(This came to mind as I was rereading last week’s blog post
about the broken refrigerator and thawing food and came to the part about the Lowe’s guy telling me Walmart always has dry
ice, even though I had just been assured by the Walmart guy that the store DID
NOT have dry ice! What a gift to realize I didn’t have to argue with that
person or try to set him straight. I could just go on to the next store!)
Throughout that day and on through the week I continued to receive unexpected blessings through opportunities that came about because of my desire to get rid of the food without wasting it.
On Sunday it was the joy of being able to donate to a community food provider. Monday, a friend responded to one of my Facebook posts about having food to give away. She said they would love to have some. It was a joy to plan a meeting with her and granddaughters and to spend time talking and laughing together.
Just as much of an unexpected blessing came earlier on Monday when another friend responded to my post by saying she wished she had known my dilemma, because she had AN EMPTY DEEP FREEZER IN HER GARAGE (just down the street from me) that she said I could have used.
She: What happened? Wish I'd known--I have an empty deep freezer in the garage you could use!!
Me: Wow, Harriet! I thought about checking with you, but just figured it would be another dead-end. I need to quiet that voice and just call! Fortunately, I've been able to donate most everything, although I did throw out a few things. What happened is just that the old refrigerator finally quit working and isn't worth repairing. I concluded God just had other uses for this food -- plus a little exercise in compassion and generosity for me!
In the past, the timing of learning that would have sent me into a negative spiral as I second-guessed whether I acted too hastily in donating the food; and why didn't I think to check with Harriet; and why couldn't she have responded 24 hours earlier; and on and on. But instead, I was able to continue to focus on the good that had happened. I remained grateful that I was able to donate much of the food to a shelter and would be giving most of what remained to a friend and her family. I continued to give God the glory and praise for each positive development. But I was also aware that a seed of second-guessing seemed to have taken root. Help me, Lord.
SO --- did I act too hastily? I don't think I did. I think God opened my eyes to an exercise in compassion and doing that right thing. What would a person like the person I want to be do? That's a good way to think of it.
My husband had reminded me that his sister had a working refrigerator in her garage that she had intended to sell on Craig's list. I had called our repair man earlier Monday and found out a repair was possible, for about $250 with a part that could be obtained by midweek. But I wasn't crazy about spending even that small amount to repair a 33-year-old appliance, so I preferred the idea of getting Mae's that was about 15 years old. But when I called her that night, she told me it has quit running sometime, and she wasn't sure why. But she said she would try to figure out what was wrong and let me know.
I guess even with the transcendent peace I had experienced, the stress and exhaustion of the two days had caught up with me, and her news left me feeling beaten. For the first time, I took some solace in extra food, which just added to my feeling of being defeated. Fortunately, rather than stay in that posture, I was again able to turn to prayer and realize I was not a failure and that the same gift of God's peace, presence and love that has sustained me thus far would continue to do so. I might feel physical consequences of the excess food, but there was no need for me to pile on self-loathing or condemnation.
Tuesday morning's devotionals reinforced the message of my prayers. From First 15: Your thought-life can either be a place of peace and life or a source of immense internal struggle and despair. It’s our thoughts that the enemy tries to affect with half-truths and outright lies. It’s our thoughts that are the gateway to our emotions and actions. And it’s our thoughts our loving heavenly Father longs to influence, redeem, and renew that we might experience everlasting peace.
Throughout that day and on through the week I continued to receive unexpected blessings through opportunities that came about because of my desire to get rid of the food without wasting it.
On Sunday it was the joy of being able to donate to a community food provider. Monday, a friend responded to one of my Facebook posts about having food to give away. She said they would love to have some. It was a joy to plan a meeting with her and granddaughters and to spend time talking and laughing together.
Just as much of an unexpected blessing came earlier on Monday when another friend responded to my post by saying she wished she had known my dilemma, because she had AN EMPTY DEEP FREEZER IN HER GARAGE (just down the street from me) that she said I could have used.
