God is in Control
Believers shouldn't worry about the basic necessities of life. If we keep God first in our lives, He will sustain us. He is in control.
Be honest. Are we glad He says no to what we want and yes to what we need? Not always. If we ask for a new marriage, and He says honor the one you've got, we aren't happy. If we ask for healing, and He says learn through the pain, we aren't happy. If we ask for more money, and He says treasure the unseen, we aren't always happy.
When God doesn't do what we want, it's not easy. Never has been. Never will be. But faith is the conviction that God knows more than we do about this life and He will get us through it.
Remember, disappointment is caused by unmet expectation. Disappointment is cured by revamped expectation.
I like that story about the fellow who went to the pet store in search of a singing parakeet. Seems he was a bachelor and his house was too quiet. The store owner had just the bird for him, so the man bought it. The next day the bachelor came home from work to a house full of music. He went to the cage to feed tho bird and noticed for the first time that the parakeet had only one leg.
He felt cheated that he'd been sold a one-legged bird, so he called and complained.
"What do you want," the store owner responded, "A bird who can sing or a bird who can dance?"
We need to hear that God is still in control. We need to hear that it's not over until He says so. We need to hear that life's mishaps and tragedies are not a reason to bail out. They are simply a reason to sit tight.
Corrie ten Boom used to say, "When the train goes through a tunnel and the world gets dark, do you jump out? Of course not. You sit still and trust the engineer to get you through." . . .
Next time you're disappointed, don't panic. Don't jump out. Don't give up. Just be patient and let God remind you He's still in control. It ain't over til it's over.
-From He Still Moves Stones by Max Lucado; part of The Inspirational Study Bible: New Century Version by Max Lucado
What worries consume your thoughts? Turn them over to God. . .then breathe a sign of relief and live for Him. Let God carry your burdens.
The thing you should want most is God's kingdom and doing what God wants. Then all these other things you need will be given to you. -Matthew 6:33 (NCV)
Be honest. Are we glad He says no to what we want and yes to what we need? Not always. If we ask for a new marriage, and He says honor the one you've got, we aren't happy. If we ask for healing, and He says learn through the pain, we aren't happy. If we ask for more money, and He says treasure the unseen, we aren't always happy.
When God doesn't do what we want, it's not easy. Never has been. Never will be. But faith is the conviction that God knows more than we do about this life and He will get us through it.
Remember, disappointment is caused by unmet expectation. Disappointment is cured by revamped expectation.
I like that story about the fellow who went to the pet store in search of a singing parakeet. Seems he was a bachelor and his house was too quiet. The store owner had just the bird for him, so the man bought it. The next day the bachelor came home from work to a house full of music. He went to the cage to feed tho bird and noticed for the first time that the parakeet had only one leg.
He felt cheated that he'd been sold a one-legged bird, so he called and complained.
"What do you want," the store owner responded, "A bird who can sing or a bird who can dance?"
We need to hear that God is still in control. We need to hear that it's not over until He says so. We need to hear that life's mishaps and tragedies are not a reason to bail out. They are simply a reason to sit tight.
Corrie ten Boom used to say, "When the train goes through a tunnel and the world gets dark, do you jump out? Of course not. You sit still and trust the engineer to get you through." . . .
Next time you're disappointed, don't panic. Don't jump out. Don't give up. Just be patient and let God remind you He's still in control. It ain't over til it's over.
-From He Still Moves Stones by Max Lucado; part of The Inspirational Study Bible: New Century Version by Max Lucado
What worries consume your thoughts? Turn them over to God. . .then breathe a sign of relief and live for Him. Let God carry your burdens.
The thing you should want most is God's kingdom and doing what God wants. Then all these other things you need will be given to you. -Matthew 6:33 (NCV)
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