem like God is too busy to pay attention to what is happening to us…in those times that we can’t “feel” Him. Sometimes, we have moved too far from Him so we can’t “feel” His presence; and other times we have made choices that have painful consequences. In either case, that’s our “issue”…we can’t blame Him.

But for me yesterday, it was simply “lifing out” a specific answer to my prayer for direction during my morning quiet time. I watched throughout the day as the doors slammed closed; and I even explored with a friend to see if some windows were open, but the answer was clear…no. So I shared specifics from the “yuk” of my day to assure her that I understand; and how I was so disappointed that I spent a few moments crying on my bed once the kids were out with their friends last night. That’s not a lack of Faith, that’s honesty and God honors that.

But after I dealt with my disappointment, I began to accept His answer–knowing that He loves me. And my Peace and Joy have returned as I’m choosing to REST in Him. Honestly, I don’t know how it will all work out…but I know it will. And I’m choosing to keep my Faith even though I can’t “see” the Provision yet… because that’s what Faith is. The dictionary describes Faith as: belief that is NOT based on proof; and the Bible describes it as assurance of “things NOT seen”.

As I was gently reminded yesterday…FAITH is a CHOICE to BELIEVE…or it’s NOT. 🙂

“Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1 ASV)

“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39 ASV)

I was in a hurry yesterday after I sent my email and posted the picture. But all morning, I was reflecting on the email I sent in reply to a painful private message. In it I shared very vulnerably about my life–the struggles that have gotten me to this point in my Faith; and how I treasure that God has brought me through the pain to this place of Joy and Peace in the midst of circumstances. And I mentioned some specific blessings that have occurred just this past week, as I continue to walk in Faith–examples of gifts of Provision above and beyond what I could ask or imagine….but I admitted it’s still not always “easy”….it’s just “worth it”.

I’m blessed to have the job that I do–I have wonderful benefits and the ability to make a really good living for my family. But I’m in commission sales…and sometimes God allows less monetary provision…in order to allow MORE of HIMSELF. Sure, He could choose to provide in more conventional ways…but it has been during those times of “less” that my children have seen Him Provide in ways that cannot be denied. And they have watched me respond in Faith and THANK-FULLness. What a treasure this legacy to my children is to me.

And as i thought of all the blessings of Provision, I thought of my Maggie: Unlike the other two, she has never been a cuddler–I’ve always teased that she came out of the womb “busy”. But she was angry in her middle school years…a direct result of the divorce, I’m sure…and she was very difficult to deal with. But this past year…we have all witnessed a true softening of her heart. She and her sister have become close friends and enjoy each other greatly…and for the first time since she was a toddler, she calls me “Mommy”. It is such a Gift. And we intentionally celebrate this gift, realizing we have very few years left with her “at home”.

So yesterday morning, as I was thinking of all the recent blessings…I realized that the very BEST GIFT of all is that my children have “seen” God…that is what has made this difference in Mags. And the thought came to me that my sincere HOPE for each of my children is that I will spend eternity with them…and that they will learn to call God “Father” as I do.

The words for the next day’s post were beginning to form; but, like I said, I was busy…too busy to type. Then last night as we were racing to get Maggie something for her school costume, we began discussing the storm on the East Coast. Maggie commented about the “end of the world in 2012”; and then in the middle of Walmart, she began telling me how concerned she was over her doubts of her salvation. I said there doesn’t need to be any doubt. I told her that fear and doubt are emotions…Faith isn’t an emotion, it’s a choice.

So when we got home, she and I crawled up on the sofa and had a true “heart to heart”. And I told her that there is a common misconception regarding Christianity–that it is a one-time decision. Salvation is a one-time decision– to accept Jesus as the atonement of our sin and place our Trust in Him as our personal Savior. He won the battle for eternity–we must simply choose to receive that gift. But FAITH is a moment-by-moment decision to follow Him. Once we place our Trust in Him as Savior…there is no doubt of where we will spend eternity…the only “doubt” is how we live this life….worshiping our SELF or HIM. And choosing Him in the moments, places Him not only as our Savior…but as our Lord.

But the enemy is a master of creating doubt and fear in our mind and heart–that is his best weapon for attack in those moment-by-moments…and how, like Jesus’s example, we must combat those attacks with the TRUTH of God’s Word. And as we choose to spend time in God’s Word, we will learn more about Who He is and who we are IN Him. And as we take on the breastplate of Righteousness and the sword of His Word, and live out the fruits of the Spirit…we will become more and more like Him as we LIVE our Faith.

