When Doubt Speaks Your Language (and a winner)

My post on Tuesday, and the accompanying devotion on Crosswalk and Proverbs 31, stirred up some great conversation.  Most of it about faith. 

Basically people are asking the same questions that I've asked myself: How do I fully trust God to protect me (or my loved ones) when bad things happen every day? Why bother to pray when my friend may not be healed?

I want to share something I learned years ago about the world we live in.  There is an ebb and flow of the power of God here on earth.  This is because although Jesus brought the Kingdom of God to earth, it is not here in full. One day it will be.  But not yet.  Jesus experienced limitations Himself.  Mark 6:5 

My point is, one day we will experience the fullness of God's power.  For now, we enjoy a measure of it. 

This is where faith comes in.  We don't control God's power.  So we need to believe, really believe, that we can experience it for ourselves.  The Bible is clear that God works miracles in conjunction with our faith.  Not always.  But it's often a part.  

Fear and doubt keep us from fully embracing a life of faith.  The "what ifs?" steal our joy.  The "buts" take away our hope. 

I read this amazing passage in 2 Chronicles 32:18-19 that identified a reason we doubt.  Doubt is like an enemy who sneaks into our heart and whispers lies.  Doubt speaks the language of our hearts, and buries itself in deep.  Read what happened to the people of God.

In this chapter, King Hezekiah is defending Jerusalem from attack by the Assyrians. The king of Assyria is relentless in trying to weaken the defenses of God's people.  He trash talks God multiple many times, and tries to puts questions into the minds of the people about God's ability to protect them.  Then, he did something very interesting.  Read verses 18-19:

"Then they called out in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to terrify them and make them afraid in order to capture the city. They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as they did about the gods of the other peoples of the world—the work of human hands."

The king spoke the language of the people in order to terrify them.  You've got to read how Hezekiah encouraged everyone.  It's worth writing it out on a note card until you've got it memorized.  Read here.

Doubt speaks our language.  If you've ever had a child get sick, really sick, you will doubt God's ability to heal.  If you've lost a loved one in an accident, you will doubt God's ability to protect.  If you've been rejected or betrayed, you will doubt God's faithfulness.

I've lost a cousin to breast cancer, and Satan tries to get me to believe I'll get it too.  My niece was killed in a drunk driving accident, Satan wants me to believe my children will die too.  But those are just lies to get me to doubt God's power and weaken my faith.  God is powerful enough to heal and protect. He's proven it multiple times.  And I don't want to miss the flow of that power by my doubting. 

I'm done listening to Satan's lies.  I'm seeing them for what they are.  Doubt speaking my language. The next time the evil one tries to put those lies in my head, he's getting the "what for"!

Now on to a winner from my little giveaway contest on Tuesday.  Using http://www.random.org/, Kristi who posted at 5:17 a.m., is the winner of a book, Starbucks card and note pad.  Kristi, I couldn't find your contact information so please email me at editor@proverbs31.org. 

In His Love,

Glynnis

Should you let go of an old dream?

Thank you to all of my sweet sisters who took the time to post a comment last Friday and over the weekend.  I loved reading them!   Thank you so much.  I picked a winner at random, and am happy to announce that Alycia Morales will be receiving the book, "Your Secret Name."  Alycia, I've sent you an email, but if it didn't go through, please email me at editor@proverbs31.org with your mailing address!

I've got lots of books to give away, so please keep reading in the coming weeks for other opportunities.

Speaking of winning books, earlier this year I won a book on Michael Hyatt's blog titled "Linchpin: Are You Indispensable."  The author is Seth Godin, and I happen to think he's one of our generation's most brilliant thinkers.  Basically, the book is about setting yourself apart in your chosen field ...  but it's more than that.  It's really about making a difference in a society where following the traditional systems doesn't work. 

Godin asserts that too many of us have been trained to wait for direction from someone else.  We are afraid to share an idea that might appear stupid or try something that might fail.  Instead, we let fear dominate and keep our potentially brilliant ideas to ourselves.  After all, it's safer to stay in a rut, where no one can tell us why our ideas won't work.

But what a boring waste of your God-given talent.  I see women all the time who have a dream in their hearts they nurture and protect by never letting it out.  And when they do, it's just for a moment, before it's safely tucked away where no one can label it "impossible."

Then there are those women who have dared to pursue a dream, only to face one obstacle after another.  What brave women those are, and they always earn my applause!   I see this repeatedly in publishing.  Writing a book is a heartbreaking dream to have, because to do it in the traditional way depends on many other people's agreement. 

Just yesterday I read a quote in the chapter titled "There is no Map"  that spoke to me.  Godin says:

"The challenge is in understanding when our effort can't possibly be enough, and in choosing projects and opportunities that are most likely to reward the passion we bring to a situation."

As I read this I thought of my publishing journey.  All my life I've loved to write, I got a degree in writing and have written professionally my entire career.  It seemed natural to write a book with all that writing experience.  And yet, the reality is that there's more to writing a book than just writing.  Authoring a book requires three equal parts: 1)  fresh & relevant ideas 2) excellent writing and 3) promotional savvy.  In today's publishing world, the author actually has more responsibility to sell the book than ever before. 

Some of my friends are inspiring, marketing-savvy and strong writers.  They've got what it takes to be a success as an author.  But what about those people who might have two of those three elements?  What is there for them?

That's where Godin's quote opened my eyes.  Maybe for some authors, the effort it takes to market a book is  too much given their personality or current situation.  Maybe, given the author's topic, no amount of effort will ever be enough to catch the interest of an acquisition editor.  And maybe, that author's passion would be better directed to another avenue than traditional publishing.  After all, that's certainly not the only writing of value, but the dream is hard to release.  Is there fear that in releasing the dream, there will be nothing left?

