God did meet my emotional needs

I always knew that God is everything I need. Including, meeting my emotional needs. But there was time when I was tempted to doubt – not that He could meet my needs or not, but was His time perfect?

We, girls, really know – how annoying and uncontrollable our emotions are sometimes! (Seriously, guys, we are much more frustrated than you are to understand "what’s going on with this emotion!". ‘Coz most of the time, we are clueless too.) When this crazy emotion took a lead, at least for me, my impatient spirit followed! I wanted to get over with this, right here – right now! I didn’t want to wait ‘til I clearly heard Him saying things. I demanded, "Lord, please take care of this emotion, I don’t like it. I don’t like crying for no reasons. Please, now! I don’t want to be seen as an annoying woman – being upset for nothing. NOW, please!"

In "Every Woman’s Battle", Shannon Ethridge wrote:

"The secret to ultimate emotional satisfaction is to pursue a mad, passionate love relationship with the One who made our hearts, the One who purifies our hearts, and the One who strengthens our hearts against worldly temptations. The secret is to focus your heart on your First Love.

God longs for you to be that consumed with Him. He wants your thought to turn to Him throughout the good and the bad days. He wants you to watch for Him expectantly, so that you sense Him beckoning you into His presences. He aches for you to call out to Him and listen for His loving reply."

I was on my good day when I read it, and I said joyfully, "Amen, Jesus, You are my First Love!! Thank You for satisfying my emotion ultimately." :D :D

But, fellas, there are good days, there are bad ones too. There are times when your emotions are rational – and seem to be under control. There are times when you have no idea what’s going in your mind, your heart and even your stomach! * I got stomachache easily when I am too emotional *

Several days ago, I was on my bad one >.<

It took several days to figure out "what did make me feel so bad?". I wanted Him to take care of my feelings right away, 'coz really I hated that!

I was getting frustrated and felt so helpless, and said to myself, "I am just far from being a mature woman, see?"

I started to ask, "You are able, right Lord, to handle this, and why don't You do anything? What's wrong with me?" - and I just got more frustrated >.<

* jadi inget lagunya Project Pop "Komplikasi (cape deh!)" - cocok banget "aku komplikasi - akunya frustasi - pala mumet2 - hati empet2" CAPE DEH!! *

Then I decided to fully surrender to Him - no longer trying to figure out by myself.

I asked Him, "Dear God, please do something! Ok, I am no longer insisting You to take care of me right here right now. Instead, I want to be silent and hear what You say. I want to hear You what next step I should take, and I want to follow You."

November 18th, 2010

And, believe me or not – He really did! He satisfied my soul and emotions too. He did guide me step by step in order to get over with my crazy emotions. Such as "read this book!", "hang out with your 'soon to be married' sister!", "go to sleep" and many more. And it was this morning; He concluded the series of His creative 'dealing with Eyn’s emotion' works.

He spoke clearly through devotion I read today - things that has been bugging my mind these days - He did answer my questions - things that I was clueless about!! and, I am finally could say, "AHA! So, that was the problem!"

He didn't satisfy my emotions immediately, no no.. 'coz He wanted me to learn through every process I went through 'til my emotion's satisfied and my question's answered. And He wanted me to see how creative He was, He amazed me!

"God is so patient as we learn to trust Him in the big and little things in life. And it's in our relationship with Him that we find the purpose, direction and meaning we're looking for." -Proverbs 31 Ministries Devotional-

Dear girlfriends, I didn't write to you what my problem was - and what His answer was! Nor, what did I emotionally feel about and why!

But, what I wanted to share with You is that He is truly able to satisfy our emotion needs at His perfect time. Test Him and try Him on this!

how we need His touch!

From Crosswalk Women: Five Areas of Woman's Life that Need God's Touch by Cindi McMenamin

My heart was convicted as I read in Scripture of a woman who was so desperate for God's healing in her life, she was willing to do anything to just touch Him (Mark 5:24-34).

I had to ask myself, how desperate am I for God's touch on my life? There are times I might be desperate to feel and look younger, to be thinner, to have more in the way of peace and happiness. But how desperate am I to be whole and complete in every way?

