I have
been pondering the word rely since Monday when I got through my day without
calling on God for help. I resorted to doing it my way and I was frustrated,
angry and even said something that offended someone. To make matters worse, I
knew I was not being a very good example of Christian love and the fruits of
the Spirit had turned sour. I was a mess and instead of taking my stress to God
and dealing with it in godly ways I went home had a glass and a half of wine
(that is a lot for me these days) and then proceeded to let go of self-control
and ate too many chocolate almonds. I woke up the next morning feeling very
sorry for my pathetic display and asked God for forgiveness and help on being
better prepared to handle my day at work that is extremely challenging right
now. That word “rely” popped in my head so I tried looking it up in the
concordance of my bible but it wasn’t there so I did a search on line for
scripture about relying on God and was led to what I needed. I gave me a good
visual and for me a visual works so well. God led me to another visual too of a
father walking with his daughter holding her hand and as they go down the path
they encounter a big pile of sticks in the way so the daughter looks up to her
father and asks what they should do. My pile of sticks is my current workplace
and the challenge of dealing with another culture and a communication barrier
in the middle of 5 butt-loads of work that keeps piling up. Prayerful
preparation with my Daddy and the visual tools helped me get through my day
with patience and gentleness and my self-control was focused on what would
glorify God. The visual brought me
instant peace and a smile to my face every time. If you have encountered a pile
of sticks in your path, look to our Daddy and let him help you decide the
course you should take.
Jeremiah 17:5-9 Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man
and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like
a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the
parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. Blessed is the
man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted
by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat
comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit.
