Cathy T Burns

Counselor, Teacher, Writer, Spiritual Director

4 Steps to Put Love Into Action

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The sign said EXPRESS CHECKOUT  15 ITEMS OR LESS. The person in front of me had 20, I counted. I was obeying the rules, I only had 6. It wasn’t fair, who did she think she was? I had things to get done!  I felt minimized and unimportant as she took the extra time to unload her cart. I did not say a word as I stuffed my irritation and continued to hold a wavering smile. I was aware my thoughts were becoming progressively negative, the more my heart increased and my body tensed.

I realized that all my stewing and stuffing was not going to change my situation. My choice to respond with tense inward irritation was not productive, it was life draining. I was allowing my life light to be dimmed by my thoughts and choices. I needed to change my focus. I was loosing sight of the light of God’s love in me.

A truth began slowly filtering into my awareness, the description of love:

 Love is patient and kind.      Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.   It does not demand its own way.    It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.    Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.  1 Corinthians 13:4-7

I could have shame myself for messing up AGAIN. Which only would have create struggle and shame. What I needed to do was SHIFT instead of SHAME. To shift my focus from my automatic, habitual was of responding, to the presence of God’s Spirit within me. Shifting from painful shame  to the peaceful truth of God’s love.

Shifting our focus is required in order to understand and experience love. Choosing love is a process. In 1 Peter, he writes, to persecuted Christians, words of empowerment and encouragement. In chapter one he emphasizes the importance of choosing love. The words seem to reveal a process:

Through Him you believe in (adhere to, rely on) God, Who raised Him up from the dead and gave Him honor and glory, so that your faith and hope are [centered and rest] in God.  22 Since by your obedience to the Truth through the [Holy] Spirit you have purified your hearts for the sincere affection of the brethren, [see that you] love one another fervently from a pure heart.  23 You have been regenerated (born again), not from a mortal [a]origin ([b]seed, sperm), but from one that is immortal by the ever living and lasting Word of God.  I Peter 1:21-23  AMPC 

Peter is encouraging these suffering, persecuted children of God, to be loving. He empowered them by explaining how they can love in such difficult times. He reminding them of their connection to God, their reality based on the truth of God’s word.

Eugene Peterson says in THE MESSAGE in verse 23:

Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God’s living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself!

From this truth we can make choices. This passage lays out a 4 step process. You can choose to______of God:

  1. Believe in the redemptive love of God v21. (Colossians 1:13-14)  Believing, trusting and relying on the constant reality of God’s saving love will change everything! If He has delivered us from the “domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son” (ESV) we no longer have to be stuck in our unloving, judgmental, attitudes. These attitudes increase stress and create limitations. We are connected to His Spirit which means we are empowered and enlarged to look at life through the lens of loved child of the creator.
  2. Focus on the true hope found in the love of God v21 . (IJohn 3:2-3)  What we believe turns the direction of our heart focus. The heart if often described as the center of our being. If our belief turns our heart to be “centered and rest” on a confident hope in God, we are accepting a truth that has a healing impact on our soul. A soul focused on God will find peace and serenity in this broken world.
  3. Change into a pure hearted child of God v22. (Colossians 3: 10-12)  As we embrace our transfer to the kingdom of Christ we see ourselves as a loved child. This transfer renews our hearts! As our identity changes we no longer base our value and acceptance on the response of others. We have a new identity, a new heart that is resting in God. When we believe, focus and change through the truth of renewed heart our brains are being reprogramed.
  4. Love from the grace connection of God v23. (John 16:13)  Our renewed heart is powered by the Spirit of God. When the truth of God’s love for us is realized and our actions flow from that truth. Then God’s love is being expressed in His creation. Our decision to love can draw others to His love.

Every step leads us deeper into a relationship with God. We can choose to believe in, focus on, change into and love from the presence of God’s spirit in us. He gives us that choice, he never leaves, but we can choose another direction.  His Truth is a reality that is life giving to our souls. I am not minimized or unimportant as His child. His Truth must be realized to change my heart. Truth, in the embodiment of Jesus Christ, is God’s nature expressed to us. His nature is expressed through his creation as we change and love.

Realizing God’s truth as a reality for your soul reveals love’s reality for your life.