I told her she can’t depend on emotions and she can’t compare herself to more mature Christians…God will take her on her own journey of Faith. And in those quiet moments, my precious Maggie rededicated her life to Christ. And this morning, I’m giving her my copy of Jesus Calling to place next to her Bible, so she can begin her day in God’s Word, as she sees me do…and when the attacks of doubt come…she can open the book to the page where it is written…on this day, Maggie accepted Christ…and there is no longer any room for that doubt.

And I hope that this post is somewhat understandable…because I can’t stop the tears of JOY and THANK-FULLness that I was gently reminded of yesterday morning…and living out today. God is so very good to me. 🙂

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8 NIV84)

Yesterday was a rather crazy day. I’ve been thinking about the gal from my grocery store who I won over with kindness; and now she shares her life with me when I see her. I know I should share the story of God’s Hope with her; but it’s har

I had the tremendous Joy to attend Maggie’s theatre performance last night. It meant leaving work early…I continually thank my precious Heavenly Father for the gift of a Boss and coworkers who so understand and support family values.

And the performance was wonderful…and, for Mags, made even more wonderful to have her extended family there…including her Aunt and Uncle, who are also her God-parents. And I was thrilled to be able to visit with my former brother- and sister-in law…whom I haven’t seen in six years.

The oldest sister-in-law was the closest to me in distance and the closest to my heart. She is the one who “happened” to call after I received the phone call warning about a suspicion of a potential “fling” on his part. And she understood, along with me, how easily he made devastating choices…somehow believing he could simply finagle his way out of them. And she, like me, understood that he wouldn’t be able to “finagle” his way out of this choice.

So when I called her to tell her the devastating news…that he had broken our vows and I was keeping my word and going through with the divorce, she is the one who spoke to me on behalf of his family. She said that they all loved me and that no one wanted me to leave the family. But she also added that they all understood him…and what I had gone through…and that no one would blame me.

I have missed her dearly. And seeing her last night was such a Blessing. I know it’s part of the RESToration that God is bringing me through during this time of RESTing in Him… truly a Gift of this moment. And thinking back on how she beamed at me, “I want ALL the BEST for you.”…I was gently reminded:

That’s what real LOVE is…wanting the BEST for another…whatever that looks like….even if it means “letting them go”. I’ve experienced that with my Grandparents passing…missing them dearly, but knowing they are in the BEST place; and with my daughter, as I “let her go” off to college and begin her own life; and with several friends whom I’ve loved as they moved away, and men as they’ve “moved on”. …that’s what love does. It GIVES.

And I often hear well-meaning folks complain about “how can a Loving God allow….?”….it’s not always what He WANTS…but He LOVES enough to let His children “go” because He loved us enough to give us CHOICE. Certainly, we don’t always make the best ones, so there are consequences.

But God didn’t leave it there. He LOVED us enough that He GAVE His Son, in order to save us from those very choices; and offer us the choice of salvation and RIGHTeousness.

To LOVE is to GIVE…and to GIVE is to LET GO. That’s how much God LOVES us…now the choice is up to us to Love HIM enough to GIVE of ourself back to Him. 🙂

““For God so loved the world that he GAVE his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NIV84)

“You will keep in perfect peace
him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you.
Trust in the Lord forever,
for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal. Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.” (Isaiah 26:3, 4, 12 NIV84)

Kinda slow this morning…and enjoying the “still” of a day off. And as I’ve been continuing to praise God for His loving Provision the past few days, my heart has been repeating the verse, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33 NIV84).

But what I’m truly experiencing and praising Him for is “the rest of the story”…that when you truly SEEK HIM…the things of this “kingdom” don’t seem to matter quite so much any more….

And when I read my QT…I smiled at His Goodness in His continual reinforcing of what He’s teaching me…it is all about Christ, “Who has become for us wisdom from God–that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

And that’s why I share. As we seek His kingdom and more of HIM…we share the HOPE of Glory. 🙂

“For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” (Ephesians 1:15-23 NIV84)

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things–and the things that are not–to nullify the things that are, It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God–that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

(1 Corinthians 1:18-28, 30, 31 NIV84)

Yesterday, I wrote about RESTing our emotions–TRUSTing them to God so that we can experience Peace (contentment) in living above our circumstances. It’s part of the “letting go” (surrendering) process that I’ve been living and writing about…and I’m convinced it’s critical to experiencing Victory in this life…instead of just coping until we reach the next.

And at the last second, the verse came to mind “”And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV84). So I added it… and that’s what I had on my heart all day…how God loves to reward those who earnestly seek Him because He longs for us to truly seek HIM and truly LIVE a life of FAITH. And that’s what I experienced all day…His unmerited GRACE and FAVOR….blessings of unexpected Provision.