She: What happened? Wish I'd known--I have an empty deep freezer in the garage you could use!!
Me: Wow, Harriet! I thought about checking with you, but just figured it would be another dead-end. I need to quiet that voice and just call! Fortunately, I've been able to donate most everything, although I did throw out a few things. What happened is just that the old refrigerator finally quit working and isn't worth repairing. I concluded God just had other uses for this food -- plus a little exercise in compassion and generosity for me!
In the past, the timing of learning that would have sent me into a negative spiral as I second-guessed whether I acted too hastily in donating the food; and why didn't I think to check with Harriet; and why couldn't she have responded 24 hours earlier; and on and on. But instead, I was able to continue to focus on the good that had happened. I remained grateful that I was able to donate much of the food to a shelter and would be giving most of what remained to a friend and her family. I continued to give God the glory and praise for each positive development. But I was also aware that a seed of second-guessing seemed to have taken root. Help me, Lord.
SO --- did I act too hastily? I don't think I did. I think God opened my eyes to an exercise in compassion and doing that right thing. What would a person like the person I want to be do? That's a good way to think of it.
My husband had reminded me that his sister had a working refrigerator in her garage that she had intended to sell on Craig's list. I had called our repair man earlier Monday and found out a repair was possible, for about $250 with a part that could be obtained by midweek. But I wasn't crazy about spending even that small amount to repair a 33-year-old appliance, so I preferred the idea of getting Mae's that was about 15 years old. But when I called her that night, she told me it has quit running sometime, and she wasn't sure why. But she said she would try to figure out what was wrong and let me know.
I guess even with the transcendent peace I had experienced, the stress and exhaustion of the two days had caught up with me, and her news left me feeling beaten. For the first time, I took some solace in extra food, which just added to my feeling of being defeated. Fortunately, rather than stay in that posture, I was again able to turn to prayer and realize I was not a failure and that the same gift of God's peace, presence and love that has sustained me thus far would continue to do so. I might feel physical consequences of the excess food, but there was no need for me to pile on self-loathing or condemnation.
Tuesday morning's devotionals reinforced the message of my prayers. From First 15: Your thought-life can either be a place of peace and life or a source of immense internal struggle and despair. It’s our thoughts that the enemy tries to affect with half-truths and outright lies. It’s our thoughts that are the gateway to our emotions and actions. And it’s our thoughts our loving heavenly Father longs to influence, redeem, and renew that we might experience everlasting peace.
Also from the devotional: Isaiah 26:3 says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Do you long for perfect peace today? Do you long to keep your mind stayed on the inexpressible excellencies of Jesus? It all starts with trust. When we allow our minds to stray into worry, doubt, fear, reservation, and lies, it is because we don’t trust that God is who he says he is or that he will do what he says he’ll do.
(My thought: I trust God. I don't trust me. But I keep reading ....)
All of the rest of this is from the devotional, which I've copied here as a reminder to me. The parenthetical comments are my observations, and I used boldface and underlining to emphasize some points from the text by Craig Denison.
If we truly trusted God with our relationships, we wouldn’t spend so much energy mulling over conversations that could have been better or different. If we truly trusted God as the perfect provider of our finances and possessions, we wouldn’t spend so much time overwhelming ourselves with all the different financial opportunities available, or not available, to us. If we truly trusted God with our futures, we wouldn’t devote so much of our minds to playing out every scenario that could possibly happen. And if we truly trusted God that we are loved, liked, enjoyable, and wholly found, we wouldn’t spend so much time thinking of ways we can impress others, work our way into a clique, make others laugh, or win the affections of another.
Romans 8:6 says, “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” Where you set your mind today is your decision. The Spirit is fully available, ready and willing to lead you to abounding joy and peace. And the enemy is prowling like a lion seeking to devour your thoughts that they might breed emotional and even physical death (1 Peter 5:8).
There is a battle for your thoughts happening every moment. But greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).
God has a perfect plan to lead you away from thoughts that plague you into life and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Trust him as your good and loving Father.
