NEED ENCOURAGEMENT?.....

As a counselor in vocational ministry, it calls for giving out encouragement and helping others find answers for life situations, I use my spiritual gift of Exhortation as I am led. If I am not careful I have finely discovered that I will tend to get in the flesh and feel “Globally Responsible” for everyone from time to time. That’s when I know “Mary” is in charge and doing it her “own way”…Oh I hate it when that happens! It’s hard for me to settle down and stop. At some point I have to say, “Just Stoppit and Listen” before I have a train wreck.

I am going through a time right now that is causing me to get in a “Mulley Grub Mode”.

I have to say, “what’s going on?” and take inventory.  I know He is the ONLY ONE I NEED to ENCOURAGE me.  It usually happens when things are so still around me and I don’t have work to do, the old saying, "the idle hand is the devil's workshop".

So many times our son, Phillip will say, "mom you better use this time to rest up for what's next"  That means to me to Rest in Him during this time and rest in Spirit/Soul and Body.  I realize it is a time to refuel and “chill out” for the next task, but I still feel like I need to be “doing” something. Are you relating?...

The following scripture comes to mind about David when I feel this way.  You know he went through so much and out of those trials he wrote words that  encourage us today WOW that excited me to think how the Word of God is Powerful!

I think about the times he had to hide in “crags” in the mountains from his enemies. He had no one to talk to or encourage him but that was the times he ran to the Lord.  I’ve asked myself this question many a time,  “How did David Encourage Himself in the Lord?”

Here are some thoughts :

 “David Encouraged Himself in the Lord”

1 Samuel 30: 1-25

Key verse-6 “And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.”

There are times of stress, when our load seems heavier than we can bear. The task is more than we can handle. There can also be times of fear when our very sense of security is threatened. We all need encouragement from time to time. All of us, at sometime or other, face a crisis when everything seems to fall apart. There are times of discouragement, when things go wrong even when we are trying to do right. There are times of uncertainty, when we don’t know how things are going to turn out.

In all of those kinds of situations we need to be encouraged in the Lord. In the midst of great distress it says of David in verse six, “…But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.”

David had made many mistakes and yet we read God told Saul, David was “a man after His own heart“. This tells me if we make mistakes, walking “after the flesh” we can confess them to Father and turn from our ways, get back on track “walking in the Spirit”. 

"Walking in the Spirit" is living in the stream of the Living Water flowing getting to know God as David knew Him by letting Him lead us in our daily lives by spending time with Him in His Word and in conversation. He wants you to get to know Him.  It is one thing to have our sins forgiven and go to Heaven Eternally to be with Him, but it's another thing to put our foot to the pavement and live through the stressors of life successfully, but we can. Experience Him as you get to know Him as your Friend and Counselor....now! 

Learn from David's life he acknowledged God as Lord and walked in His guidance TRUSTING Him in times of darkness.  David lived in His presence letting Him guide each step. Let Father show you the way guiding you faithfully until your last breath.

I want to go sit still right now and hear what He has to say to me.  I know what I want to say to Him... I am in for the long haul but it will be Him not me that can do it…….