Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Blog Hop Week Six

This is the final blog hop for the "Let. It. Go." online Bible study.  I have to say that I am not leaving this bible study disappointed that it is over.  I'm not leaving the study at all.  I'm going to continue living this study in my life because it has empowered me to do so.  The words I've read and the things I've learned about myself have been a blessing, one I do not intend to waste. 

Lean on Him:
"I will say to the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust!" Psalm 91:2 AMP

This verse has such powerful meaning, especially when we carry out its words in our daily lives, not just in times of struggle.  I cannot remember a time when I didn't believe in Christ.  I was blessed with wonderful Christian parents who not only raised me in the church, but also ensured that it was a priority in my life as well as theirs.  Though I experienced a few backslides as a young adult, I always knew where my heart rested.  However, even with God always present in my life, I have always and continue to struggle with being able to completely lean on the Lord.  Instead, many times, I try to "fix" things and control things in my own time at my own pace.  This book and online Bible study has really opened my eyes to what I am not doing enough and what I need to be doing always, which is leaning on the Lord in every one of life's situations.  The Lord is my protector and my relief from fear, sadness, anger, discontentment, complacency, all the bad stuff.  He is ready, willing, and waiting to take the wheel.  I just need to once and for all move on over to the passenger's seat and enjoy the ride down the road God has mapped out for me because really, in all honesty, all other paths are simply dead ends!

Stunning or Lopsidded
He is the potter, we are the clay.  Well I admit that I am a pot that is about as lopsidded as you will ever get.  But this makes me happy because I know that as long as I continue to consider myself lopsidded, imperfect, and unworthy, I can keep searching, praying, and learning how God wants to make me the most stunning piece of art.  I will still get bumped and cracked along the way, I'm sure, and sometimes I may even break completely.  But God, in His grace and love, will always put me back together.  This book as a whole has taught me many lessons on how important it is to Let. It. Go.  I can already feel God making that change in my life.  The changes are coming at a super slow snail pace, but hey.  Rome wasn't built in a day, and I won't be either.  God has His work cut out for Him, but the important part for me to understand is that it is His work to do. 

Finished...or Am I?
As I stated above, this book in its entirety has taught me truck loads of lessons.  I am confident that God and only God lead me to read this awesome book and participate in this Bible study.  Because I followed His lead instead of my own, I am growing not only as a Christian, but a relinquished Christian!  Before and really during this Bible study, I was really having a personal struggle with control in my life.  I constantly stressed about all the things left undone at the end of the day on my neverending to-do list.  As a mother, wife, and nurse, I have made a life out of doing things for others, which I absolutely love!  I have always believed that one of God's great purposes for me is to help others.  However, He didn't say to help others while neglecting myself.  I was struggling in my life because I wasn't taking care of myself physically or spiritually.  I continued to rob myself of sleep, which for me, snowballs into making an entire pile of poor choices over the course of a day...leading to a week...leading to a month...leading to unhappiness.  God has helped me realize that giving myself the short end of the stick is helping no one, especially me.  Making myself a priority is not selfish.  It is necessary, and I know I am not the only woman out there struggling with this.  I will continue to have days when I still struggle, and will fight so hard against that horrible to do list.  But with God as my refuge and strength, I will continue to realize that to-do list creates a huge barrier between myself and God, and only feeds my struggle with control.  My heart knows that God is a greater guide for my daily life than any to-do list, and it is only He who needs to direct my path. 
God bless all who helped with this Bible study.  It has truly changed my life, and I will pass this gift to the many someones I know and love so that they too will know how to Let. It. Go.

No comments:

Post a Comment