by on

Have you ever dealt with something for years…something you didn’t quite deal with in the past that keeps coming up in circumstances in your life? I’ve been thinking a lot about something lately that I believe God is trying to get me to finally deal with and settle in my mind and heart.

In the back of my mind, I have always thought that something bad would happen to me or my family. At one point a long time ago, for example, I feared that if I had children there would be something terribly wrong with them. Since my children have been born, Will, seven almost eight years old and Sidney, three, I have been even more aware that something could happen to them. I guess my awareness of the evil in this world has heightened, not to the point of living in a bubble. It has never been an overwhelming fear, just in the back of my mind, which leads me to believe that is why it has never been completely dealt with. (more…)

by on

So often I say the words (or scream them if I’m truthful about it): “Just because it’s a good thing doesn’t mean it’s the best thing.”  I tell my 7-year old son, Will, those words a lot lately.  He thinks if he’s doing something good, everything should be okay.  For instance, just the other day he was in his sister’s room trying to help her do something with her TV.  In and of itself, the deed was noble and good – a good big brother.  However, before we get too emotional and say, “AAAH, how sweet,”  let’s realize that a few moments before, I had told him for the third time to stay in his room and do his homework.

Don’t we all get caught up in doing something else…something good, but maybe not the best – God’s best for us?  Our pastor talked about this a few weeks ago and it hit me that the same thing I get tired of telling Will to stop doing is the same thing I’m doing in my relationship with Jesus Christ.

This season is a celebration of the birth of our Redeemer, Jesus.  But I’m so caught up in trying to serve Him in the busyness of the season, in all the good things, that I’ve been getting lost in all of it.  I believe that is what He means when He calls us to “be still and know that I am God.” He wants us to have His best for us, not all the good we try to do for Him.  Don’t get me wrong…the good things are just that – good.  But if we allow them to keep us from His best for us, that is when the good doesn’t look so good.

Knowing what His best for us is, that is key.  Ask Him.  Allow His Holy Spirit to show you through His Word, His people and through prayer.  He will.  I believe His best for us changes with the seasons of our lives.  Right now, as a wife and mother, I find that God’s best for me is different than when I was single with no children.  His will is always for me to be in right relationship with Him, thirsting after Him and worshipping Him throughout each part of my day.  But as my situations and circumstances change, He impresses on me areas He wants me to yield to Him that I may never have known were not yielded.  That is when I think His best, what He has called me to do and be about today, comes into view.

God wants us all to experience His best.  Just as Mary sat at His feet, choosing the good part, so we can sit at His feet and choose to be about the good part, His best for us.

Father God, please help us to choose to allow Your Holy Spirit to lead us in this busy season.  Help us to sit at your feet and still ourselves before You so that we can hear You offering Your best for us.  Take the good we offer and help us to exchange it for Your best.  We thank You in advance.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

“but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”  Luke 10:42

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”  Psalm 46:10