Each time we choose to act, we should ask ourselves, “what is the most loving thing I can do?” A loving action will benefit others, it benefits us as well.

Practicing love is a process of progress. In the check out line I might have counted her items and then chosen to let it go, accept that I cannot change her actions but I can control my choices. I can refocus my brain to the new reality of my heart, I am loved and seen by God.  Acceptance is progress in living with a heart of love. The next step, as I mature in the process, would be to realize that what others choose to do is more about them. Then I would not even find it necessary to count any items. I will have a serene, peaceful heart that habitually focuses on my reality with God and with a grateful heart I will be open and engaging.

SO…the next time I am in a check out line, I will choose not to even count the items. I will kindly engage with the person or I will keep my heart open to God’s leading. I will stay engaged with the moment choosing a more positive mindset. I will feel less stressed freeing my heart to be open in the moment rather than to stuff.

A heart open to God’s light, reveal’s His love to the world. Listen to Brandon Heath’s song, The Light in Me, and be inspired to shine His light in love.

4 Obstacles to Living Focused on the Spirit in You

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eye pexels-photo-30763 (2)But I do more than thank. I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength! Ephesians 1:18 (The Message)

My vision had become gradually hazy with less and less clarity. Cataracts invaded my lens, an unwelcome aliment that caught me by surprise.To have these cataracts removed required an amazingly quick procedure lasting 5 to 6 minutes. The old lens was removed, under local anesthesia, and replaced with a uniquely measured lens, suited to my vision needs.

The results were startling. The clarity of vision was better than I had ever experienced in my life! The new clarity seemed to give me energy as my visual world became more easily assessable.

This visual transformation from a lens replacement is like the heart replacement gained when we take off our old self and replace it with our renewed spiritual self as a child of God. This presence of God within my soul gives me an intensity of energy that is like “nothing and no one else” can give me.

When I trust the divine reality of God’s presence within me, my heart gains a clarity and strength and I am then able to extend the same love and grace to others. Unfortunately, my fear based heart often keeps me out of focus with the reality of God’s love and  Spirit that is implanted in my soul.  This becomes an obstacle, hampering my new heart from controlling my perceptions and responses.

Last week, I spent almost 2 hours, online, attempting to complete airline reservations.   A “glitch” in the system, created much stress for me and was wasting my time. I felt powerless and disrespected by the endless technical dead ends and human errors. Ever felt that way?

I began to push back with irritable words. The person helping me with the reservation had to ask me to “be patient”. Those words penetrated my heart.She was patient with me as she tried to help my reservations become a reality. I had slipped back on my old heart of hazy distorted perceptions. The presence of my patience would have indicated that I was “seeing” clearly, through the eyes of my new heart. I would have realized the technical glitches  were not her fault and they were not about me.

There were 4 evidences that my heart vision was out of focus. All exist as reactions from my old heart wounds. They became obstacles to living with the clarity of God’s love.

1. Overloaded schedule – I have a habit of regularly cramming too many activities into my daily schedule, giving no margin to tolerate any delay. The busier I am the better I am, has been my belief. I believed that my value was defined by what I do. That was the old identity, my old habits. Habits are hard to break!

If I consistently embrace and live out my new identity in Christ I will have more margin in my day. I will be confident in my value as a daughter of an unconditionally loving God. Nothing I can do would make Him love me more!

This heart change removes the haze of fearful doing, giving clarity on how to respond to my circumstances, rather than letting circumstances define me.

2. Unrealistic expectations – I had an expectation that it should take only 30 minutes, tops, to make these reservation. I expected that the technology would be perfect and there would be a perfect backup if things did not go well. Truth is, technical difficulties are a normal reality and humans are imperfect. These glitches had nothing to do with me. I believed that if things go wrong, I am powerless. Correct beliefs are; I am only in control of myself. God will never leave me and He strengthens me. AND What people say or do is more about them and not me.

I can choose how I will respond to life. I want choose the fruit of the Spirit because God choose me as His daughter.  Sometimes I can not do what I want to do and I do the very thing I do not want to do…Paul had a similar problem, read Romans 7.

