Inspired by . . . do the next thing

Sometimes I get stuck.

Overwhelmed by all there is to do or all I want to do, I end up doing nothing.

Sometimes nothing can be good. Like when it amounts to rest, stillness before the Lord. But sometimes doing nothing amounts to unproductive [mindless] activity. This is not good.

I hate days when I can't focus and go from one mindless activity to the other. You, too?

The balance between rest/stillness and mindless activity can be challenging. Especially when physical circumstances force you to slow down.

Every day, hundreds of times a day, we all make the choice to do the next thing. The motivation behind our choice is what makes it mindful or mindless.

Often we're simply responding to basic needs. Our bodies need to be fed and cared for. Financial obligations met. Houses cleaned. Yet even within these tasks, there are choices.

I know how easy it is to fall prey to allowing Life to dictate my choices. Getting into reaction mode, rather than being pro-active. Because it's easier when Life is coming at you full force. But easier is often not better.

So how do we keep our motivation pure and make the right choices when we do the next thing?

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. (Isa 26:3)

The simple answer, which isn't simple at all, is to keep God at the forefront of all we do. I'm learning that this is more about establishing a habitual discipline than it is about taking chunks of time out of the day.  We don't have to stop and go into our prayer closet for 30 minutes every time we need to make a decision. Certainly, there are major decisions that require significant prayer. But when we are conscious to involve God in our everyday routine, simply pausing to acknowledge that we need Him throughout the day, we will find ourselves breathing prayers for guidance naturally. [click to tweet]

He has given us the Holy Spirit to direct and guide us. So, why do we mostly ignore this precious gift!? Imagine running on the power of the Holy Spirit throughout the day rather than your own? I expect that sounds good to a few weary souls out there. I know it sounds good to me!

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. (Joh 14:26)

These breath-prayers have been a challenge and a focus for me this year. As with any spiritual discipline, they take time and I'm nowhere close to having this all figured out. But every time I remember to seek Him and acknowledge my need for His presence during the day I am blessed and my choices and actions honor Him.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (Rom 8:26)

How about you? Are you mindful of God during the day? Do you acknowledge your need for Him in the daily minutia of Life? 

Blessings,

Sharing inspiration here:
Testimony Tuesday, #TellHisStory,
Faith On Fire, Grace & Truth,
Inspire Me Monday, RaRa Link Up, Intentional Tuesday,
#WordswithWinter, Titus 2 Tuesday, Thoughtful Thursdays,
Encourage Me Monday, Wholehearted Wednesday,
Women with Intention Wednesdays, Word Filled Wednesday,
#GiveMeGrace, Sitting Among Friends, #Glimpsesofhisbeauty
Counting My Blessings, Grace Moments

Inspired by . . . anointing the dirt

We live so much of our lives with our hands tied around our backs.

~Christie Purifoy (Roots & Sky pg. 37)

Autumn has been a series of starts and stops and back-agains. We've been gone and back, and gone again. Now back. 

I'm longing for routine. Same old, same old sounds like heaven to me.

My blogging has suffered along with all the irregularities and I miss all of you.

Not writing has left me feeling dry and brittle. My mind is constantly stringing words together but with every break in routine, my thoughts scatter like windblown leaves.

I was beginning to identify with my front yard.

Barren. Nothingness. Dirt.

From our temporary dwelling, that is all we see.

When I wrote that last line I was referring to where we are currently living, my Dreamer and I. But there is a deeper, more profound meaning.

Trapped in these earthly bodies our perspective can often become focused on the dirt. The barren parts of our lives that seem to produce nothingness. 

It's easy, for me at least, to get caught up in the hamster wheel. To feel unproductive and out of focus. To feel guilty over everything I'm failing to accomplish. But our perspective is often not the reality. 

And sometimes it takes a special sign from God to show us what is real. To remind us of how He works.

Sometimes, He sends us butterflies.

For several days the butterflies came. 

Flitting from here to there on the dirt. Not a flower or bloom in sight.

Beauty attracted to ugliness.

Tiny feet anointing barren ground.

The butterflies are gone now. In their place is a bounty of winter rye.

It is often in the periods of in-between when we're waiting on God that the Holy Spirit comes. 

He anoints the barren, dusty places. The hard places that we've stopped trying to navigate. He gives feet to our faith and voice to our deepest prayer.

