“You might not finish this chapter”, interesting title for this chapter don’t you think? And Frances gets right to the point in the very first line “you might die before you finish reading the chapter. I don’t know about you, but I don’t tend to think of myself, my life, or my relationship with God in light of moments, or seconds. And yet, if I did, my life might truly be different.
Rejoice in the Lord, always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4
Do not be anxious about anything… Philippians 4:6
Two verses I am very familiar with, as perhaps you are too, but I never really put them into the same context, and yet God did. The other thing that I never really thought about was that by worrying about my problems, or even simple things, like, what I will be doing tomorrow, is saying that my life, my circumstances, what I am doing, are more important than God’s command to always rejoice; that my worry and stress reek of arrogance. Frances Chan hits us right between the eyeballs when he says “In other words, that I have a “right” to disobey God because of the magnitude of my responsibilities.” OUCH! OUCH! OUCH!
If my purpose for existence in life is to bring glory to God, and it is, and by the way so is yours, then focusing on stuff in my life is counterproductive to that purpose. My focus needs to be on God, not on me! My life needs to be about Him, not about me, and my life needs to reflect that in all I say and all I do!
If I truly grasped the belief that my life belongs to God, that my whole purpose and reason for being here is for God, how might my life be lived out differently. Grasping the concept is different then believing. I believe that we all believe we are here to bring God glory, and that our lives are brief here on earth. But if we truly grasped it; truly internalized it our lives, yours and mine, might look different.
Blog/share this week:
What do you think your life might look like if you lived your life sold out to God 100%, no room for self, all about Him? How would your day-to-day routine and choices look different?
Activity for the week:
Make a list of things that worried you this week
Make a list of thing you were worried about over the past 6 months
Answer this question; “What has changed, or been influenced by your worry?”
Write a prayer expressing your desire for change to God this week.
By the way, in Philippians 4:6 there is more to the verse then stated earlier… God gave us the solution for how to Rejoice in the Lord always, and not be anxious for anything. Verse 6 goes on to say “but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Verse 7 “And then the peace of God, which transcends s all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Looking forward to your insights,
hugs, Sandra
Read chapter 3 in Crazy Love in preparation for next week’s discussion and challenges
1) James 4:13-14 “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to his or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”
ReplyDeleteMost precious Lord, I have failed so often to put you first in my life; forgive me. I desire to live a life that is above average for you, I truly do. But somewhere between my desire and the practicalness of carrying it out, there becomes a great chasm, I need to cross that chasm and live sold out for You! I know that in order to do this,I must let you be in charge of my calendar. May I, each day, seek You and ask “What and where would you have me spend my time?” I desire to have you be the builder of each and every detail of my day. Reveal to me, Lord, who you desire for me to speak with today; who you desire that I lend a helping hand to, today. Reveal to me, what will make the best use of my time today, for Kingdom good. Then Lord, may I ask, that you might give me whatever is needed in my life to carry out those tasks. Thank you Jesus, AMEN
Worry changes nothing,prayer does. Instead of worrying I should be praying. I need to accept that God knows and take things one day at a time.
ReplyDeleteForgive me Lord for worrying and not letting you be in charge. I need to let you plan my days and show me what needs to be done and who needs my help. I need not to stress but to let you show me how to solve things. Sometimes I worry about the solution and make it hard and then when I actually get to doing it God makes it so easy I wonder why I worried about it.
Help me to ask for your guidence instead of worring and to listen for your still small voice. Thank you for having patience with me. Amen
Ladies I don't think this is working... what to you think? It was a great idea, a great book, but maybe the timinig is off. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if this is working or not. This week I was on a business trip and did not touch base on the blog. However, I am here now and will read chapter 3 tomorrow. I do enjoy reading everyone's comments and having a venue to share my thoughts . . .
ReplyDeleteAs if in theme with the chapter, last week I had to initate protocals for the death of an employee for the president (I work at a college and ghost write for the president). I casually knew the employee who died and felt a void as I tried to remember the last time I saw or said anything to him/her. As I was preparing a sympathy note I discovered the employee's daughter found him/her at home and the time/date of death was still being determined. Anyway there were several details around this death that really crushed my heart as I discovered them and attempted to convey sympanthy to the family.
Knowing that none of us is promised tomorrow, looking at my life and how obsorbed I am in the little details that don't effect eternity, and reflecting on a life that had just ended without warning -- I tried daily to turn my focus around. Every morning God was by my side and my focus was on the big picture. However, as the hours ticked by my focus shifted little by little to the little details and off the big picture.
This took place day after day until last Friday. As I was going to my car, God and I were recounting in my opinion failure once again. Then, He gave me a parking lot conversation. There were only three cars left in "my" section of the parking lot by the time I left the office. One of those cars was a close friend of the employee who had died and they were walking out just a few yard behind me. I began expressing my sympathy and ended having a GREAT conversation for eternity! I had not shared my faith in a very long time. I try very hard to keep neutral in my position, but this was after hours, in the parking lot and the conversation just took on a life of its own. On my drive home, God revealed lives I have touched through the years and lives I touch daily. He helped me look at my focus differently.
I'm not saying I live my life as if I might die today. However, I experienced God's grace last week to help me notice all the little things I do, when I keep my focus on God. I know I have so much that isn't where it needs to be, but I also know . . . He who has begun a good work in me will keep profecting it until the day of Christ. I am confident He hasn't brought me this far to leave me. Part of the "awesome" in this book is knowing God reveals what we need when we need it.
It could still work...I agree with Patricia that I enjoy reading comments and having a place to go to share thougthts. I of course have not been on this week, another blah week for me but life goes on. But I want to finish the book and see what I can learn from it and I will with or without the blog.......but.....
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts on the book and the blog....I just want to read the book....the one chapter a week is kind of taking me off track. I realize there is a lot to process and ponder. But for me I would love to just read the book and then come to blog whatever touched me or encouraged me or to ask questions about something I did not understand. Now, with that said I would still love you, Sandra, to post questions that get us thinking so that we could have something to think about and blog about. And I love your commentary on the chapters too....you really do bring things to the surface that get me thinking. I like the book, I like the idea of a blog but maybe it just needs to be restructured a little bit. That is my two cents for what it is worth.
Now for the week, worries, constantly, marriage issues, financial issues....that is a constant. Over the last 6 months, same worries. We all know the next answer, nothing has changed because of my worrying about the situation, it is still the same, imagine that. I know God is the only one who can take away the worry and make the changes that are needed. I need to let it go and give it to Him, easier said than done. That is one of my biggest problems letting go and moving on. I a thankful that God already knows that I have that problem and He is just waiting until I get tired of carrying the load so that I will give it to Him.
I loved what Marian said....so true and I am so in need of that in my life....I could have prayed the same prayer....thank you Marian ;0)
Okay, now come on everyone, lets getting blogging, Sandra needs to stay busy, hahahaha!!!!
okay my friends... for you two I will keep going
ReplyDeletewatch for questions and comments on Chapter 3 to appear on Tuesday evening... I will email you when they are ready to read...
For everyone... We have decided to move this study to an email study and not a blog study. If you would like to join us... shoot me an email at sandraperdew@crosspointchristian.org everyone is welcome....
ReplyDelete