3. Pride – I selfishly thought I deserved better treatment. Impatience is the “fruit” of pride. Pride is the flip side of the coin of fear.  When I begin to fear I am not valued or in control,  I respond with a critical, irritable attitude because the circumstances are “making” me feel the fear. Correct beliefs are: I can not be made to feel a certain way, I can choose how to feel and how to act. God’s love will drive out my fear as I trust in Him.

“As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on thing and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down you cannot see something that is above you.”  C. S. Lewis

Pride is self focused, promoted by fear. Humility is God focused, promoted by love.

4. Negativity – Our brains have a negative bias. That means if we mindlessly allow our brains to react without a filter, the thinking will be negative. My reaction to the 2 hour experience took a very negative tone. Negative thoughts were dominating my brain, causing stress and unkind reactions.

A brain controlled with the filtered mindset of joy is less stressed, creating a forgiving, patient interaction.

“To live life you need a center of joy. ”    Tim Keller

To have a “center of joy” is to have a joy frame of reference. To delight in the Lord and trust his love and know you are His delight will produce a centering of joy. This fuels my ability to recognize the negative thinking, releasing its power and allowing my focus to be on the joy of living in His love. Seeing the world through the eyes of joy can produce the joy of humor. Humor in this situation would have defused the stress…Laughter is wonderful for the heart, body and soul!

God, the lover of our souls, has chosen to give us His Spirit. We must choose to trust His love and lay down our fear driven agendas and humbly receive His gift. His love is glorified in us when we choose to receive His grace filled light. We are then free from the bondage of our shortsighted (hazy) fears and we receive a clarification of His love that is startling to our flesh. This clarification removes all obstacles to living a life growing in the fruit of the Spirit.

The Lord is God, Who has shown and given us light [He has illuminated us with grace, freedom, and joy].  Psalms 118:27a  (AMPC)

So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free…     Galatians 5:1 (NLT)

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.  Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Galatians 5:22-25 (NLT)

Please listen: The song Simple Pursuit brings to light the reality that “nothing and no one else” comes close to the perfect love of God!

Morning Reflections: The Light of God’s Truth, Love and Power

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pic hearts light 4For You cause my lamp to be lighted and to shine; The Lord my God illumines my darkness. Psalms 18:28 (AMP)
For with You is the fountain of life [the fountain of life-giving water]; In Your light we see light.     Psalms 36:9 (AMP)

Holy Spirit, Truth divine,
Dawn upon this soul of mine;
Word of God and inward light,
Wake my spirit, clear my sight.

Holy Spirit, Love divine,
Glow within this heart of mine;

Truth - Debbie Hannah Skinner

Truth – Original Watercolor painting by Debbie Hannah Skinner.

Kindle every high desire;
Perish self in your pure fire.

Holy Spirit, Power divine,
Fill and nerve this will of mine;
Grant that I may strongly live,

Bravely bear, and noble strive.

Holy Spirit, Right divine,
King within my conscience reign:
Be my Lord, and I shall be
Firmly bound, forever free.
                           Samuel Longfellow

What a joy that we can live the light! A light of love placed in our souls by our Father. A love we can give – to bring light to the dark and broken of the world.  TO LIVE HOPE(FULL)

Remember, our Message is not about ourselves; we’re proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus for you. It started when God said, “Light up the darkness!” and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful. 2 Corinthians 4:5-6

Listen to You Put the Light in Me and open your eyes to the presences of God’s light.

My Morning Reflections

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IMG_0017Then Jesus spoke out again, “I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. ~John 8:12 (NET)

  The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see.~ Hebrews 11:1 (Message)

If we say we have fellowship with him and yet keep on walking in the darkness, we are lying and not practicing the truth. ~ IJohn 1:6 (NET)

Visual acuity improves with light. Spiritual acuity is ignited with light of a trusting faith. Seeking a light source is a necessity for vision. In order to see the world through the lens of our loving Father we must seek His light. His light is available to all who trust His love manifested through His perfect Son Who died, sacrificed, to redeem our souls. Can you choose to trust a love that died for you? What is your obstacle to trust…to believe the God you can not see? The biggest struggle for the human race is to believe that the divine creator sees us as His beloved. We must choose to believe and receive the light of  the beloved. The more you believe the more you will see evidence of His love.

Truth - Debbie Hannah Skinner

Truth – Original Watercolor painting by Debbie Hannah Skinner.

