I've been reading through the March issue of Journey, a daily devotional magazine for women. I know it's April, but I don't have April's issue, so I'm reading March's! AND, I haven't been reading it as a daily devotional really, but reading several days devotionals at one sitting. It's not designed to be read this way, but it has had some effectiveness none the less.
Colossians 3:23 - Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men.
Well, that alone got my attention, because I have really been not doing anything as if I was doing it for the Lord due to the depressed state I have been in. I had gotten into a rut of sleeping in longer than I should and being late for work every day. I knew I was in this rut, I just couldn't seem to get myself out of it. One of my supervisors (yes, I have more than 1) mentioned it to me. Then later that evening I read this verse. OK, I get it. I have been working very hard to get up on time and not be late to work. And except for 1 day in the past 2 weeks, I have succeeded! I keep remembering to concentrate on 1 day at a time - the day I'm currently in. This verse also convicted me of really taking a look at what I need to do to climb out of this circumstance I am currently trudging through. And I need to to this because the Lord wants the best for me, and He will help me get through this!
One of the devotions was titled "The Hall of UnFaith" - If the Bible had an addendum called the Hall of UnFaith, my portrait would be there, wrote the writer. Boy, I felt the same way! The Lord has provided for us all this time, but I still worry about the future, and I am not usually a worrier. In my last post I prayed about my unfaith. I'm still praying that.
Another day's devotion was titled "Pleasing People or God?" I am a people pleaser. I want everyone to be pleased with me in every way. I am "cut to the core" when confronted about something that I did or did not do that didn't please someone, whether it be at home or at work. I dwell on it for days. The writer stated that if our need to please others consumes us, it will drain us of our confidence and steal our joy. Sometimes these confrontations do drain my confidence, and it takes me a long time to rebuild my self-esteem. The writer suggested doing a personal Bible study on what truly pleases God. I'm thinking about this.
"Wise Leisure" was another day's devotion title. The writer says "we can unwisely fill our lives with activities until they drain us. Staying up late to watch TV... may cause us to shirk responsibilities, which then stresses us out further." BINGO! With "Dancing with the Stars" and "American Idol" on 2 nights a week, I tend to sit there and fast forward through the DVR to catch every minute of it. Then the kitchen doesn't get cleaned, or the bathroom doesn't get cleaned, or whatever, doesn't get done. Then it's waaaay past my bedtime and thus, I have a hard time getting up on time. It's a vicious cycle. I'm working on disciplining myself from TV. This is H-A-R-D!!
"Little Things" is the next devotion that spoke to me. It's about integrity. "Integrity is a huge character trait that is made up of the little things we do." The writer went on to remind us that Psalm 139 teaches us that God is intimately aware of our every move. I pulled out my Bible and read the entire Psalm 139. It is now one of my favorite passages in the Bible.
Other items I underlined in other day's devotions:
1. God is our power source and His strength truly can be perfected in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:19)
2. While reading and I really felt this statement "God, I can't do this anymore". The writer wrote this: When God sent the Israelites into the land He had promised, He reminded them of His past provision and protection, as well as what happened when they did not obey, reiterating, "Keep the commands of the LORD your God" (Deut. 4:2). He didn't promise that obedience would be easy, only that they would be blessed as long as they put obedience to Him above all else. - - - Well, it struck me that it took the Israelites 40 years before they got what God had promised. Why do I expect it overnight? Then I was reminded that going through "my wilderness" was not easy (and it is NOT!) but that I would be blessed as long as I put my obedience to God above ALL else. I had moved away from this a bit, and need to get back on the obedience track! In reading more from Deut. 8, vs 3 really hit home. It says "He humbled you and allowed you to be hungry". I think my hunger is to have this difficult situation I am in taken away, but He is teaching me something here and I haven't figure it all out yet.
3. Another passage in one of the articles that really hit home was John 6:68 "Lord, who will we go to? You have the words of eternal life." Hello!! Why do we ask friends for advice? Why do we seek "experts" to help? This passage tells us VERY clearly - - The Lord is the one with the words of life! DUH!
I think I'll just leave it at that.
