"In all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things." - 2 Corinthians 6:4-10
I'm always amazed at how God presents His Word to me at the time when some aspect of His teaching is on my thoughts. He continues to show me all things through the lens of faith. Faith, and its relation to my everyday life, is His #1 lesson for me everyday.
A few nights ago I was unable to sleep. (It was after Julie left. I find I sleep terrible when she's not with me.) I tried reading some, drinking some, ... nothing helped. Finally around 2:15 am I prayed that God would help His children to sleep. I was mindful of how David writes at how peacefully he slept while in the middle of His battles and assassins and other situations. Obviously, he did this in full faith knowing that God would answer his prayer and "deal bountifully" with him. By 2:30 am, I was sleeping and slept until 6:23 am, the latest I had slept yet.
Why am I so timid to depend upon God for everyday tasks? Even sleep? "In all things" I must remind myself. When I get up and when I go to sleep. There is no thing in my everyday that should not depend upon God. If I don't have faith in Him to deliver me "in all things", then I am "naked and afraid", whether I realize it or not. When I'm slow to recognize this, I believe it's just a matter of time before God makes me realize it, the amount of time depends upon how stubborn and hard-headed I am.
God is and God loves. He wants me to sleep well; He wants me to live well; but this is only possible when I fulfill His greatest desire for me - He wants me to trust Him "in all things". In as much as I have it in my belief that God exists, I should have it in His ability to help me sleep, to love, to overcome my sin nature, to wrap His arms around me and tell me He is there with me "in all things".
"In all things we are more than conquerors in Him who loved us." - Romans 8:37
I'm always amazed at how God presents His Word to me at the time when some aspect of His teaching is on my thoughts. He continues to show me all things through the lens of faith. Faith, and its relation to my everyday life, is His #1 lesson for me everyday.
A few nights ago I was unable to sleep. (It was after Julie left. I find I sleep terrible when she's not with me.) I tried reading some, drinking some, ... nothing helped. Finally around 2:15 am I prayed that God would help His children to sleep. I was mindful of how David writes at how peacefully he slept while in the middle of His battles and assassins and other situations. Obviously, he did this in full faith knowing that God would answer his prayer and "deal bountifully" with him. By 2:30 am, I was sleeping and slept until 6:23 am, the latest I had slept yet.
Why am I so timid to depend upon God for everyday tasks? Even sleep? "In all things" I must remind myself. When I get up and when I go to sleep. There is no thing in my everyday that should not depend upon God. If I don't have faith in Him to deliver me "in all things", then I am "naked and afraid", whether I realize it or not. When I'm slow to recognize this, I believe it's just a matter of time before God makes me realize it, the amount of time depends upon how stubborn and hard-headed I am.
God is and God loves. He wants me to sleep well; He wants me to live well; but this is only possible when I fulfill His greatest desire for me - He wants me to trust Him "in all things". In as much as I have it in my belief that God exists, I should have it in His ability to help me sleep, to love, to overcome my sin nature, to wrap His arms around me and tell me He is there with me "in all things".
"In all things we are more than conquerors in Him who loved us." - Romans 8:37
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