I raced to work for my sixth day straight. These occasional time stretches tend to mess me up since I’m a person of habit (Pavlov would’ve LOVED me)…so it was no real surprise that I walked into our team meeting to be “gently informed” that I grabbed my longer slip for the shorter dress that I had on. And not being one to start a new trend, I merely laughed and was thankful that I was going to my networking luncheon which is near my home so I could swing by my house and change. I was distracted so I left some things at the office that I wanted to take to my meeting; but we all started the work day with a giggle..that’s always fun.

Then at the end of my networking luncheon, I was frantically setting up a meeting while agreeing with someone else’s lighting choice, as I was wrapping up to race back to the office. When I pulled up my calendar on my phone, one gal said, “I wish you would go with me to the Margarita Ball.” I looked at her…trying to process her comment. We went from trying to set up a time to meet for a margarita, to going to the Ball….and my frazzled brain wasn’t keeping up. This Ball is put on to raise money for children’s charities; and it’s one of the biggest shindigs in Dallas. I’ve heard about it for several years…but it’s almost impossible to get a ticket. Admittedly, I’m much more comfortable barefoot and in sweats; but I have thought it would be a fun experience…just never thought about it seriously.

So as I asked her “are you serious?” for the third time…her grin getting wider, her nod getting stronger and her eyes getting brighter each time that I asked …my feeble brain began to process it. Then I asked the fateful question, “How much is it?”… When she smiled, “I have an extra ticket and a room. All you need is a formal dress.”, I actually caught myself beginning to breathe again….and exclaimed, “I’d love to!”
Then I wrapped up my stuff; and as I drove back to work, I couldn’t stop grinning in amazement…this Cinderella is going to the Ball….

And the rest of the day was similarly covered in unexpected Blessings and Favor. God’s loving Hand was doling out gifts from my innermost heart’s desire. And I knew why….because I earnestly seek Him…and I was gently reminded: like many young girls, I grew up wishing I had someone to flick a wand and make everything “okay”. But I don’t need a “fairy godmother”…I have a Heavenly Father God…who loves to lavish His undeserved Favor on me…as I live a simple life of Faith. Jesus said, “It is more Blessed to Give than to Receive”…but that is regarding our heart to others. As we give of ourself to HIM…we will RECEIVE more of HIM. And that, my friends, is truly a GIFT beyond all we can ask or imagine. 🙂

“For this reason I kneel before the Father…. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:14-21 NIV84)

I’ve been kinda quiet lately…part of how I’m learning to “be still”. But in this fast pace world we live in, it’s not very easy to “stay” still…so much to do…so much coming at us. So what God is showing me is that “being still” is often a state of mind rather than literally the body being still….and it’s an amazing Faith experience.

As I’m learning to be still and REST in Him, I am experiencing RESToration in many areas of my life. My Boss noticed that my sales this month have been primarily previous clients returning…that’s the best kind, of course. And I’ve had several gals come back in…who for whatever reason had seemed to have developed a friction with me. But now situations have occurred where my heart has shone through to them as I rose above the friction to help them…and they have received it and been thrilled with what I’ve done for them. And I’m thrilled to have them as loyal clients. And this past week, several friendships have been restored that I thought were lost…or simply “misplaced”…and sorely missed. Such a blessing to have them back in my life.

But the lesson in RESTing keeps going deeper. Saturday was a really good, but really hard day at work. So I spent that evening with a rare REST time at home, sharing and laughing on the phone. Then Sunday morning, I stayed in to watch more of a DVD teaching…and I almost cried as I watched as the concepts of what God has been teaching me were confirmed in this teaching…even down to specific verses. In His amazing lovingkindness, God doesn’t miss a detail. And it strengthens my TRUST in Him and so my FAITH is strengthened.

And I’ve been realizing ever since how very much I need it. Right before leaving for work, I remembered I never got the mail from Saturday. What I found was not at all expected. I have been in a continual “battle” to get something rectified that wasn’t handled properly by a professional whom I trusted…when I received the letter, the “old me” would have freaked…lost my patience and my REST. But I CHOSE to stay grounded in HIM…who allowed the circumstances. And when I was able to call about it yesterday morning, it was all resolved…just a standard letter that slipped through the computer system. Yes, I am relieved and thank-full…but that wasn’t the VICTORY…my unshaken FAITH was. It resulted in a confident assurance in My Heavenly Father…and the “peace that passes understanding” that seems to be so elusive in these manic days. Again…more blessing.

But what has happened to me personally pales to what is happening around me…there is a tremendous storm that I’m walking through. My sister’s friend I ran into at Big Lots had a heart attack last week; someone in my company has recurring cancer— is consumed with it…and it’s an opportunity to pray for everyone involved and share my Faith among my coworkers as this epic struggle for life is played out…made even more tragic by the fact that this person isn’t a Believer; and I received a call yesterday about a dear loved one who also is facing recurring cancer…with three children. So much pain.

