Do you ever wake up one day and just decide it's time for a change? That is what I've been going through today. I don't mean a physical change, but an emotional and spiritual change. It's time. I've found myself in this kind of winter season for the past few months. After last night's Bible study with the girls, God has shed some light on some things in my heart and I woke up this morning ready for a change.
At Bible study we were discussing "Guarding Your Mind," and we read through a couple of really good articles addressing this subject. When we were discussing this one and the need to immerse ourselves in the Word of God by daily meditating on what it says and applying it, I shared with them how for many years I woke up every morning and began my day with an hour with the Lord, doing Bible study and praying. During that time in my life, it was so much easier to guard my mind and to have my priorities right, because I was beginning every single day by focusing on Him and filling my mind with Him. It was easier to love others, to be gentle, to walk in peace, to put others first, and to live in joy.
A few years back I went through a really difficult season in my life and began to get off track with the Lord. I began to neglect my daily time with Him and definitely saw the results of that in my daily life. When I reached a point of brokenness, healing began, but I found myself in a new struggle to restore that daily time with the Lord, a struggle that still continues in my life today. How is it that something can be such a natural part of my every day and then end up becoming such a struggle? I don't get it, but that's what has happened.
When I was sharing this with the girls last night, it was like a light went off in my head and heart. It's time for a change. It's time to put my precious time alone with the Lord at the top of my priority list again. It's time to "be still and know that He is God." (Psalm 46:10) It's time to return to my first Love, to fervently seek Him again. In doing this, I expect I will quickly begin to see changes in my life. That's how the Holy Spirit works. Give Him more access to our lives and we will quickly see His fruit increase in us. Galatians 5:22-23
Amazing how God will use even our own words to speak to us. I am pretty sure that out of the twenty of us at Bible study last night, it was the leader who learned the most. I pray that I will be faithful in pursuing Him and this change I'm so hungry for.
4 comments:
I can definitely relate to learning yourself and being struck by the Word when you're the one teaching it. ;) I can also relate to how hard it can be guard that time, especially in hard seasons of life & our walks. I'll be praying for you when God brings you to mind, specifically that the Spirit will give you the determination and desire to start your day in the Word.
Love this! "Be still" We all need to do this more. When I go running/walking at the track I take time to do this and be with Him. It makes a WORLD of difference in my every day life, minute-to-minute.
Thank you for those prayers, Amber!
Tisha, I also love having time with Him while walking/jogging. It's such an easy way to escape and just focus on Him. I pray that He continues to draw each of us closer to Him!
"Life" gets in the way so easily sometimes it seems. We forget what matters most. On an earlier blog you asked for some new music ideas. Do you like Desperation Band? Was just listening to them. Very uplifting...
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