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PaulWest
Member



Joined: 2006/6/28
Posts: 3405
Dallas, Texas

 Re: I could use some help

Quote:
I find myself grumbling about the weather, how cold it is, the area around me, how expensive things are...its all so petty and I am angry with myself for even giving any of it thought and yet its always there like this heavy weight I can't get rid of.


I've learnt long ago that anyone or anything that annoys you, unsettles you, frustrates you, disrupts your joy, confounds your theology, provokes you, wears on your patience, and/or otherwise ruins the perfect scenario you could have in life if its existence would just vanish - this person or thing is to be counted as an invaluable blessing to you, custom-designed by God to be in your life at this very moment in time to accomplish a specific good purpose. As valuable as the grace of God is to you, so the same worth must be placed on the object which elicits it on your behalf. Our humility in the sight of the Lord is the great catalyst between the rose's thorn and the fragrance of the bud.


_________________
Paul Frederick West

 2013/12/5 14:47Profile









 Re:

Not only that, Paul, but if you cast your cares on Christ, you make them virtually "nonexistent" by giving ownership over to Him. I have found that once I give my cares to Him, they no longer bother me and I am unhindered once again to praise Him and walk in peace. But casting our cares upon Him is not always as easy as one might think. A lot of things take place in our heart during the transition period of "owning" something and then "giving" it to Christ. The transition period can be very long or very short depending on us.

But, everything He allows in our life has a very good reason behind it.

That is why I asked MJ if she had any input into the decision to move East. If not, anger and resentment could be afflicting her and it will make you depressed and miserable. But there is a way to deal with it. He is the WAY.

 2013/12/5 15:23
MaryJane
Member



Joined: 2006/7/31
Posts: 3057


 Re:

Greetings

First I wanted to say thank you all for sharing your heart here with me. I have been praying on these things and have found good seeds in what has been shared.

It was mentioned that the weather maybe playing a part, it is possible. I use to live in Nevada where we got over 300 days of bright sunshine a year to CT where there are just 190 days of partial sunshine each year. So the gray skies can influence me and on those days I do spend more time in prayer.

It was mentioned that perhaps something has happened this time of year to bring about these feelings? My answer to that would be no. I really have no excuse for this attitude of heart...

To answer another question if I had a choice in moving here, the answer is yes. We prayed about it and and felt GODS hand on our situation the entire time. Even now when I struggle with these feelings I know it's all my sin and I need to repent and die to it. Things here can be a lot more expensive and I do not like the weather so much but I realize those are just excuses to grumble on my part. I think I have been allowing these things to effect my attitude and heart even more then I realized.

I can not say that I like living here but I know in my heart its not about liking or disliking where I am its about trusting in HIM and walking by faith in where I am and what HE has for me.

Paul I want to say I appreciate what you wrote as well. I do need to seek HIM and have my attitude changed in this. I realize this as well, I may not like where I am in my flesh, but I have grown in my walk with HIM since moving here. My need for HIM has been greater and I realize that. I am out of my comfort zone and being stretched. Perhaps these times I go through are a reminder for me that I will never stop needing HIM. I will never reach that moment when I can walk on my own, I will always need HIM!!


Thank you again
God bless
mj

 2013/12/5 16:25Profile
used4him
Member



Joined: 2011/9/3
Posts: 76


 Re:

Hi MJ,

I like all the responses to your post. I read them with interest because I am experiencing the same thing! I live in a cold climate (Wisconsin), and as soon as I knew the weather was turning bad, I felt a heaviness over me. Also, I drive for my job, and I hate the bad weather driving! And also, I tend to get sick a lot in this season with colds, sinus problems, which I am battling now.

Some practical advice: Get your vit D level checked. I had mine checked and it was low, and now I am on supplements, and going to a tanning booth. I really would like to just get on a plane and go south for a few months! Low vitD can cause a lot of the symptoms you describe.

 2013/12/5 16:43Profile
PaulWest
Member



Joined: 2006/6/28
Posts: 3405
Dallas, Texas

 Re:

Quote:
Not only that, Paul, but if you cast your cares on Christ, you make them virtually "nonexistent" by giving ownership over to Him. I have found that once I give my cares to Him, they no longer bother me and I am unhindered once again to praise Him and walk in peace. But casting our cares upon Him is not always as easy as one might think. A lot of things take place in our heart during the transition period of "owning" something and then "giving" it to Christ. The transition period can be very long or very short depending on us.


This is a very true observation. It is one thing to know that we can place all our burdens on Christ, but the experiential "how" in actually doing this is another thing entirely. I agree that it is not easy at first. At first, we give the burden to the Lord and assume the matter is taken care of. Our emotions become clear, and a sense of tranquility settles upon us. But then, suddenly, something comes along which flips a switch and sends us reeling back into the hurt.

This provokes us to wonder: Did we really give it to the Lord at all, or have we been just deceiving ourselves with psychology? This can be torturous; it causes us to doubt in God's promises and adopt a fatalistic, defeatist mindset. This gives Satan ammunition to shoot at us. It is for this reason we must have an accurate understanding of God's character, the power of His Son's blood, the preservation and rejuvenation of the Holy Spirit.

