Striving VS Chilling

It's 4 a.m. and I am awake. I am WIDE awake! My mind will not shut down long enough for my body to rest. Not a good place to be.

A friend of mine shared with me that when I am trying to be in control more often than not I am striving. Striving keeps me awake at night. Striving steals my joy. Striving makes me a control freak. Striving causes me stress and stress for everyone around me. Striving makes me have a short fuse. Striving causes me to miss the sweet moments in life. Striving causes me to wear my feelings on my shoulder.

I am reminded of the lyrics of an old song: "Slow down you move too fast. You got to make the morning last. Just kicking down the cobble stones. Looking for fun and feeling groovy." I haven't been doing too much of that lately - "feeling groovy" - CHILLING!

Why in the world would I choose to live a life of strife when I know I could chill? Seems like a no brainer to me!

Isaiah 40:31 "But they that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

That tells me to Let Go and Let God! He is the wind beneath my wings. When I get ahead of God and I am in the flesh, I am striving.

Jesus said: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10

Paul wrote: "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 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. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:11-13 

I call that "Chilling with God".

So it is pretty clear to me that I need to Let Go and Let God. His plan always works.

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart  and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

TRUST GOD - LET GO --- CHILL!

Thought for the day:

"Life is better when you LAUGH a little."

God says: "I've Got THIS!"

Recently I almost missed a blessing because I was in too much of a hurry. I was at the church office and the Pastor asked me if I wanted to join them for a short devotional when I got through working on something for them. I got through faster than I thought and my spirit convicted me that I needed to stay for the devotion.

Pastor Jerry shared Psalm 91. This particular Psalm has lots of special memories for me as it was my go to scripture during a time I was going through breast cancer surgery and my mom having colon cancer surgery.

As he read, it brought tears to my eyes and reminded me that through "it" all God said "I've got this!"

So bear with me as I share the entire Psalm and watch for His "I've got this!"

Psalm 91

¹ Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

² I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

³ Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. (I've Got This)

⁴ He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.  (I've Got This)

⁵ You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,

⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. (I've Got This)

⁷ A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.  (I've Got This)

⁸ You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.

⁹ If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling,

¹⁰ no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.  (I've Got This)

¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;  (I've Got This)

¹² they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.  (I've Got This)

¹³ You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.  (I've Got This)

¹⁴ “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  (I've Got This)

¹⁵ He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.

¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

I am so glad that I stayed and let God remind be that He's Got This!