Faith is believing what we do not see and the reward for this kind of faith is to see what we believe.                        Saint Augustine 

Father, give me your light to see and understand the reality, the depth, the expansion of your love in my life, so that I may your instrument in bringing Your life healing light of love to world. Through the power of my brother Jesus Christ, AMEN

My Morning Reflections…

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Truth - Debbie Hannah Skinner

Truth – Original Watercolor painting by Debbie Hannah Skinner.

Early morning, before the world is stirring, there is a soft quietness, gentle darkness and promise of a new day. That is when I have my alone time with my Father. My mind has extra clarity  (especially with a fresh cup of brewed coffee!) and a fresh openness to His presence. I may write, read devotional writings, scriptures and prayers or sit still with a quiet mind before God. I am seeking security from His presences as well as wisdom for the day. Most mornings I leave my place of quiet with a more hopeful, peaceful state of mind, prepared to to engaged with the world.

To reflect is to ponder, absorb and meditate, i.e. to think with purpose.  Through out the day, I reflect on the words that were read, prayers that were said and the stirring of thoughts. The purpose of My Morning Reflections will be to help me clarify my own reflections and encourage others to be more focused on their own.

This morning I have been reflecting on the realities of God~

God is outside of time and space, He isn’t just a distant memory of the past or a faraway promise for the future: He is in the now, a present day God!   He is I AM.                                            GOD IS PRESENT

Do we embrace the reality that the Divine creator of the universe has raised us to the lofty position as His children?! He wants to gives us His resources and a life for eternity with Him.                 GOD IS PRESENT

As His children we should never fear weakness. We should be excited about our weakness as we confidently know it will give our heavenly Dad an opportunity to personally show his love, fully supplying us with what we need. He ask us to tell Him what we want and He is sympathetic to our needs.       (IICOR 12:10, Mark 7:24-37, 8:1-2)    GOD IS PRESENT

Thank you Father, for the depth and sincerity of your love. I am in awe of a divine Father who is active and present in my life. Comfort me with Your presences, guide me with Your wisdom, strengthen my faith to conquer my fears and lead me to love others as you have loved me. May your Spirit be active in my thoughts and actions.  In Jesus name~AMEN

How to Trust God…5 actions to Find the Freedom of Faith part 4

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You make known to me the path of life;  in Your presence there is fullness of joy;
    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.  Psalms 16:11 (ESV)

In our house, live two furry large dogs. One is male, the other female. One is white, the other is black. Their main focus in life is to seek my presence. They want to be where ever I go, even to the bathroom! If they fall asleep it must be in a location that is as close to me as they can physically position themselves, so in case I leave they will awaken. When they’re awake, their eyes are focused on me. Every waking moment is centered around where I am. They have a loyal desire to be in my presence. Upon returning home, after a quick trip away, they demonstrate great joy and delight to be in my presence once again.

Are we as eager to be in the presence of our Father?

Knowing about God is different than knowing God. We know about God by – reading and knowing the facts of His character and promises. These things  are crucial to our relationship with Him. However, it could become only a mental exercise of retaining knowledge unless we also seek to know of God.

Knowing of God is a knowing that perceives the presence of God in your life.

4. Seeking the Presences of God

Seeking the presence of God is a lifestyle. It is an attitude of the mind and requires a focus deeper than being a casual observer of  life. Psalms 16:8-11 gives us a clear picture of what it takes to experience the presence of God producing a heart of full joy.

I have set the Lord always before me;
    because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
    my flesh also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
    or let your holy one see corruption.

You make known to me the path of life;
    in your presence there is fullness of joy;
    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.  (ESV)

What a gift! The present of presence is a secure, wise, joyful heart that experiences the peace of God. Joy in God’s presence begins with your desire for God’s presence.

The reason we are not able to see God is the faintness of our desire.  ~ MEISTER ECKHART

 David states he has set the Lord always before him. The Living Bible translation says, I am always thinking of the Lord. Our desires drive our thinking. We have a choice of letting our fears*drive our thinking OR our faith drive a focused thinking, desiring a life path set in the presence of God. The absences of fear creates space for the presences of God. 