After surveying nearly 100 women, I found several common areas in which women, myself included, need the touch of God to be whole and complete. I also found that Scripture addresses these areas of a woman's life so that we can receive His healing touch. See if you can relate to needing God's touch in these areas of your life, as well:

1. Our Hearts - So They Can Be "Set On Things Above"
Women often stress over the temporal - bills that must be paid, whether or not a man will come into our lives, if we'll be able to have a child, what someone is saying about us, how our body looks, and so on. At times we are more concerned about what the scales say than what God says. Our heart is closely attuned to our bank balance, rather than our life's balance.

Yet God instructs us in Colossians 3:1-2: "set your hearts on things above." If our priorities were in heaven, not on this earth, we would not only be happier and healthier, but less financially drained and emotionally spent. Matthew 6:19-21 tells us not to "store up treasures here on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven ....For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." It takes God's touch to clear our hearts of what this world says is important and focus it on the things above.

2. Our Minds - So They Are Transformed and Renewed
It's amazing how many women profess to know God and follow Him, yet their thinking patterns are just like those of anyone else in the world. Scripture commands us: "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is" (Romans 12:2, NLT).

Furthermore, God's Word instructs: "fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise...and the God of peace will be with you" (Philippians 4:8-9, NLT). What mental anguish we would spare ourselves from if we would let God transform our mind and renew our thoughts to think as He would.

3. Our Mouths - To Be Wholesome and Pleasing to God
Because women tend to be communicators, we can cause much damage with our mouths if we do not bring them under God's control. Whether it is gossip, criticism or unkind remarks, our mouths can be instruments of righteousness or unrighteousness. In Ephesians 4:29 we are told to "not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up, according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." God's touch on our lives can make us women whose words heal and encourage, rather than distract and destroy.

4. Our Bodies - To Be Pure and Holy for Him
Are you one to worry and stress about what the scale says, how many calories you took in, and whether or not you can still fit into a certain size? God's command to us is "Give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?" (Romans 12:1, NLT). It is important that we keep our bodies healthy and in good shape (as we are His temple), but God says our most prevalent concern should be that we keep our bodies holy. In fact, God calls keeping our bodies holy our "spiritual act of worship" (Romans 12:1, NIV).

One of the ways we can keep our bodies holy is by how we choose to dress. People can tell much about us, and whom we love, by how we dress. Do we call attention to ourselves or the God who made us? If the way we dress says "Look at me!" we may want to rethink how we dress so that others can see Christ through us. Can others see Christ in you or are you getting in the way?

5. Our Emotions - To Be Calmed with the Peace of God
There are days when, hormonally or just circumstantially, we need God's touch to calm our frazzled emotions and level out our lives. Philippians 4:6-7 says "Don't' worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and request to God. Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel" (CEV). A woman who is controlled by God's peace is not on the edge, but in the spacious place of His embrace.

I believe if we seek God's touch in those five areas of our lives we would rarely have reason to feel we are going over the edge. For instance, when you get frustrated in a relationship, go back to the principle of letting God transform and renew your mind to only think on whatever is pure, right, lovely, good, and so on. And when you are about to lose it over finances or something that takes you by surprise, remember to not be anxious about anything, but to pray about everything...keeping a heart of thanksgiving for what you've been given. And when your heart begins to desire something that you cannot attain, remember to set your heart on things above.

may it be pleasing to You

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer . Psalm 19:14

Ya Tuhan, perkataanku dan terlebih hatiku…
biarlah itu menyenangkanMu ya Tuhan
biar eyn jaga hati eyn suci…
tiada tersembunyi bagiMu Bapa,
Engkau mengenal ku sampai kedalaman hatiku..
sucikan, murnikan lebih lagi,
biarlah hanya pujian dan berkat yg ada di hatiku..
buanglah segala kutuk, segala kebencian, iri hati, insecurity, worries yg menggerogoti hati ini Tuhan
biarlah sungguh seluruh keberadaanku menyenangkan hatiMu ya Tuhan.

me, my heart, my family, my friends and GOD!

July 15th 2010

Maybe some of you still remember what I wrote several days ago *if you read*, how I am so terrible at sharing "my heart"....