I wonder if some women are holding on to an old dream - not just of writing a book. Perhaps, given today's culture and climate, the fulfillment of that dream wouldn't have the same result as 10 years ago.  But the dream is still closely held.  And, in the holding of that dream for so long, the passion is diminished or even extinguished. 

Today I'd like to challenge you to consider if your passion and talents would be better directed to a different project, dream or opportunity.  Are you holding on to an old dream that, in reality, wouldn't be the same if you achieved it now?  Sometimes we have to let go completely of an old dream, in order for God to replace it with a new, custom-designed dream.

Hopefully these thoughts aren't too deep for your Monday.  But it's what's been weighing heavy on my mind since I read that quote.  Really, it's prompting me to think about what I really love about writing, and if I've truly pursued that which is the most effective use of my talents. 

What are your thoughts on this topic?  Have you ever held on to an old dream for too long, and missed out on other opportunities?  Or fulfilled a dream only to realize it didn't really satisfy, or use your talents in the way you thought it would?  I'd love to hear your comments.


In His Love,
Glynnis

Do you feel like you don't fit in?

Today my friend Joanne Kraft is featuring an interview with me about writing. If you visit her site at http://www.onesoblessed.com/ you will get a chance to read about my writing journey and some of my thoughts on writing.

I will warn you, I'm not a typical writer. In fact, I've always thought I was a freak of nature, or uniquely and humorously made by a loving God who designed me for a purpose. I'm choosing the second option.

You see, I don't fit any molds ... in any part of my life.

I LOVE to cook and watch Food Network (Paula and I are on a first name basis ... well, at least I am with her - she, on the other hand, doesn't know I exist.)

BUT, I have never created my own recipe.

I LOVE to write.

BUT, I have never journaled, kept a diary, and if you follow my blog, you will know I am inconsistent at best.

I LOVE to read home decorating magazines, such as Romantic Homes and Victoria. I'm an old-fashioned, romantic girl at heart. Should have been born in an English manor. With servants of course. Who I would have treated very well, like a part of the family.

BUT, I can't accessorize or decorate my home for the life of me.

So, what does a girl like me do?

Trust that God knew what He was doing, stop worrying about what I can't do, and focus with purpose on what I can do. I have realized that the more I'm me, the better I am at it.

I wonder if there are women out there who have decided they are disqualified from something because they don't fit into a mold. I kind of envision Satan as walking around with a big rubber stamp and stamping "disqualified" on the hearts of my sweet sisters around the world.

But today I want to tell you that God has already stamped you "qualified" with the blood of Jesus. Not because of your qualifications, but because of His.

So shake off what the world says, and the lies of the enemy, and embrace your calling, in all your unique and beautiful self. If you don't fit the "mold," that must be because God is creating a new one ... and it's called YOU.

With all my love and His,

Glynnis

Why God Tests Us

Thanks for stopping by my blog. I wish I could welcome you with a big hug, and invite you into my kitchen for a cup of coffee! I guess we'll have to settle for a little cyber-chat.

Today I've got a devotion running titled "A Ram is on the Way." Although I've read the story of Abraham and Isaac many times, it was only recently I got the visual image of the ram walking up the other side of the mountain at the same time as Abraham, after reading a segments of the "Knowing Jesus Bible." I hold that image in my mind now when I'm facing an "impossible" situation.

Another thing that hit me reading that passage in Genesis 22 was that it was all a test. We learn that in the first verse of the chapter: "Some time later God tested Abraham."

Personally, I like knowing when a test is coming. In school, I loved having the test schedule in advance. I'm one of those students who needed lots of studying.

If God's tests were pre-announced, I'm sure I'd do much better on them. In fact, I think God should be the like the Public Broadcasting System and announce, "This is only a test. For the next 6 months, it will only look like your finances are tanking. At the end of the time, I will surprise you with a job and then a raise shortly after that."

But that's not how God works. We'd all get A's and what would that prove? It would prove we could study for the test.

Abraham's testing, on the other hand, revealed true faith. Not faith that mouths the words, "I trust You God." But faith that really, really, really trusts God. I'm sure Abraham believed that if God took His son's life, God would raise Him from the dead.

Many times, and in many different situations, God has tested me with the question, "Do you trust Me ... or do you just say you trust Me?"

He has asked me ...

Do you trust Me with your health? Do you trust Me with your children? Do you trust Me with your reputation? Do you trust Me with your dreams? Do you trust Me with your career?

Or do you just say you trust Me?

It has taken numerous pop quizzes for me to really get this concept. Even though the testing was grueling, and the results sometimes revealed my faith wasn't where I wished it was, I'm thankful. I'm thankful God cares enough about me to test me. I'm thankful He longs for my full devotion. I'm thankful that through the testing, my faith is stronger than it's been in the past.

The truth is, we never know when God is testing us. The challenge for me is being honest about where I'm at spiritually. It's only when I acknowledge that truth I can deal with the deeper issues of doubt and misplaced trust.

Is God asking you today, "Do you trust Me, or do you just say you trust Me?"

We live in very difficult times. I know there are many fears that overwhelm my sisters in Christ. If you need to confess some unbelief, please feel free to post a comment. I will pray for you, and I invite the other readers of my blog to pray for you as well. Post it anonymously if need be.

God isn't mad about your shaky faith. I believe He wants to carry you today so you are standing on His unshakable foundation.

In His Love,
Glynnis