Philippians 4:12-13
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
You are not alone. You are not the only one that struggles with insecurity, restlessness and impatience. You are human and you struggle when you focus and identify with your humanness more than you spirit. What are you feeding today? Are you feeding your insecurities with thoughts of doubt or your spirit with thoughts of thanksgiving and praise?
Counting your blessings isn’t what you feel like doing during difficult times. But it is the exact thing you should be doing. When you are at your lowest, in despair and nothing looks like it will improve start giving praise. Praise God for all you have, for all you are and all that is to come. Have a grateful heart. Give thanks to change your perspective and allow yourself to hold on during tough times. Gratefulness is like an anchor. It keeps you tied to God. It connects you to God and prevents you from drifting away from your Source. You may be rocked with emotion and struggle, but praising God keeps you from being pulled away from Him. When you walk through dark days giving thanks helps you know this will pass.
If you allow your mind to wander, feel sorry for yourself and constantly go through a list of all you don’t have, your outlook will never change. The enemy wants to keep you a victim. He wants to keep you in fear. He wants you anticipating that the worst is yet to come. The enemy wants you to believe if you are thankful for something it will be taken away. If you are happy it won’t last. This just isn’t true. He loves to fool you into believing that your life has always been a struggle and will remain this way. The height of your battle is in these types of moments. This is when you usually quit fighting and want to give up and your self-talk becomes negative. You whisper, “why bother, things will never get better.” “This is hopeless.” You render yourself powerless. You tell yourself this is too hard, and you just can’t do it. The type of thoughts that fill up your head and come out your mouth either connect you to your spirit or disengage you. If you are not connecting with your spirit what are you connecting with? You are desperate to connect to something.
The enemy wants you to connect to him via negative thinking. When you allow those thoughts to come into your mind and stay there without question, the enemy sees that acceptance as being in agreement with him. He starts in your head and then moves outward. He has you connect with a friend via gossip, connect with comfort via food and shopping, and connect with avoidance via binge watching TV. What value does any of that hold? Where does that really get you? Do you really want to be connecting with the enemy and in agreement with him?
God waits for you. And while He waits He keeps working. He keeps blessing you. He is patient. He believes in you. He is constantly calling you, through your spirit, to connect with Him. He wants you to fight the battle and not give up. He wants you to connect to your spirit, to reality and to gratitude. Do it even when you just don’t feel like it. Fight your humanness to be completely comfortable and connect to your every whim. Step back and really evaluate what you truly need. It is hard to change. But the best time to do it is in the moment. Make a step forward by deciding to react different or do something different. Approach the situation willing to switch things up, even when it is hard. In the middle of feeling sorry for yourself and overwhelmed choose to find something to be grateful for. Find a reason to appreciate the moment. Find a reason to have hope.
Change things up to help change your perspective. Sit in nature to help truly appreciate God’s goodness and beauty. Choose in every moment to connect to God. Let God surprise you.
Prayer
Father God,
Thank You for my beautiful spirit. Thank You for waiting for me and blessing me. Forgive me for not recognizing those blessings. Forgive me for the times I connect to the negative and fail to connect to the Source, You! You continue to call me to follow You. You constantly remind me that my spirit is stronger than my humanness. Power is found in being thankful. Help me to always find a reason to be thankful for every person and every situation. Help me to remember when I am desperate to connect to seek You. May I always choose to continue on, not give up, and to hope.
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