I have been really devastated these days, and really not trying to hide my feelings at all. *what an improvement!*
I've been really quite. I shared my feelings to some of my friends. and I've been wearing black.

But u know, at the end of the day... there are just some things that still remain that I, myself, am clueless about.

This time, I am being content this way, not trying to figure out what's going on. I enjoy "this moment" by myself and of course with a loyal support from my family too. *oooh, how I am thankful for having them*
They have been there with me..
watching me dancing, while I was trying to forget everything for a while,
laughing at and with me, how stressful I have been..
they were silent when suddenly...after I danced and laughed hard, I cried hard immediately...

"Laughter can conceal a heavy heart,
but when the laughter ends, the grief remains."

I thank God for having my family with me, and my friends' support too. For their presences and encouragement.

But...my heart..no one could fully understand!! How could I expect anyone will understand if I, myself, have no idea what's actually going on inside??! It's just broken!! It hurts so bad!

"Each heart knows its own bitterness,
and no one else can fully share its joy."

It continued 'til today...
I've been praying from this morning.... "Lord, I don't need to understand my feelings nor my heart. Nor I expect my friends would do. But, one thing I know, You take care of it."

I looked at my bible today.... and it says:
Even Death and Destruction hold no secrets from the LORD.
How much more does He know the human heart!

OOOOH!!!!!!! Yes....though I am clueless about my very own heart, He knows!!! He understands, and that's enough!! It's enough to know that He -who knows me more than myself do- handles my heart!!

You have allowed me to suffer much hardship,
but you will restore me to life again
and lift me up from the depths of the earth.
You will restore me to even greater honor
and comfort me once again.
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
He is mine forever.
But as for me, how good it is to be near God!
I have made the Sovereign LORD my shelter,
and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

Proverbs 14:10, Proverbs 14:13, Proverbs 15:11, Psalm 71:20-21, Psalm 72:26, Psalm 72:28

first thing first

June 21st 2010

Really thought that it was just a normal Monday blues.
*Pusing dan ngantuk sepanjang pagi…. Menguap2 tak berhenti, sampe pak sopir bertanya, ‘abis nonton bola, ce?’ …*

Pagi ini, bangun dengan berharap badanku sudah dalam keadaan PENUH dan siap beraktifitas.
Kenyataannya malah body-ku berteriak, “Lyn, don’t u realize that u even haven’t had me fully recharged for several days? How could u expect me to be in total stamina?”
* Oh yeah, I know! I know!!! Really sorry, my body! >.< * It shouted, "I AM OFFICIALLY EXHAUSTED!!!” Tau dari mana? Kepala pening yg tidak kunjung hilang, ngomong yg mulai ngaco dari sejak beberapa hari lalu dan mudahnya aku upset over small things..yg sedikit lagi disenggol, pasti akan nangis! *huhuhu, this exhaustion really affected my emotion too* Kalo ibarat batterei bb, dari mulai lampu kuning..udah jadi lampu merah.. SOS… bentar lagi mati sama sekali … (matinya berarti sakit though!) * yup, aku sudah disambut oleh tamu flu dan panas dalam pagi ini * Kalau menurut artikel yg aku baca, ------------------------------------------------------------------------- When we're exhausted, we have spent not only our strength, but also we've used up our energy reserves. Instead of making a small withdrawal, we have emptied the whole bank account. When we are exhausted, there is no more energy to take action or even think about what we want to do. We are fully worn out, used up, and all our energy has been consumed. It takes longer to regenerate our energy than it would have if we had taken a break when we were at the tired stage. Our body has employed a great amount of adrenaline to sustain us with our reserve energy. To regenerate now means that we will probably experience a cortisone drop, which is a state of feeling uninspired, sleepy, having difficulty waking up, and very low energy. Depending upon how far we have pushed ourselves, this state can last for days, weeks, and even months. When we are exhausted, we have gone to the extreme: we have used our energy to focus and work beyond our normal limits and we experience an equal and opposite reaction with an inability to focus and extreme mental, emotional, and physical tiredness. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *hopefully, I haven’t gone that far >.<* Ignoring teriakan body’ku, I forced to plan this week’s agenda. And yeah ternyata, there are so many things need to be worked out, worked on, let go, given up, thought over, started over THIS WEEK! Kyaaaaaaaaaaaa… >.< And I was like… “Ok, ok! Kalem kalem… First thing first..Lyn!” Other part of me whispered ……. “Take care of me first, and I guarantee the rest will be fine..” *the place where only can be satisfied by Dating with Him.* I realized.. how I had let my super crazy busy days…drained me to the core…that I only gave Him my left over' time.. Yet, I did have time to do other things, boo me lah! T_T I am sure, that’s the very first thing need to be worked on this week! Aku bilang, “Lord, I feel miserable!!!!” “Kenapa semuanya serasa gak beres? Kenapa semua orang sepertinya menjengkelkan dan mengecewakan….? Aku perlu kerjain ini, perlu kerjain itu. Kenapa kok aku upset banget hanya karena hal ini??? Pengen istirahaaaaaaaaaaaaat” “Erlyn, Erlyn," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed (right now), choose what is better –come to Me, spend time with Me-, and it will not be taken away from you.” *Luke 10:41-42* Jadi ingat, minggu kemarin, malam2…setelah lelah beraktifitas seharian… setelah aku curhat ke dede-ku dan bilang, “Riez, cici sedih-cape dan pengen pergi!!!” *oh yeah, aku sudah lelah berminggu-minggu… * Tidak lama, setelah Rieza meninggalkanku sendirian…as I cried, I opened my Bible, it was Psalm 62 : Find rest, O my soul, in God alone! Sebenarnya, it was pretty clear yeah from last week, that what I really needed was to find rest only in Him! Yet…I forced myself to attain my “super full activity” the whole last week… and let myself to be drained even more! And bang! >.<
Then today…I was extremely exhausted and miserable….and experienced things I read several days ago during my quite time:

