DURING THE STORM. What might abiding look like when I'm in the midst of the storm???
Remember the point. Abba prunes, at the right time, with the right tools, as often as is necessary. A rose needs different care than a lilac. Pruning = more of Jesus & less of ME. (John 15)
Stay focused. Stand firm. Hold
to what you have already attained. Do what you've been doing, and remember, if nothing else, keep it SIMPLE! Love Jesus by obeying His 2 commands: Love God and love each other. Go to the basics.
NOTE: This is not a to-do list - just some reminders that help me. I hope you can find a useful reminder as well.
NOTE: This is not a to-do list - just some reminders that help me. I hope you can find a useful reminder as well.
Finish the sentence
Keep
putting on that armor; stand firm at your post. Endure. Sometimes
that’s all you can do. Hold to Jesus. Don’t make decisions in the valley.
Keep seeking Abba &
things above. Focus on Jesus, what He did, and what He’ll do. Colossians
3:1–3, NASB
Keep accepting His love. Even if it
hurts, reflecting on His love breaks off another chunk of our heart scars like
dried mud on a shoe. When it just hurts too much, that’s ok! One baby step at a
time. Abba knows… Play worship tunes.
Read Psalms. Journal doodles. Sit in nature. Be still and know that He is God.
Remember your studies! Remember whose
you are! This is hiding, in plain sight. NO, I’m not saying to become a
hermit!!! (that’s a note to myself) Remember that you are a secret, concealed
(that’s right out of Strong’s, from the Greek). Enjoy that for a moment. It’s just you + Him, sistah! No one,
nothing can touch you (Romans 8 says nothing can separate us from His love.)
§ “Your
life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3);
§ all that Abba
allows in your life has to absolutely
be given His permission
Get support.
Communicate to Abba. Ask Him questions.
His Spirit searches what’s in your innermost places, knows what we are really
searching for, and prays for us according to Abba God’s will! See Romans
8:26-27. Just yesterday, I started to ask something and was convicted before I
finished the thought… We might not get answers that we want, or in our timing,
but it’s absolutely OK to ask the questions.
§
By turning to Him and seeking answers, we are
communicating, even if our hearts might look ugly at that very moment.
§ By
expressing what we’re going through (especially out loud), we learn what we
believe in the inner depths. Lies lose their hold when they are brought
into the light & we choose TRUTH.
“… keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated
at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things
that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in
God.” - Colossians 3:1–3, NASB
Remember the point. Abba prunes, at the right time, with the right tools, as often as is necessary. A rose needs different care than a lilac. Pruning = more of Jesus & less of ME. (John 15)
Expect that the pruning season will
end. It will not last forever. The Lord is kind and gracious. Even Jeremiah
speaks of God’s lovingkindness in the midst of suffering in Lamentations 3 (especially vs.
20-26, 32-33, 39).
“For if He causes grief, then He will have compassion according
to His abundant lovingkindness…. Why should any living mortal, or any man, offer
complaint in view of his sins?” –
Lamentations 3:32, 39
Abba, thank you for loving me so well. I don't like the valleys, suffering, and struggles. Still, I know from your Word that these are used to prune me, to make me like Jesus. So, even though I don't fully appreciate them (yet), I thank you for loving me enough to do what's best. I love you and commit (again) to submitting to your will. May your will be done on earth and in me, as it is in heaven. In Jesus' holy name...
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