Fear closes our heart. Faith opens our heart and expands our  awareness and reliance on the truths of God. Faith driven desire is fueled by this reliance or dependence on the grace, mercy and love of our Father. Dependence on the love of God gives us security. Our worth is fulfilled by the presences of God in our lives. Dependence will enhance our focus on the Lord Jesus in any circumstance, rather than looking to other worldly sources for our security and worth.

Brother Lawrence*, who lived in the 1600’s, produced many writings about Practicing the Presence of God. He was focused on having continual conversations with God no matter the circumstances.

If you and I are going to enjoy the peace of paradise during this life we must become accustomed to a familiar, humble and very affectionate conversation with the Lord Jesus. You must stop your spirit from wandering from the Lord no matter what the circumstances are. (Practicing His Presence, pp. 95-96)
No longer blinded by fear and searching for worth in what the world can offer, a heart seeking security and dependence on God will be more keenly aware, discerning the presences of God. This prayer clearly articulates the tension between the draw of the visible things interfering with the reality of the presences of God.  

O God and Father, I repent of my sinful preoccupation with visible things. The world has been too much with me. Thou hast been here and I knew it not. I have been blind to Thy presence. Open my eyes that I may behold Thee in and around me. For Christ’s sake, Amen. ~ A. W. TOZER

The life given awareness, attitude and mind set that will cultivate the discernment of God will take practice fueled with focused diligence. The purpose of spiritual disciplines* is to enable a closer relationship with God that will help our souls realize the true peace and joy in resting in His love. Bible reading, worship, prayer, soul friendship, personal reflection, fasting, solitude are examples of spiritual disciplines that will empower us to do what we can not do with our own efforts. These disciplines intentional physical activities that will train our thinking and awareness to be more open to a life in relationship with Christ. Like any athlete training for his sport, it takes practice to accomplish the fundamentals of the sport with ease. It will take practice to be at ease with resting in the presences of God. 

Sarah Young’s books are written as though Jesus is talking directly to us. This is one of her writings about the presences of God.

“I WANT YOU TO KNOW how safe and secure you are in My Presence. That is a fact, totally independent of your feelings. You are on your way to heaven; nothing can prevent you from reaching that destination. There you will see Me face to Face, and your Joy will be off the charts by any earthly standards. Even now, you are never separated from Me, though you must see Me through eyes of faith. I will walk with you till the end of time, and onward into eternity.

Although My Presence is a guaranteed promise, that does not necessarily change your feelings. When you forget I am with you, you may experience loneliness or fear. It is through awareness of My Presence that Peace displaces negative feelings. Practice the discipline of walking consciously with Me through each day.”                                                       Sarah Young  Jesus Calling

Desire, dependence, discernment and diligence are components necessary to effectively seek the presences of God. The end result is a heart realizing the “fullness of joy”.

Joy does not depend on circumstances. It is a choice we have in our circumstances. Joy comes from knowing God is in control, strengthening and stabilizing our life in this world.  Joy is the product of resting in the presence of God. 

“When you walk through a day with childlike delight, savoring every blessing, you proclaim your trust in Me, your ever-present Shepherd. The more you focus on My Presence with you, the more fully you can enjoy life. Glorify Me through your pleasure in Me. Thus you proclaim My Presence to the watching world.”                                                ~ Sarah Young Jesus Calling

Are you experiencing  joy your life? How strong is your desire to seek God’s presence?

What is hampering the strength of that desire?

The need to prove your worth by perfection and performance  instead of realizing your worth in the presence of God? Or do you avoid, numb out to escape your lack of worth keeping you in a haze, seeking to hide missing the loving presences of God?

Instead “Seek the Lord….He will be found”  Isaiah 55:6

Surrender to His grace, mercy, love and beauty, He is here with you…..

How to Trust God…5 actions to Find the Freedom of Faith part 3

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And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. John 17:3 NLT

“Karen” rushes into my office, radiant, energetic and full of life. Just last week she was listless and weary. She is overflowing with excitement about the gift of a glorious grand piano that now sits in her home. The last few days had been spent living out her knowing of music as songs flowed from her head to her hands releasing her musical knowledge and gifting to the keys of a fine piano.

