Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Stop and Take Care of the Business of the Day


She has cancer.  Again.  The doctors have said she will die soon.  So. She has focused on death.  As we prayed, it was clear God wants her to focus on life.  It's easy to get lost in what others direct us to think about and do. When we put our attention on stuff, we lose our focus on God and begin to grab onto fear, allowing the stuff to dominate our life.

It takes intention to give complete attention to God when all we can think of is the stuff we must face and contend with.  Even if a little thing has caught our attention, we must stop and take care of whatever is distracting us from living life.
The thing is . . . it's a conscious, intentional choice to interrupt the way things are going, to stop and take care of the business of the day, to believe God has the best plan for each moment, to have faith God is present, to ask God to examine each thought, word, and action, to confess what does not belong, to receive what more God has for the day . . . praying in Jesus' name.
Consider:
"Don't be afraid," he said, "for you are deeply loved by God. Be at peace; take heart and be strong!" As he spoke these words, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, "Now you may speak, my lord, for you have strengthened me." (Daniel 10:19, NLT)

We have access to the same God who spoke to Daniel.  The words which strengthened Daniel will also strengthen us when we anchor into them, words spoken to bring us to a place of strong faith:

Don't be afraid--Do not live in fear.  Stop allowing fear to mess with you. Tell fear to flee.  Declare God is always with you and will never fail you.

Your are deeply loved by God--Do not think anything can push God's love away.  Stop thinking you are not good enough for God's love.  Recognize who God is, what He has promised for your life, and what He has done for you through Christ. When you truly see the depth of God's love, there's an eternal change in the way you see life.

Be at peace-- Do not think anything matters more than the presence of God.  Stop walking in chaos and unrest.  Walk by faith not by sight. Open yourself to the Truth of Christ, who has been broken so that all of humanity might be healed and whole.

Take heart-- Do not be discouraged. Stop making excuses and start believing God is God and will do what He says He will do.  There's always possibilities in the impossible of life, potential in places which seem like dead-ends, great things in small beginnings when we live a God-driven purposeful life.

Be strong-- Do not let the darkness of this world win.  Stop thinking the darkness has ultimate power.  Remember the darkness does not comprehend the Light.  Ask God to give you eyes of faith.  Believe God will equip you to do what you are created to do. There's no reason to back away from the purpose you have received, even when circumstances seem insurmountable and dark. Christ, the Light of the world, has given you new life.  You belong to God, He will never fail you.

Learning to Kickstart the day by making time to stop and take care of the business of the day,
Kerrie

(written by Kerrie Carlisle Palmer © 2011 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)