Category: Whispers (Page 5 of 161)

But there are things we can do to help us get weaned from attachments in our lives, like daily surrendering ourselves to the Lord and asking Him to do a deep work in us. We might want to do times of fasting, and I find that fasting helps me be more alert spiritually, even though I simply fast from after supper at night until the main meal the next day which is at 10:30 for us. Other things that help us keep focused are to meditate on scripture, or even repeating a phrase from a verse to keep our thoughts directed on the Lord. We might also just sit in silence with Him…no words but simply dialing down and being attentive to Him. We might be surprised at how busy our soul is, with a need to focus on Him and not a myriad of other things. We may find instead of feeling empty, we feel fullness.
One thing Professor Gerald Sittser suggests is praying the Lord’s prayer through, petition by petition. Repeat each petition, and then pause to pray more specifically as to what that petition means for us. What works may be different for each of us, but be open to new ways of dealing with attachments and getting the focus back on the Lord.

Challenge for today: Spend time quietly before the Lord and when distractions come, surrender them to the Lord in prayer.
Blessings on your week and prayers and love, Judy

So often we think it is up to us and we must try harder and do more, but the truth is we need to get rid of more: our agendas, selfishness, fears, etc. so we can receive more of Him. Spiritual practices can help us position ourselves so there is room for the Lord, but our focus isn’t to be the end in it itself, or we would become like the Pharisees and Sadducees that were proud that they kept all the rules!  Instead, we are simply opening ourselves so the Lord can work in us and do for us that which we can’t accomplish for ourselves. Holy habits can help enable us to be more present to the Lord, but doesn’t earn us righteousness, for only He can transform us.

Foster cautions us about our motive, for maybe we are doing spiritual disciplines to seek to just have a satisfying spiritual life. Our spiritual disciplines should come from a desire for God and to draw closer to Him. It is not up to us to create a spiritual life by our own self-effort, but respond to the Spirit who draws us ever closer to Him. A few disciplines mentioned for pursuing our lives with God are: solitude, silence, fasting, frugality, worship, prayer, confession, abstinence, meditation, submission, fellowship, etc. The disciplines are not done to win God’s approval, but to help prepare us for the work God is doing in our lives.

Challenge for today: Be open to trying new spiritual disciplines, but be sure to make God your focus and rest in His grace.

Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy

Perhaps we can think of the picture of something old that gets restored. Our daughter likes antiques and has had many family heirlooms restored that now look like new. But it was a slow process and took some time for that to happen. We wish healing from our hurts would occur all at once, and sometimes it does through prayer, but most often it takes time and many steps with our cooperation over the long haul. We have to commit to hanging in there, trusting the Great Physician and the promises we find in the Word.

We have the beautiful promise in Psalm 147:3 that says, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Or the scripture in Jeremiah 30:17: “For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord.” The Lord doesn’t leave us broken, but wants to restore us and then also use us as instruments of healing to others. Al and I have witnessed miraculous healings in the Body of Christ, in small groups and one-on-one. The Lord uses a multitude of ways to heal us and brings healing physically, emotionally and spiritually. It’s His call how He does it. We are to cooperate with Him and then give praise as we see the old pass away and the beautiful new begin.

We have only one life to live, and we don’t want to waste it on things of this world that take up our time and attention while neglecting our true calling. Our happiness will be found as we thankfully accept the abilities He has put within us and use them to benefit others. We may find that sometimes the Lord interrupts our day and shows us needs that He wants us to minister to, and then we have a choice if we are going to obey. Jesus didn’t always tell His disciples what He was going to do each day but simply told them to follow. We are also to adjust our schedules for interruptions that the Spirit sends our way.

The sound of many waters
Calms the sea in me
The voice that ends the silence
Meets me in my need
Like fireworks
Igniting in my chest
The weight of your glory
The reverence….

I’m in awe that you would come to me
In awe that I could hear you speak
I hang on to every word you say
I live to hear you say my name
I hang on to every word you say
I live to hear you say my name
Speak to me

The song goes on to say that I want to know what He thinks and what He will say and I’m listening and hanging on to every word He says. Let us be quiet, have a listening heart and hang on to the word the Lord gives to us. Then we will have His strength, not ours to do whatever He asks of us.

It’s true that our brokenness can be a bridge to experiencing God, for it makes us realize how much we need Him, His mercy and grace. When we let others know us in our woundedness and shame, we may also come to know we are received and accepted for who we truly are and that is a wonderful feeling. While meeting with friends one day, one of them shared that since he is handicapped now and uses a walker all the time, others respond to his weakness and show many ways of caring for him. When he goes to church to lead a class, others show compassion and open the door for him, set him up with a podium for his Bible and notes, give him a microphone, etc. and he feels loved. His handicap is obvious, but some hidden hurts we also have may paralyze us until we are willing to reveal those deep hidden things and receive help. The author Cusick himself had a very painful childhood with sexual abuse by his uncle and others, had addictions, was depressed, and lacked security and love. Quite a switch to the present where he speaks to thousands of people, helping them to become known, valued and healed. He learned to share his shame with the Lord and others, risking vulnerability to receive healing and wholeness.

Intimacy in relationship to others is not based on telling others good things about ourselves, but on what is true and real. Somehow intimacy happens as we know others welcome all of us, even those parts of us that we’d rather hide. The bottom line is that God sees us in our stink, as Al often says, He accepts us where we are, and wants to love us and restore us. Paul said in II Cor. 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come.” The Message says we get a fresh start, and created new.