We should desire to be in God's presence so much that we let nothing get in our way. And the more we get to know God, the more miserable we will be when we don't spend time with Him. We will feel like the psalmist when he says, "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God." Yet, sometimes, we let the busyness of life get in the way of our pursuit of God. Instead of longing to spend time with Him, we give Him whatever time we have left over after we've taken care of our jobs, our families and our church responsibilities. God wants us to long to spend time with Him, to seek Him out. He wants nothing - not our families, our friends or our activities - to stand in the way of us growing closer to Him.

Yeah, I may still got a super full agenda this week, but first thing first!
Seek Ye first, for The Sovereign LORD is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go on the heights. Habakkuk 3:19 - and -
REST in Him alone, as the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Psalm 42:1-2

Have a blessed week and be recharged!!!!! :D :D

"Don't let your emotional tanks run low"

(taken from "Fit to be Tied" by Bill and Lynne Hybels chapter 11 "Living in Crisis Mode")

The Christian community has a pretty good track record for ignoring the emotional side of life.…....
Most Christian look at only one gauge: the spiritual one. They assume if they are sincerely walking with Christ, if they are praying and receiving sound teaching, if they are worshiping publicly and privately, then everything is okay.
A few Christian go a step further and check out the physical gauge. They believe, as we do, that part of Christian obedience, part of making ourselves fully available for God’s use, is to take care of their bodies. ….. They are convinced that if they keep the spiritual and physical gauges in order they will be able to work hard, stand firm, and win the battles until the day they die.

But as crucial as those gauges are, there is a third gauge, THE EMOTIONAL GAUGE, and neglecting to pay attention to it has been the downfall of many spiritually strong and physically healthy people. ……………

The emotional depletion eventually produces a shrinking heart. This is a heart that does not worship as authentically as it once did, or loves God as passionately as it used to. It is a heart that no longer sensitive to the needs of others, a heart that has lost the fire of compassion. ………………..