In her past life she had been an accomplished pianist who taught piano to many students. Her knowledge about music had given her a way to expand her talent and allow her to experience a real knowing of music anytime she had opportunity to play the piano. Years of being deprived of opportunity to play on a fine instrument did not dissipate her expert knowledge about music, it was securely anchored in her being. At a key board she had an awareness, a knowing of, how the music was to feel on the keyboard and be present with the listeners.

God must be known to be trusted. Knowing facts about God, from Scriptures, grounds us as we become more aware, experiencing a knowing of God’s presences in our personal lives.

“to know you, the only true God” in John 17:3 is the Greek word ginosko which means to be aware, perceive, to be sure and to understand. Knowledge of God includes both an understanding of facts (knowing about) and an awareness of His presences (knowing of). 

In reference to the importance of understanding objective facts about God, David Benner, in his book The Gift of Being Yourself, says

“These ground our more personal knowing, serving as an anchor in times of doubt and a frame of reference for making sense of our experience. This bedrock of beliefs will be elaborated by experience but never replaced by it. God’s intention is that we know Divine love by experiencing it. But even when our Divine Lover seems distant, we can hold confident to the hope of the steadfast nature of God’s love because of the testimony of Scriptures and the witness of others.”

Knowing about our God anchors our knowing of God. The #3 step of action toward building trust in God is understanding and knowing about our God.

3.Understanding the Character of God.

God’s “work is honorable and glorious, and His righteousness endures forever. He has made His wonderful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious, merciful and full of loving compassion” . Those are the words of Psalms 111:3-4. the Psalms are brimming with descriptions of the character of God. In Old Testament times, God was called by numerous Hebrew names, all depicting His identity. By studying these names mentioned in the Bible, we can develop a deeper knowing about who God is, and the dimensions of His personality and nature.

Listed below are some of the Names of God, followed by web sites dedicated to giving understand about these names:

http://www.allaboutgod.com/names-of-god.htm,   http://www.gotquestions.org/names-of-God.html,  https://bible.org/article/names-god

Jesus was called Immanuel, the Hebrew word for “God is with us”. God came to us because God is Love (1 John 4:7-8) To know God is to know Jesus. Sincerely seek to know about Him and you will know of His presences in you life. (Hebrews 11:6)

Consistent reading of scripture, written devotionals, prayers, listening to worship songs and teachings from the family of God are ways of gathering information about Him. Writing, journaling, your own thoughts regarding the things you have heard and read can widen the door of understanding, allowing the Holy Spirit to help you discover the deeper dimensions of God’s truths.

Focusing intently on the character of God infuses truth into our awareness, transforming our minds. As our trust builds we will be able to perceive and sharpen our awareness of His presences in our lives.

How to Trust God…5 actions to Find the Freedom of Faith part 2

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We are surrouninstaquoteded by a great cloud of people whose lives tell us what faith means. So let us run the race that is before us and never give up. We should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way and the sin that so easily holds us back. Let us look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect. He suffered death on the cross. But he accepted the shame as if it were nothing because of the joy that God put before him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne. Hebrews 12-1-2 (NCV)

He was harmless, this 77 year old homeless man named “Bill”. Without much warning, my husband had invited him to ride in the back of our car for the next two hours. I scrambled to gather all of my things that were scattered in the backseat. My anxiety, tension and anger rose as I was rearranging the items to fit under my feet.

“Bill” sat directly behind me as my husband engaged him in conversation. Before the 2 hours were up, “Bill” had fallen asleep and rested peacefully in the backseat while we played our favorite worship songs. My emotions shifted from a heightened painful, negative place to a softer, peaceful state of acceptance, AND REPENTANCE.

I became thankful we could provide a safe place of refuge for “Bill”, a soul in distress.

Consumed by my own thoughts and agenda, I had not fully noticed “Bill” and his sign I-40 West. If I had not been so consumed with fear of not being good enough for my current project, I would have noticed “Bill’s” gentle demeanor and understand that he was a man in need. The action of my husband (who noticed) abruptly inviting him into the car, triggered me into feeling out of control and minimized by him. He did not consider my feelings!

After a few miles my hurts subsided and I was able to confess my weaknesses to myself. (later to my husband) I went from a place of pain to a place of peace by intentionally removing the hinderance of my negative perception which lead to my “sin” of coping with anger and control. My coping response would have left “Bill” on the side of the road hungry and alone.

