Hello back to you, dear sister!
It sounds like you’ve been wandering in the desert and you are past ready to cross over into the promise land. Here are a few truths I once shared with a friend about the desert. I learned firsthand that when God allows you to walk in the desert He always has a purpose and when we trust Him He walks with us and provides daisies along the way!
The desert is a dry, hard place, so remember the flowers in this place aren't going to look as vibrant or smell as sweet as you might expect, but glance down sweet sister . . . you have daisies in your hand!
DESERT DAISY #1 - This daisy promises peace.
Don’t focus on your circumstances. Instead CHOOSE Philippians 4:8-9.
DESERT DAISY #2 - This daisy promises an abundance of God’s love toward you as you call on Him.
Don’t be mad at God. Instead CHOOSE Psalm 86:5, remember His goodness.
DESERT DAISY #3 - This daisy promises opened eyes, a lifting up, and God's love directing your way.
Don’t allow circumstances to weigh you down, Instead CHOOSE God's will, according to Psalm 146:8.
DESERT DAISY #4 - This daisy promises to meet your every need.
Do seek Him and do what is right. According to Matthew 6:33, When He does, this will be part of your testimony of His faithfulness.
You said, “Please pray, my sisters, for a job, restoration of my finances; because they're all gone!!!!! Blessings on my sons and RESURRECTION; because, I feel like I'm buried under and can't get out!!!!!”
DESERT DAISY #5 This daisy promises Jesus Himself sitting at the right hand of our Heavenly Father talking to Him on your behalf.
Do pray, and I will absolutely be praying too! However, I also want to remind you that according to Romans 8:34, He is ever interceding for you! He knows your every need, and He is working on your behalf!
DESERT DAISY #6 This daisy promises more of His grace poured out toward you.
Do humble yourself before God so He will not oppose you! According to James 4:6,
There are a few things you said that I would like you to consider:
You said, “I know that God is in control and that all things will work together for my good.” It’s important to remember the rest of the verse. This is a promise to those who love Him (Romans 8:28). Get alone with the Lord and ask Him if you are being humble and obedient, because obedience proves our love for Him (John 14:15). God does NOT work all things for good, but He does work all things for good to those who love Him and who are called according to His purposes. So, the second question would be, if God (though you have tried desperately) has not provided you a job, what is it that He wants you to be doing “in the wait”? What are His purposes for you? Again, my suggestion is to get alone with Him and ask Him.
I love that you said, “He is working on our relationship and so am I. Since my layoff, I’ve been closer to the lord than ever and realized that it’s time to be still and know that He is God, the same yesterday, today and forever more. He closed the door and He will open the door again!”
I also love that you gave praise to God for your sons finishing college and getting good jobs. I know you don’t want your sons to have to support you, but praise God He is providing for your needs. We don’t always understand the “why’s” but we can still praise God in all things because we know He is the source of every good and perfect gift, meaning He is the One supporting you (He just chose to temporarily use them)!
God often brings us to these places to test our faith. We need to pursue faith and deny sin. Why? Because, sin hinders our prayers and our relationship with God. Faith shows we trust Him no matter what storms we face! God is pleased when His children walk by faith and trust Him. In fact, the Bible tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).
So, how would faith respond to the questions within your soul?
** “MY LORD HOW LONG?”
The testing of your faith produces something beautiful! If it’s not hard you wouldn’t need to exercise faith and without the exercise of genuine faith there would be nothing fruitful or pleasing to God. When life gets really hard, you can believe God is at work! So the answer to how long is this, long enough for God to produce the perfecting work of patience in you that you might be fully blessed beyond measure.
“Count it all joy when you fall into temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience.
But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and
entire, wanting nothing (James 1:2).”
** "I'm tired and feel sooooooo lost at times even though I know that I’m in God's hands!"
The Faithful rest in who God is, not in what they feel like. God is sure and unchanging, while our feelings are fickle. The fact that you are tired means you are human. The fact that you know you are in God’s hands regardless of how you feel proves that you are among the faithful!
It’s certainly okay to talk to God about your situation, but it’s equally as important to trust Him if He chooses not to give you the answers. There are things in my life I know He’s told me I don’t get to have the answers for them. My response, “Lord, I don’t need to know the answers I trust You!” It’s so not easy to be okay with not getting the answers you desperately desire, but I asked for decades until my opportunity for an answer was gone. I’m okay with that! Trust me, this took faith . . . my feelings had to catch up . . . but I know God is good, He is faithful, He is trustworthy, He is sovereign, He is able, and His answer for me was No, and I know it was all for my good! I can rest in that!
** "WHY DID YOU CLOSE THE DOOR TO SOMETHING I'VE WORKED AT FOR 30 yrs, it's all I know and I was good at it?"
Maybe, just maybe He wants to work in you what only He can do. Maybe just maybe He does not want you “to be good at it” He might just want you to yield to Him and let Him do through you what you can’t do that He might get the glory. When God called me to the ministry, I felt completely inadequate. I offered many excuses to why I couldn’t. He agreed with them all. He didn’t want my ability. He wanted me surrendered and obedient so He is glorified. He called me from what I did well to do what I couldn’t do apart from Him. This definitely takes faith, but it is an exciting life to see the impossible become possible because God is able and willing to help those who place their trust in Him.
** "I'm mad at you Lord and know its wrong. I get mad at you even though i know you got this."
Oh, sweet sister. This just might be the very thing that is hindering you. Not only is this sin, it is the opposite of faith! It is prideful to think we know better than God. Remember (above), God resists the proud. Sin hinders our prayers. This tells me there is a battle going on inside of you. You have faith, yet you doubt. We can all say we’ve experienced this. At least, I know I can. I know I have cried out, like the father of the possessed boy in Mark 9:14-26, “Lord, I believe but help my unbelief” If you take a minute to read this passage you see the compassion Jesus had for this father's honest prayer because Jesus healed his son. BTW: Take note of Jesus’ words in verse “everything is possible to those who believe” The greatest miracle is the forgiveness Christ offers when we confess our sin. While we cannot lose our salvation, unconfessed sin in a Christian’s life renders them ineffective, unproductive, unfruitful, and miserable; and It robs us of many blessings! Spend some time talking with Jesus, and tell Him you’re sorry.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1
John 1:9).”
I have two requests. One, I’d like you to commit to memory Proverbs 3:5-6, and quote it when you feel doubtful. Sometimes, I even sing it. It “ain’t purty”, but it doesn’t have to be! Two, I’d like for you to prayerfully read through the book of James. You’ll find direction in God’s word!
Let’s pray:
Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that you will help my sister as she seeks your will for her life. I ask that you help her find a job. I ask that you bring her soul renewal and revival. I pray you will bring her finances to restoration and order. I ask that you speak to her through Your word and let it be as a lamp unto her feet and a light unto her path. My prayer is not only for my sister, but also for her sons who have provided for their mother. I ask that You meet their needs spiritually, physically, emotionally, financially, and in every way that will bring You great glory. I ask, like the Psalmist, that you bring my sister out of the miry pit and give her hope, healing, and everything she needs to live In Christ for Your great purposes and our Father’s glory! In Jesus most precious name I pray, Amen.
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