Emotional depletion also leaves us vulnerable to sin. People who are emotionally exhausted, or whose emotions have been neglected, begin to cry out on a psychological level for comfort, for release, for escape, for something that will make them feel good or satiate their senses. They begin to crave quick hits of pleasure. They are lured by temptations that had never tempted them before. Activities they had never considered suddenly become live options. ………………

The sad thing about emotional depletion is that it makes sincere, godly people act as if they are “out of their minds”. It twists personalities and alters behavior to the point where people become unrecognizable to co-workers, friends and spouses. Ultimately, it drives people to hurt those they love the most. ………………

We tend to view recreational as a luxury, as something to engage in if we have nothing or productive to do. …………. But, far from being a luxury, it may be a necessary antidote to chronic emotional fatigue…

Are your emotional batteries low? Has your heart shrunk? Do you think you might be heading for a crash? ………

Don’t rush from emotionally draining to the next. Don’t live so fast that you never have time for replenishing recreation or relationships. Don’t neglect your need to trickle charge!

Perhaps you, too, need to make some radical change in your life. Maybe you need to revise your job description. …. Maybe you need to resign from that board or drop that extra class. Another answer may be to refuse to take on so many projects, …or downscale your goals. …………………

How good, after all, is an opportunity that throws you into emotional depletion?
How great is a lifestyle that never gives you time to enjoy life?

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." - Jesus Christ -

big girls DO cry, and so do big boys ..

(from my fb notes, March 4th 2010)

Taking shower is one of my fave daily routines.
Well.. gak harus cuma taking shower sih, pokonya bathroom thingy lah ..
I always bring my cell with me (relax, i am not that autis ;p), cuma buat denger lagu kok. :D
So, bathroom is really my "i can sing out loud" and "i can dance whatever" place.
Biasa ketenangan terganggu kalo my brother udah mulai menggedor2 pintu, not because he wants to use it, but because he LOVES to tease me! ggrr... (tapi brother mana who doesn't tease his baby sis, yeah?)

anyway..

Last week, it was a normal morning, *bathing time*, pas lagi sakit gigi, pas lagunya Fergie "Big Girls Don't Cry"...
Aku stop sikat gigi sesaat...
Big girls don't cry?!!?? Really?
"Jelas-jelas, I cried pretty bad last nite waktu nonton My Name is Khan pas bagian -------- (sensor, hehe, gak mau spoil ceritanya buat yg blm ntn)" .... *recommended, btw!!*
"I don't agree!"
tapi abis itu mulai mikir2 lagi sih, apakah ini karena "i was being too emotional", or "emang karena the movie was really good.. " hmmm..

Beberapa hari berlanjut setelah itu..

And, it was today .... i was super duper UPSET!!! *krn sesuatu hal tentunya*
I didn't know what to do, I didn't want to get angry and say unwise words for sure, I chose to be silent and not to say anything about it, I ran to my bathroom (pengen mandi soalnya) ...

Ritual biasa, tapi kali ini sikat gigi nya sambil kepengen nangis saking upset-nya, pas kebetulan lagunya "Big Girls Don"t Cry" lagi..
I couldn't cry this time.. and it wasn't good..
I was thinking, "am i being too sanguine? 3 hours ago i super enjoyed watching american idol, and now.. i am really upset."
I wanted to cry, still but I couldn't..and honestly, I was upset for being upset. I didn't like it.
Perasaan ku bercampur antara kesel, kesel karena gak bisa nangis, kesel karena kenapa aku mau nangis!

I decided to continue reading the story about Yusuf.. (haha.. gak kelar2 baca bukunya nih :$)
It's written, " Yusuf adalah orang yang hebat dan berkuasa,tidak disangkal, tetapi ia juga seorang manusia sejati dengan emosi-emosi manusia yang nyata, yang bisa keluar dari lorong kekuasaan dan memiliki kekuatan untuk menangis sejadi-jadinya." (lagi ngebahas how Joseph cried saat dia ngeliat Benjamin).
Begitu juga dengan Daud, Ayub, Elia. Para raksasa iman ini memiliki saat-saat ketika secara emosi meledak di hadapan Allah mereka.

"Seperti semua kita, orang yang hebat, baik pria maupun wanita mengalami saat-saat dalam kehidupan, di mana mereka tidak dapat lagi menahan emosi mereka. Ketenangan sirna dan emosi mengambil kendali. Seringkali kita perlu untuk mengundurkan diri untuk mengembalikan ketenangan."

I really thanked Him to remind me that He actually cares about my feelings and my emotions too. He doesn't look down on them.
I don't have to feel guilty for having those emotions, karena emosi adalah part of me as a human juga.
I can't avoid it, I just have to admit it, and be wise about it.
It's not wrong to be upset, but again, be wise about it, and don't sin.
It's not wrong to cry, not at all.

