Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you had a problem, but you knew the solution was unlikely to happen? I have. In fact, I struggled with something just this week that fit into that category. I say all the time that God wants to hear all of our problems, big or small. Even if others might not think it an issue, if you are His and it is an issue to you, it is an issue to Him. So, I started praying about this problem. Stop being nosey; I am not going to say what the problem was (I keep SOME things to myself...LOL).
I knew what a great solution to the problem would be. I knew it was highly unlikely to get the outcome I envisioned, but God is able to do the impossible. So, I kept praying...the same prayer...over and over and over again. "Lord, let this happen so that my problem can go away. And, please let it happen soon." Days went by and I thought my head would explode because the problem persisted and I was pretty sure that God was saying "no" to my request for assistance. Then, in the middle of praying the same prayer, "Lord, I just need You...," I paused. And, then I thought about it. That was the perfect place to stop. Instead of telling God how to fix my problem, I just needed to say, "Lord, I need You!" After praying that prayer, I started to feel some relief from the situation, but it still lingered. I knew that God was on it, so I added to the prayer, "Dear God, just be You for me." I thought I knew the solution to the problem; an improbable solution, but one that would change the circumstances surrounding me. God is showing me that my circumstances don't need to change. I just need to trust Him to change me and how I view the circumstance and how I view what He is capable of doing. He knows everything. And, He knows everything we need. So, I continue to pray and I invite you to pray, "Lord, I just need You. Dear God, just be You." Ms. EV
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Earlier today, I could not find my mailbox key. I was on my way home and I thought, “I should check my mail because I haven’t checked it in a week.” (I don’t really get much mail, so I only usually check it once a week unless I’m expecting something). I parked the car, reached for the mailbox key in its normal spot and it was not there. I searched all over the place for the key. I cleaned out my car, looked all over the house, and no key. I thought about how I could get another one, but then I was discouraged about how long that could take and what it might possibly cost to replace the key. I prayed and asked God to help me find the key.
Frustrated, I came upstairs and decided to just get on with my routine, eat my snack, check my e-mail and take a nap. I figured the key would turn up somewhere. While I was getting my snack, I felt the urge to look in a basket that I keep on my refrigerator. In the bottom on the basket was a mailbox key. It was not the one I was looking for, but it was a mailbox key. Now, I can check my mail, and maybe just maybe, I will find a big, fat check in there. So, what is the point of all of this? For weeks, I have been fighting a dark loneliness that I could not seem to find my way out of. I tried to do several things to take my mind off of sadness and nothing worked. I would think that I was close to the end of the trial and feel knocked right back into the midst of it. I was getting frustrated and angry because I could not seem to pull myself out of this place. But, this week, I got back into my routine, and little by little, I started feeling better. Just like with the mailbox key, when I prayed and stopped looking all around, I found the other key. Well, this week, I stopped looking all around to find joy and just settled back into my life. I still don’t have what I have been waiting for, as I am still alone; nevertheless, I am filled with the things that work just as well if not better: peace and joy. So, I AM BACK! Thank You, Jesus! Ms. EV Last week, I read a devotion that talked about the woman with the issue of blood who was healed by Jesus. The devotion posed the question about what readers thought happened to the woman after she met Jesus. In response, I said that I think it may have taken her some time to live freely in her new, healed and whole condition. This woman suffered for twelve years. She was seen as unclean. No one could help her; people took advantage of her. She just wanted to get her secret blessing by touching Jesus’ hem and go on with her life. Then, Jesus called her out and reassured her that He knew her plight and that she was now whole. I am confident that she was grateful and I am sure she told her testimony to anyone who would listen; it is just that I know in my life that there have been many times when God has delivered me from afflictions--emotional, spiritual, physical and financial--yet, it takes a little while to adjust to the new found freedom.
When my marriage began to crumble, which was almost as quickly as it began, I tried to make it work because I was afraid to look like a failure. I stayed and I tried not because I loved him, not because I made a promise before God and a church full of people, but because I was afraid of what other people would say about me. I had somewhat isolated myself from people who cared deeply for me. I had taken my husband’s side on many issues where I knew he was dead wrong to the detriment of some of my relationships, but I thought I was being a good wife. And, I felt that if I was a good enough wife, eventually, he would change and we would change, and it would become a decent marriage. That was not the case. When I decided that the marriage was over, my ex-brother-in-law told me that I was a sinner and that divorce was a sin for which I could not repent. At the time, I acted as if his words meant nothing to me and I pressed forward with the divorce, and with good reasons, biblically-backed reasons (if you don’t know what that means, look it up in Matthew 5). Even though, I had a way out and I was delivered from one of the worst mistakes of my life, I felt damaged. How could I make being divorced right with God? I went from feeling damaged to acting destructively. No one on the outside world knew because I am a fantastic actress, but I had been broken for so long that I did not think the pieces would ever come back together again, and that is a dangerous place to be mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Eventually, after having my heart broken on more than one occasion, I realized that God had restored me, but I was still living as though I was a reject. No one who is a child of God is a reject. God helped me realize how much He cares for me. He helped me reclaim my title as a holy princess, the daughter of the Almighty King. Then, I was able to fully engage in life. Yes, there have been ups and downs in my life, but I know my value. No matter what situation arises my value to my Father and myself does not change. I am undamaged. Many times when we have been suffering or afflicted for a long time with some situation, whether it is health-related, heart-related or wealth-related, we have a tendency to continue to live as though we are damaged, even though we have been delivered. However, once we realize that we are His and His love starts to flow from within us, so that we can accept who He made us to be, and not give any thought to what others may think of our past, our present, or future, we cannot help but shout of His love from whatever platform we may have. I AM NOT DAMAGED! I AM NOT SHATTERED! I AM NOT UNDERVALUED! I AM DELIVERED! I AM REDEEMED! I AM LOVED! Ms. EV Today is Memorial Day. So, first I have to thank the countless service men and women who have sacrificed their time and their lives for my freedom. I also want to thank their families for supporting them as they fight for America. This morning, I was celebrating a different sort of memorial. I was minding my own business, preparing food for later and cleaning the kitchen when several thoughts starting coming to mind. They were divisive, destructive, counterproductive thoughts, so I knew exactly who was doing the whispering, Satan.
I quickly said, “Satan, why you always gotta bring up old stuff!” Then, I realized, that’s all he has to work with right now. The issues that he is bringing up have been prayed about, fought out and buried. And, because I have not given him anything new to pester me about, he has to try to knock me off track with old problems. But, don’t you know that once God has delivered you from a battle and the victory is won, you never have to succumb to the pull of guilt or shame from that issue again. When you allow God to step in and fight for you, the victory is won. You can shovel the dirt on top of the defeated problem or problems and you can celebrate. Like today, when we take the time out to celebrate the lives and the sacrifice of those who fought for freedom, we should take the time each day to celebrate God’s sacrifice for our freedom and to remember the battles He has already won. Do not give Satan any leverage. If a problem is dead and buried, leave it there. Celebrate the victory. As long as we live in this world, there will be another problem waiting around the corner. The good news is that God can handle that one, too; especially if you don’t weaken your fight by dwelling on past missteps and mistakes. It’s one thing for Satan to bring up old stuff to use in attack; it is a whole other story when we continue to dwell in a place from which we have been delivered. Ms. EV |
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