2. Revealing of your Hurts and Weaknesses

I was remorseful for my response and prayerfully let go of my pain to resume my “race” of living my life of faith in trusting a loving God. My emotions were a product of past wounds. I had processed these wounds in the past by revealing them to a faithful friend who helped me release them to my trustworthy Father in heaven. My wounds told me that I was not important and powerless. My Father tells me I am precious, safe in His economy and a competent woman. I choose to trust and live in my true identity as His child.

Heart hurts lead to destructive emotions that seek to be soothed by life destroying actions. These actions are often considered sin, a weakness in our character. Being aware and processing your hurts is an important step toward finding freedom of faith. Trusting God as you release those hurts and confessing your weakness will bring healing and strength.

Concealing instead of revealing our hurts and weakness will only encumber and entangle our progress in trusting God. (Hebrews 12:1)  We must look away from the wounds of the past and focus on the healing love of God. Those wounds do not define us as a child of God.

Revealing leads to healing.

Concealing or ignoring our wounds will lead to the emotional struggles of anxiety and depression as well as chronic physical illnesses. Our human families, who we trusted to love us, can cause heart wounds from childhood. We often view their actions from the eyes of a child and carry those perceptions into our adulthood.

Replace childish thinking and hurt with a mature understanding of God’s truth (I Corinthians 13:11). Give the hurt to God, He is your Father, you are His child. Letting God heal can be a life long process.

Confess weakness to profess His strength.

Confession strips away the veil of pretense, releasing the power of humility.  Reliance on God’s  power and wisdom gives renewal to the soul.

The more flesh dynamics are painfully exposed, the more we abandon ourselves to the mercy and care of God. And the more we are disturbed by the presence and power of our flesh, the more we become excited and empowered by the deeper presence and greater power of the Spirit.                   Larry Crabb in Conversations spring 2007

David spoke of the burden of not confessing in Psalms 32:3-4 (NLT)

When I refused to confess my sin,
    my body wasted away,
    and I groaned all day long.
Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
    My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.

Instead if we confess to God, trusting His love, we are released of our pain.

If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action]. I John 1:9 (AMP)

Is it easier for you to conceal your hurt rather than reveal? If you can not reveal the hurt to others, just journaling, writing out hurts, has a tremendous benefit. Is the thought of confession of weakness awkward and uncomfortable? This action can be relieving, removing a weakness that impedes our life.

In next week’s post we will move on to action 3 we can take in the humble wholehearted pursuit of God, the U in TRUST, Understanding the Character of God.

How to Trust God…5 actions to Find the Freedom of Faith part 1

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“When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” God’s Decree.                       Jeremiah 29:13  The Message

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I recently spend a few days with my 5, 3 and 2 year old grandchildren and was impressed by two things; their quest for understanding of their world and a relaxed trust of the loving care given by family. Keeping an open heart and fresh eyes, when spending time with children, can bring to life the wonderment and trust of these vulnerable souls.  

It occurred to me that I could learn from these innocent children how to trust God. Their vulnerability allowed them to have freedom to wonder, to have joy and security with their world.

Vulnerability is true strength.

Children seem to know they are on the holy ground.                                                                     Perhaps they are closer to it–literally. Is it something about their smallness? About their inability, their need to trust for all they are given? Is that what makes them truly humble? (By which I mean, not that they think less of themselves, but think of themselves less.)                    

Children see rightly. 

They have a right sized view of themselves in relation to the miraculous wonder-filled holy world in which we have been set down.                              Sally Lloyd-Jones author of  The Jesus Storybook Bible

Children are consistently wholehearted with their interaction with world and reliance on their parents. The first requirement of learning to trust God is to be wholehearted in seeking a relationship with Him. To trust God is a process of intentional living. The second requirement is to seek with a humble vulnerability, setting aside your protective caution to be open to God’s presence.

Trusting God will give us freedom from fear; fear that results in actions of  jealousy, anger, sadness, worry, control, perfection, addictions, and the list goes on. The choice of trusting our divine creator not only benefits us spiritually but it also impacts our overall physical and emotional wellness.

What actions must be taken to trust God, and find the freedom of faith?                                5 actions of a humble wholehearted pursuit to trust God will include an openness to embrace;

Truths of God’s Love.