The more we walk with God and suffer these trials, the more we'll begin to see patterns emerge as the seasons change in our walks with Jesus Christ. No matter what happens, the key to it all is to remain humble, open and honest before God. When Satan attacks your mind with suggestions, just keep saying, "These thoughts aren't for me" and then look up to Jesus in all your weakness.

It is VERY important to understand that they will not automatically stop when you do this; they will instead become insulated so that you can overcome them. In other words, they will become conquerable. The hurricane doesn't stop just because you put up storm shutters. When they come back the next day, with increased volume, you just repeat in your spirit again: "These thoughts are not for me" and look again to Jesus in surrendered weakness.

This is all part of the war we must fight. If you endeavor to live righteously, you will be persecuted, and the persecution is primarily in the spiritual. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against demons who seek to inject our minds with impulses designed to draw out the lusts of our flesh in rebellion to God's Word. But we do not have to accept these impulses, and the inner man is allied with God to take these thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ. It is in the process of apprehending these thoughts where we are wounded and fatigued. God realizes this, and therefore carefully monitors every test and trial He allows us to go through. When the trial has accomplished its purpose, He commands the waves to go no further and restores your soul to a place even higher than it was before the trial began.


_________________
Paul Frederick West

 2013/12/5 18:41Profile
Jeremy221
Member



Joined: 2009/11/7
Posts: 1532


 Re: I could use some help

Amos 2: When I lived in Central Illinois, I had to fight similar temptations. There was a heaviness that hung over that area too and many people, even during the boom years, were struggling. A common line was that people wanted to escape the area to somewhere more plentiful and with less corruption and political maneuvering. As a contrast, I visited Denver and Colorado City a few years ago, an area that has been promoted in the media as full of opportunity and growing but when I rode their lightrail through the city, it was very different than described. I got a sense of hopelessness and depression even though the sky was clear and sunny and areas seemed new. Have you identified with the people where you lived and taken on their tenor in an effort to relate or just acclimatize? God wants you to agree with what He says about the value of life, judgement and His provision. If you are complaining, you are not thankful. If you want more and more, it is because you have not fully identified with The Lord saying that He knows what you need and will provide it and that what you need is simply food in your stomach and clothes on your back. Grumbling and complaining are actually considered equal to witchcraft. When you complain about the weather, you are saying that the good thing God created to care for the plants and animals (and you!) is not what you really need.

When you see your neighbor, is it in God's love? The one that pronounces judgement but offers grace and mercy. Are they 'nice' people or lost people? Please consider Amos 2 as you consider your surroundings and your own heart. Remember that this trial is not just so that you can come to state of being more like Christ but that Christ will be able to use you in new dimensions.

Amos 2:1-16 (KJV)
Thus saith the Lord ; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime:
[2] But I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth: and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet:
[3] And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof, and will slay all the princes thereof with him, saith the Lord .
[4] Thus saith the Lord ; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the Lord , and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked:
[5] But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.
[6] Thus saith the Lord ; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes;
[7] That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, to profane my holy name:
[8] And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.
[9] Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.
[10] Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and led you forty years through the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite.
[11] And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men for Nazarites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith the Lord .
[12] But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; and commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not.
[13] Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves.
[14] Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver himself:
[15] Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself : neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himself.
[16] And he that is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, saith The Lord.

 2013/12/5 21:14Profile
MaryJane
Member



Joined: 2006/7/31
Posts: 3057


 Re:

Greetings

I just wanted to share that I have been spending much time in prayer. GOD has shown me some things about myself that I didn't see before, some areas that I have repented of. I am learning to that while it is ok not to like all the gray cloudy days its not ok to have the wrong heart or attitude about it. I have also learned that no matter what I need to keep my eyes focused and fixed on HIM. I realize its easy for me to think I am doing so when in reality I have begun to look to the externals around me instead. Externals are always going to be there and beyond my control but not beyond HIS. I need to remember its not about this life so much as training me and growing me to be who HE has for me to be!! As I reread some of the things shared GOD really has been working on my heart to see and understand, sometimes things that come up in life are really for my benefit even if in my flesh I don't always see that. I am learning again to trust and walk in faith.

This morning is dark, gray, and rainy but after praying I am doing good. The same things are still there but HE has answered prayer and helped me overcome my sinful attitude and I am very thankful!! I give HIM all the praise and glory as always HE helps me overcome and keeps me pressing in.

God bless
maryjane

 2013/12/6 8:08Profile
used4him
Member



Joined: 2011/9/3
Posts: 76


 Re:

Hi MJ,

It is good to examine ourselves to see if there is anything displeasing to the Lord, it sounds like you have done that. Do remember that we are spirit, soul AND body. So if the body is worn out, it can affect the rest, that is what I believe and have experienced. So some of the suggestions about exercise, health, etc are worth doing.

I read in your post about FOCUS. That is exactly what the Lord has shown me also, that I need to focus on Him, not the problems. To me it's like when driving in bad weather, and I see an accident on the road, I want to look right at that accident and take my focus off the road ahead, but I need to look straight ahead.

 2013/12/6 8:52Profile





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