"Oh, how corrupted motives can really make me come unglued."
"The Bible is pretty blunt in naming the real issues here: evil desires."
"evil desires...Things like...Selfishness...Pride...Impatience...Anger...Bitterness..."
Positioning My Heart in the Flow of God's Power
"Wow. God's divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life? Everything? If that's the case, why do I still come unglued?"
"I have to 'make every effort' to add some things to my faith. Things like goodness, knowledge, and self-control. I have to add these in. I have to make that choice."
My Biblical Procedure Manual
2 Chronicles 20
Step 1: Remember who you are.
"Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved. The kind had resolved to inquire of the Lord."
"I am a child of God, holy and dearly loved, whom God has set apart for a mighty purpose."
Step 2: Redirect your focus to Jesus.
"They didn't know what to do, but they knew who to turn to."
"The Bible teaches that there is power and protection in the Lord's name. (John 17:11)."
"The human soul is designed to recognize and respond to the calm assurance of Jesus."
Step 3: Recognize God's job isn't your job.
"We're not responsible for figuring it all out. Our job is simply to be obedient to God in the midst of what we're facing. God's job is results."
"Operating in the flow of God's power is so much better than working against the flow of God's power."
Step 4: Recite thanks and praises to God.
"I say out loud to myself, 'If this is the worst thing that happens to me today, it's still a pretty good day.'"
"...shift from an attitude of gratitude and to praise our God in the midst of it all."
Step 5: Realize reactions determine reach.
"Because in the midst of it all, he [Jehoshaphat] honored God with his actions and reactions.
"Remember, though he was alarmed, he was resolved to inquire of the Lord.
He felt alarmed but stayed resolved. He kept his focus on the Lord. He stayed in the flow of God's power by being obedient to God's Word. Though it wasn't easy, he shifted from having an attitude to practicing gratitude. And his reaction not only affected everyone around him, not only people in his own kingdom, but even those in surrounding countries."
"I want to train my mind to remember each step, each truth, each choice Jehoshaphat made. Then I want to train my heart to have the courage to implement each one."
Questions for Discussion
So, created your own predetermined plan? What steps are on your plan?
Did you find another story in Scripture to help you determine your plan? Who?
Have you tried out Lysa's or your own plan? How did it go?
I think there are several good examples in the Bible to follow. Daniel with Nebuchadnezzar, for one.
ReplyDeleteum? Are we discussing being upset and how we handled it?
ReplyDeleteI was upset I lost my lens cap the second day I had my new camera. I fretted about it a little but just told my husband I was upset about it. He had to leave for a few days to go to work and when he returned he had brought a new lens with him. I thanked him greatly. He had to go to three different stores!
I wasn't very happy my brother-in-law said kids aren't as special as their parents think they are but I know that he doesn't really know what to do with kids and I was pleased to see him interact with the girls more this year at Christmas.
I normally get upset with my husband over Christmas break but I didn't this year. And I only fretted for a few minutes about the house when we got home from being gone for over a week. This morning I got up and picked up by 10 so I could take the girls to the park while the sun was out!
No cooking, cleaning, or driving for over a week is wonderful. Clears your perspective a little. Let's see if I can keep it together now that we are back home. Obligations and personal checklists always seem to loom over me.