Revealing of your Hurts and Weaknesses

Understanding the Character of God.

Seeking the Presences of God.

Thankfulness in the Worship of God.

1. Truths of God’s Love.  

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.  Ephesians 3:17 NLT

The song Jesus Loves Me was a poem written, by Anna B. Warner in 1860, to comfort a dying child. It is based on Ephesians 3:17. My 2 year old granddaughter loves to sing this song and always emphasizes the word strong. That is a truth that I hope will be anchored in her young heart. This truth must be anchored in all souls for trust to be a reality.

Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong;
They are weak, but He is strong.

Refrain:
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! This I know,
As He loved so long ago,
Taking children on His knee,
Saying, “Let them come to Me.”

Jesus loves me still today,
Walking with me on my way,
Wanting as a friend to give
Light and love to all who live.

Jesus loves me! He who died
Heaven’s gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.

Jesus loves me! He will stay
Close beside me all the way;
Thou hast bled and died for me,
I will henceforth live for Thee.

Nothing compares to the love of God expressed through His son and empowered by His Spirit. The strong love of God becomes evident in our lives as we relinquish our control. Leaning our entire personality (heart, soul, mind and body) on the anchor of his love is like a drowning swimmer. The life guard can effectively save the swimmer if the swimmer gives up the fight to save himself and relinquishes control, trusting the rescuer.

Because the Sovereign Lord helps me,
    I will not be disgraced.
Therefore, I have set my face like a stone,
    determined to do his will.
    And I know that I will not be put to shame.  Isaiah 50:7 NLT

Setting our focus on the truth of God’s love will drown out fear and feed our faith.

There is a  list of 93 identities of a child of God called WHO I AM IN CHRIST on the resource page. I encourage you to look at this handout as it reveals how God embraces you with His love and you become His child with a new identity. Accepting the truth of His love is the first step toward trust.

And you will know the Truth, and the Truth shall set you free.                            John 8:32 (amp)

So what about you? What keeps you from trusting the truths of God?

In next week’s post we will move on to action 2 we can take in the humble wholehearted pursuit of God, the R in TRUST, Revealing your Hurts and Weaknesses.

 

Who is a mother?

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The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.                             Genesis 3:20                                         

imgresI began mother’s day reading Holley Gerth’s blog post Encouragement for Every Woman, Every Mama. To my delight I was comforted by her broader definition of who should be considered a mother.

Every Woman. 

It was my fortune to spend part of Mother’s Day with two wonderful young women (mamas) who had not given birth to a child but had mothered hundreds. They were extremely interested in the well being of children and had given untold number of words of encouragement and hours of sacrifice for the benefit of young souls.

For some, the reality for Mother’s Day, includes heartache and shame. The exclusion of women who; are single, married and infertile, unable to deliver a viable child (or whatever circumstances have prevented a woman from having a child, biological or adopted), extends the wound of the loss of childlessness.

Their pain is unknown and unseen by the rest of us who have children. Church families focus and elevate families with children. On Mother’s Day, mother’s who have children, are asked to stand to receive a flower in their honor, while the childless “mothers”  sit with aching empty hands, covering their hearts of shame. Shame that tells them they are defective, not valued as the “real mothers”.

Families with children should be recognized as a valued treasure. So should the mamas without  children of their own. They are actively loving children that are not technically their own. Their caring love is volunteered, purposed from a sincere heart. How priceless is this kind of love!

The definition of the action of a mother includes the verbs, nurturing and protecting. Does biology define a mother or the authentic action of nurturing love? 

I remember a single, middle age, biology teacher that I had in the 11th grade. She nurtured and protected me from the various stresses that besieged a 17 year old girl. I LOVED biology and I was her after school lab assistant. She even let me drive her car! When I had a minor fender bender, she was tender and accepting of me in spite of my mistake. Her impact in my life was endearing, giving me a motherly comfort at a time when I was vulnerable. I considered her as one of the many women in my life that “mothered” me into adulthood. 

Thank you for all the “mothers” I had who gave me encouragement and empowered me to live strong in my faith. All who give your love away, with nothing expected in return – You are Beautiful!

As women, we are offspring of Eve, the mother of all the living and the daughters of the living God. When we understand this truth we are able to give His love to all souls, young and old.