And when we respond with obedience and joy He produces in us a bountiful harvest.

We all have dry and barren places in our lives. Some may be tucked away and nearly forgotten. I encourage you to bring them before the Lord in prayer today.

A tiny seed of faith, when anointed by the Holy Spirit is a beautiful thing.

Shalom,

Sharing inspiration here:
Small Wonders, Testimony Tuesday, #TellHisStory,
Thought Provoking Thursday, Grace & Truth,
Inspire Me Monday, RaRa Link Up, Intentional Tuesday,
#WordswithWinter, Titus 2 Tuesday, Thoughtful Thursdays,
Encourage Me Monday, Wholehearted Wednesday,
Women with Intention Wednesdays, Word Filled Wednesday,
#GiveMeGrace, Sitting Among Friends, #Glimpsesofhisbeauty
Nature Notes, Through My Lens, Saturday’s Critters, Life thru the Lens,
Our World Tuesday, Community Global, Photo Friday, Little Things Thursday

Inspired by . . . always near the cross: obedience

Continuing the series.

Love

Humility

Sacrifice

Obedience

Submission

Faith

Trust

 

I often ask myself, “Have I done one single thing today because He told me to do it?”

I’m ashamed to say the answer is more often no, than yes. We have all sorts of reasons for doing the things that we do, even the good things, but how often does our motivation come from obedience to His word - from a simply desire to please Him - to obey His command?

 

 

Knowing what God wants us to do is not hard. He has not kept His will a secret. He has carefully preserved not only His precepts, but the very words uttered from our Savior’s mouth!

 

The LORD has told us what is good.

What He requires of us is this: to do what is just,

to show constant love,

and to live in humble fellowship with our God. Mic 6:8

WWJD?

Open your Bible and therein you shall find the answer!

The law of the LORD is perfect; it gives new strength.

The commands of the LORD are trustworthy, giving wisdom to those who lack it.

The laws of the LORD are right, and those who obey them are happy.

The commands of the LORD are just and give understanding to the mind. Psa 19:7-8

 

Not only do we have His word, but as believers we have the Holy Spirit. A counselor to guide us and make clear the things of God.

 

We have not received this world's spirit; instead,

we have received the Spirit sent by God,

so that we may know all that God has given us. 1Co 2:12

 

 

The cross offends the disobedient. They do not desire it’s favor or acceptance. They scoff and turn away.

 

So then, if we do not do the good we know we should do, we are guilty of sin. Jas 4:17

 

When presented with a choice, it is almost always easier not to obey. So how can we guard against this temptation?

 

How can young people keep their lives pure?

By obeying Your commands. With all my heart I try to serve You;

keep me from disobeying Your commandments.

I keep your law in my heart, so that I will not sin against You. Psa 119:9-11

 

God gives us everything we need to obey - and grace when we fail.

 

Examine me, O God, and know my mind; test me, and discover my thoughts.

Find out if there is any evil in me and guide me in the everlasting way. Psa 139:23-24

 

Our desire to obey is like a fragrant oil, like the dew of Mt. Hermon falling on the ground beneath the cross.

 

 

  Forgive me, most gracious Lord and Father, if this day I have done or said anything to increase the pain of the world.

Pardon the unkind word, the impatient gesture, the hard and selfish deed, the failure to show sympathy and

kindly help where I had the opportunity, but missed it; and enable me so to live that I may daily

do something to lessen the tide of human sorrow and add to the sum of human happiness.

Prayer to Do Good ~ F.B. Meyer England, 1847-1929

 

Blessings,

June

 

 

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#GiveMeGrace

Inspired by. . . the Teacher

What does the Holy Spirit do for me?

 

 

He reveals the things of Christ. And reminds us of all Jesus has told us.

He pierces our dark minds with the knowledge of Jesus.

He acquaints us with that which Jesus performed in perfect fulfillment of His covenant.

He provides fellowship for us with the Father and the Son.

He leads us into all Truth, wisdom and revelation.

 

 

He reveals to us the Father's love through the scriptures.

He leads us from faith to faith.

He gives us power over sin.

He teaches us to draw near to Christ with a pure heart.

 

 

Let us never falter in this way.

 

 

Blessings,

 

 

All images textured with Cheryl McCain's hunter texture.

 

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