If you have not guessed, I enjoy challenging those who step unto my blog.
I am reading a book written by Ann Voskamp.REFLECTIONS FROM one thousands gifts. http://www.aholyexperience.com/one-thousand-gifts-book/ It is the second time reading this unique small compact book filled with giant challenging gates to press open wide on the subject of choosing JOY.
I engage in the words that are written. I am drawn deep. I sore to heights of unexplainable knowledge in the security of my Heavenly Father’s love. It is grand. I believe nothing at that point can make me fall because I do not think of destructive actions or attacking arrows.
The destructive actions come. The attacking arrows hit soundly.
The challenges are not huge problematic situations such as cancer or major financial crisis. The encounters I am speaking of are the simple ones ie;
1. The light bulb going out in the oven. – I have a deadline to cook a meal.
2. Snow has piled high all around the car from the storm last night. Where is the ice scraper? I am late for work.
3. I have this great idea to make a dairy-free gift for a friend. Time is running late. Cannot find needed cooking items. Why is the dog right in front of each step I am taking?
4. How about when the traffic is going ever so slowly. (Heaven help the driver in front of you if an appointment is involved.)
5. A misspoken word. A phrase expressed that is heard out of context. Tension and pain reflecting the speaker’s brokenness.
The Conundrum: I have a wonderful devotional while reading well timed scripture passages, pointing to areas in my soul that need a lift. Possibly a walk through the pages of a brilliantly written book where I explore hand in hand with the Holy Spirit a deeper knowledge of God’s Challenges. I experience fantastic worship and want to share this with everyone. Joy to the very core is filling my being and truly flooding through me.
A mini- trial comes across my path and there is a choice for me to make. Does the Lord who healed the blind, caused the ears to become open , met me this AM, have a place in the mini-trial irritants of life?
The enemy of my heart wants me to focus on the trial. The enemy of my mind wants to steal the earlier reality and replace it with anxiety in this present happening?
Did the Presence of God leave when the book closed? Does the reality of Immanuel change when the lid comes down on the laptop? Is the absence of the wire whip or the slow driver in front of me more reality in my life than the Blessed Baby who was born to give me life and eternal peace?
During times of martyrdom or personal crisis, Satan tries robbing and destroying the agenda of intimacy with God. Continuous destruction in any form appears to be the absence of God. The Holy Spirit uses catastrophes as openings to point us to the reality of God’s love and care because the need is so great.
Amid the mini-trials of our day, we become accustomed to icky things just happening because that is the way life is. Satan is still robbing and destroying the agenda of our intimacy with God. If we even go to God, statements such as ; this is too small a thing to bring to God, He does not care about me when people are dying, or I can handle this on my own, fill our minds. If we do not consider going to God in a mini-trial, will we go to Him in realizing and thanking Him for His continuous presence in the mini-joys.
When we walk in the absence of God’s daily care and presence, the intimacy that is available to us through the whole day slowly turns into a quick fifteen minute AM devotional read while flipping through the Facebook notes and bank statements.
God’s presence is here. During the Mini- trials. During the Mini-joys. Who is in charge?
Eph 5. 20 Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. NIV
Love it, very inspiring