Trust that he is always with you.
Place your faith wholeheartedly in him because he is perfectly faithful and able.
He has plans for an incredible hope and future for you if you will simply trust him and set your mind on him as often and as passionately as you can. May you find peace today in your thoughts through a powerful revelation of God’s abiding love.
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2
“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6
2. What thoughts plague you the most? What thoughts steal the peace available to you through trusting God? (trying to figure out what to do. trying to even know what God's will is for me. thinking I have it figured out and sometimes even doing it, and then having second thoughts and self-doubt. I'm also troubled by thoughts regarding what to do about my eyes, my teeth, my messes, my selfishness, my lack of time management that keeps me from serving others, and on and on.)
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:1-2
3. Place your trust fully in God today for whatever specifically troubles you and receive the peace that comes from setting your mind on your good and loving heavenly Father.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” Psalm 37:4-6
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” Psalm 28:7
("Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart ..." Lord, I just want to know and do Your will and give You the glory.)
Psalm 37 English Standard Version
He Will Not Forsake His Saints
[a] Of David.
37 Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!
2 For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.
be not envious of wrongdoers!
2 For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.[b]
4 Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.[b]
4 Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your justice as the noonday.
trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your justice as the noonday.
7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!
8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
9 For the evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
9 For the evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
10 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;
though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
11 But the meek shall inherit the land
and delight themselves in abundant peace.
though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
11 But the meek shall inherit the land
and delight themselves in abundant peace.
12 The wicked plots against the righteous
and gnashes his teeth at him,
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he sees that his day is coming.
and gnashes his teeth at him,
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he sees that his day is coming.
14 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose way is upright;
15 their sword shall enter their own heart,
and their bows shall be broken.
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose way is upright;
15 their sword shall enter their own heart,
and their bows shall be broken.
16 Better is the little that the righteous has
than the abundance of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
but the Lord upholds the righteous.
than the abundance of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
but the Lord upholds the righteous.
18 The Lord knows the days of the blameless,
and their heritage will remain forever;
19 they are not put to shame in evil times;
in the days of famine they have abundance.
and their heritage will remain forever;
19 they are not put to shame in evil times;
in the days of famine they have abundance.
20 But the wicked will perish;
the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures;
they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.
the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures;
they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.
21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back,
but the righteous is generous and gives;
22 for those blessed by the Lord[c] shall inherit the land,
but those cursed by him shall be cut off.
but the righteous is generous and gives;
22 for those blessed by the Lord[c] shall inherit the land,
but those cursed by him shall be cut off.
23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord,
when he delights in his way;
24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the Lord upholds his hand.
when he delights in his way;
24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the Lord upholds his hand.
25 I have been young, and now am old,
yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
or his children begging for bread.
26 He is ever lending generously,
and his children become a blessing.
yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
or his children begging for bread.
26 He is ever lending generously,
and his children become a blessing.
27 Turn away from evil and do good;
so shall you dwell forever.
28 For the Lord loves justice;
he will not forsake his saints.
They are preserved forever,
but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land
and dwell upon it forever.
so shall you dwell forever.
28 For the Lord loves justice;
he will not forsake his saints.
They are preserved forever,
but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land
and dwell upon it forever.
30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
and his tongue speaks justice.
31 The law of his God is in his heart;
his steps do not slip.
and his tongue speaks justice.
31 The law of his God is in his heart;
his steps do not slip.
32 The wicked watches for the righteous
and seeks to put him to death.
33 The Lord will not abandon him to his power
or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.
and seeks to put him to death.
33 The Lord will not abandon him to his power
or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.
34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way,
and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
you will look on when the wicked are cut off.
and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
you will look on when the wicked are cut off.
37 Mark the blameless and behold the upright,
for there is a future for the man of peace.
38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
the future of the wicked shall be cut off.
for there is a future for the man of peace.
38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
the future of the wicked shall be cut off.
39 The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
40 The Lord helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.
he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
40 The Lord helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.
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