I have had a great week. I've had some sort of a flu bug which has caused me to stay shut inside my house and frankly I've sat around and done a whole lot of nothing lately which is not my normal routine. BUT ... I've had a lot of alone time with my God and we've done some deep digging these last few days. I've cried and shared some of my hurts with my Lord and have accepted His words of comfort and strength that He offers so freely. I've also pondered lots of thoughts I've had over an ever growing trend amongst my fellow believers.
It amazes me how quickly we can get overwhelmed and discouraged by things not going our way. As we've been flooded with bills lately, sometimes it feels incredibly overwhelming and discouraging that we can't just write one large check and take care of everything and move on...instead we have to sit down with every paycheck and make that money stretch incredibly far and incredibly wide. So I know what it's like and have to constantly remind myself that if we continue to put God in the center of our finances and ask for wisdom and guidance, that we will continue to become debt free and will be able to breathe again soon!
But as I've been home this week spending way more time on Facebook, I'm really noticing a pattern among my Christian friends that sort of disturbs me. I've been reading post after post of believers so discouraged because they aren't seeing God meeting their "needs" and finding it hard to trust Him because of all the bad things happening. And people claiming things in "Jesus' Name" because if we say that, then He's faithful to deliver on that promise...??? And I can't even begin to count how many people are upset with how unfair things are for them. It's literally "poor me, poor me, poor me" all over the place and it's CRAZY!
It's not that I'm not sympathetic to the hardships that people are facing. But what concerns me is our twisted view of what we expect God to do about it. First of all... the world is unfair. duh. We're not going to be happy with a lot of things in this world but we need to just buck up and rise above the anger of unfairness and make the best of it. Speak out when necessary but don't expect the world to live like Jesus...that's our job.
Secondly... "Name it and Claim it" only works in Biblical standards. God NEVER told us that what ever we want just to say His name and it's ours. He's not a genie in a bottle. And I know He's not pleased with this mentality. It's dangerous, misleading, and full of lies. He says if we ask according to HIS will, then we will receive it. And the promises that God makes in the Bible are not for everyone just because....it's for everyone who walks in His ways, who are obedient to Him, who are doing what He says. NOT EVERYONE IS BEING BLESSED WHO SIMPLY BELIEVES IN GOD. That's false doctrine and anyone who says differently, is wrong. Pick up your Bible and read all the scriptures on God's promises or blessings...they all have action involved, lifestyle involved. It's not just a whoever wants this blessing or promise can have it. His LOVE is unconditional but His blessings, and promises are not. ....Because He is a holy God, that's why.
Thirdly,,, We have really become a "needy" people haven't we? I need my cell phone...I need a haircut.... I need new shoes. These aren't needs. God promises His children food, shelter, clothing. We are not entitled to anything beyond that. And how many times do we fail to see how God has blessed us with so much more than just what He promises us, because we are so focused on the comforts that have become necessities in our lives that we can miss the blessing right in front of us? I was reminded this week that I need to keep my heart and my mind in check more often when I start to get discouraged in life because God has been and always will be so GOOD to me. May I not take this life for granted and not go one more day without being completely THANKFUL for everything He's given me.