So, do big girls cry?
oh yeah .. they do! and so do boys :D

i will be still

(from my fb notes, Dec 2nd 2009)

Talking about listening and following my heart...
I actually heard it said something this morning, at least my heart agreed with this song..
My heart jumped and pretty much was alive again ... Alive means starting to feel that I want to cry though.

Yeah, what I need now is to be still ...
I was tired being tired, being disappointed and wondering why. tired to trust and not trust anybody. tired of walking alone.

Hide me now
Under your wings
Cover me
within your mighty hand

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with you above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God

Find rest my soul
In Christ alone
Know his power
In quietness and trust

Yet, I still think nothing I can do now.... Just be still.. and know He is God, He is with me no matter what. He is there when I feel I could use a friend. There when I need someone to talk, to share my heart. There for me to trust.

I will be still and know you are God.

isn't it wonderful what He's telling me today?

As I posted earlier, struggling with this feeling bla bla....
God, with His tender love gave me this:


If only I had.....
by Lisa TerKeurst

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32 (NIV)

There's a simple little script many of us play in our mind—simple, yet incredibly dangerous. Dare I say it's one of the biggest things that hold us back from feeling fulfilled in our relationship with God. It's a script tangled in a lie that typically goes something like this: I could really be happy and fulfilled if only I had …

… a skinnier body.
… a husband.
… a husband who was more tender and romantic.
… more money.
… a more successful career.
… a better personality.
… a baby.
… smarter kids.

I don't know what your "if only I had" statements are, but I do know that none of them wil l bring fulfillment. They might bring temporary moments of happiness… but not true fulfillment.

In the book I just wrote, Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl, I expose the "if only I had" lie with this truth: Apart from a thriving relationship with God, even if we got everything on our list, there would still be a hollow gap in our soul.

Instead of saying, "If only I had" and filling in the blank with some person, possession, or position, make a choice to replace that statement with God's truth. Here are some examples that have helped me battle the temptation to let people, possessions, or positions take God's place in my life.

People

I no longer say, "If only I had a daddy who loved me.…" Instead, I say, "Psalm 68:5 promises God will be a father to the fatherless."

Maybe your gap isn't left by an absent father but by a friend who hurt you. Or perhaps a husband who left you. Or the children you've longed to have and still don't. Whatever that gap is, God is the perfect fit for your emptiness. Pray this paraphrase of Luke 1:78–79: "Because of the tender mercy of my God by which the rising sun will come to me from heaven—to shine on my darkness and in what feels like the shadow of death to me—I will find peace."

Possessions

I no longer say, "If only I had more possessions …." Instead, I recite Matthew 6:19–21: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Any possession I ever long for, no matter how good it may seem, will only be good for a limited time. In light of eternity, every possession is in the process of breaking down, becoming devalued, and will eventually be taken from us. If I set my heart solely on acquiring more things, I'll feel more vulnerable with the possibility of loss.

Possessions are meant to be appreciated and used to bless others. They were never meant to be identity markers. It's not wrong to enjoy the possessions we have as long as we don't depend on them for our heart's security.

Position

I no longer say, "If only I had a better position .…" Instead, I say the words of Psalm 119:105: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." I don't need a better position to get where I should go. I don't have to figure out my path and jockey to get ahead. I need God's Word to guide me. As I follow Him and honor Him step-by-step, I can be assured that I'm right where He wants me to be doing wh at He wants me to do.

Whatever "if only I had" statement you are struggling with, you can replace it with solid truths from Scripture that will never leave you empty. It's a bold assertion to make but it's true. When God's Word gets inside of us, it becomes the new way we process life. It rearranges our thoughts, our motives, our needs, and our desires. Our soul was tailor-made to be filled with God and His truth, therefore, it seeps into every part of us and fills us completely.

Dear Lord, I acknowledge only You can fill those empty places in my heart. Help me to stop the "if only I had" cycle and instead be set free with Your truth. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

I just can't stop thanking Him for His love, His faithfulness...His abundant care to me!
Coz He is!