And as I was praying in the middle of the night…I was gently reminded: true RESTing in God isn’t about sitting around doing nothing…it’s about RESTing our EMOTIONS IN HIM. When Peter saw Jesus walking on the water, he so wanted to BE with Jesus that he simply CHOSE to be. And he was quite literally experiencing a FAITH WALK…until he saw the wind…and he became afraid. He was truly living ABOVE his circumstances…until he allowed his emotions to take over…and then he began to sink into the water…and out of FAITH.

So I believe that this is the true lesson in RESTing…to live above our circumstances is to rest our emotions on Him who can calm the storm because he created the sea. Trusting solely in the ONE who claimed “It is finished” as He hung from a cross and now sits in Victory at the right hand of our Heavenly Father. And when we CHOOSE to BELIEVE IN HIM….and learn to TRUST so strongly that we can REST our emotions IN HIM…we may not literally walk on water like Peter…but it will surely “feel” like we are…and that is the true JOY of a FAITH WALK. 🙂

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV84)

“Immediately (after the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000) Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:22-33 NIV84)

Posted on facebook: 10/14/2012

This past week, I shared about my continual journey of “letting go”. I also shared how “hard” it is…because it is critical to let go of the pain from our past. And that pain is “protected” by fear and pride….it’s how we’ve learned to cope. But the Bible says there is no victory in coping in our own methods…our own “strength”. God allows pride to cause us to stumble over ourSELF…”Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling.” (Proverbs 16:18 NASB)…and “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.” (1 John 4:18 NASB)

And we can’t even depend on our own Faith walk to experience victory, because that can waver when the inevitable trials come. In order to gain true victory in this life…not where everything goes “right”…but when you can agree with Paul, “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” (Philippians 4:11 NASB)…we have to choose to place our Trust in HIM for all things and learn to Rest in Him.

So as I’ve lived my own journey and watched those I care deeply for struggle with pride and fear that keeps them from experiencing true JOY…I’ve learned the importance of “letting go”…or, what the Bible calls “surrender”. And it’s been quite the topic of conversation for me the past few weeks…in fact, I have a feeling several folks are ready for me to “let it go”. :-))

But yesterday, as I rested in my Quiet Time, God in His Lovingkindness took it one step further. I “happened” upon a you tube video titled, “your root problem is”… Honestly, I didn’t want to take the time to check it out…so I went back and “favorited” it to watch later…but something came over me to go back, yet again, and watch it…and when i read the rest of the title, I smiled at God as I understood why I was meant to watch it then. It was “the real root of your problem is CONDEMNATION.” I hadn’t seen that before…

He spoke of how we have so many effects of sin in our life…broken marriages and other struggles. But he gave the visual of how they merely are the sick “leaves” that “stem” from other issues. And, just as you can’t kill weeds by killing the leaves…you must kill the root…so he taught how we must deal with the root issues of why we continue to sew and reap the effects of sin in our life.

He quoted the Mayo Clinic that “70% of illness is caused by stress”; so the first root cause of problems is stress. But then he went on to mention that the root cause of most of stress is fear. We know that, as well. You can go into any book store and find tons of books on stress and even fear…as he said, that’s how far the world can go in dealing with these issues.

But then he went even further…that the root cause of sin issues is spiritual, of course. And that the deepest root of all is condemnation…deep inside we don’t BELIEVE that we are worthy of God’s love and living a righteous life of victory in Christ. That is where the you tube video ended…but that’s not the end…and this is also something that I’ve been enCouraging others in lately…I just never saw the connection until now…

The enemy seeks to deceive us–that is his greatest “weapon”–into a false identity…we see that in the Garden of Eden and when Jesus was tempted in the desert. But today, he tries to convince us that we are still “condemned” and, therefore do not “deserve” Joy and victory in this life… But that is a LIE…and it makes worthless Christ’s “It is finished” on the cross.

As Christians, we have entered into His Righteousness. And, once again…it’s not a matter of whether we “feel” or “believe” that it’s TRUE…it’s a matter of TRUSTing that we are considered RIGHTeous in God’s eyes…because we don’t have to consider Christ’s sacrifice “good enough”… GOD does. So…”therefore there is now NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Period….it is “finished”…so, not because of anything we have done or not done…but because of the work Christ did on the cross…we can “let go” of the pain of our past…and experience JOY…if we TRUST Him. 🙂

“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things?

If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

(excerpts from Romans 8: NASB)