spiritual-depression

Let not Your Heart be Troubled…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. When I woke up this morning, my heart was inclined to be troubled, so I rushed out to greet the morning and meet with the Living God to set things Straight. The One who parted the seas and made the sun stand still is the One to calm my Heart and give me Heavenly Perspective for the Journey. It’s funny how each new day is unique in every way, and how one minute the Heart is at Peace and the other it’s inclined to be troubled. I don’t understand why that is, but I DO know what to do to set things Straight, and the season of a troubled Heart is short-lived in my Life because of Him. It’s not what we face that’s the biggest challenge…it’s HOW WE FACE whatever it is that matters the most, and there’s only One Way to face it all. Isn’t that the way it is with you too?

It can be so easy to “lose” a Day when the heart is troubled, and I can’t think of a better waste. Even one day being sad or mad or fearful is one day we can’t be of any Good Use to the King! When I wake up that way I get really busy really fast setting things Straight because I know it serves no Good Purpose and I know that a troubled Heart can cripple me…even if just for a day. Since each day has the Potential to add to the Kingdom, that’s a Price I’m not willing to pay! No amount of woes is worth that! Sometimes it’s not clear to me why my heart is troubled, and I wonder if I lost control of my thoughts…the kind of thoughts that can trouble a Heart. Sometimes I wonder if the night was filled with dreams of things that can trouble a Heart, even if I don’t recall them. Sometimes I wonder if my enemy is working overtime trying to discourage me in my Journey, and sometimes I wonder if it’s all the above. Whatever the “reason,” there is NO justification for a Child of the Living God to allow the Heart to be troubled because we have the Solution for Life! As long as we’re willing to rush to meet with the One to set things Straight, and we’re humble enough to do our Part by surrendering it all to Him, a troubled heart is Healed faster than we can say “Amen.”

I don’t like it much when my Heart is troubled with or without “good reason,” but I’m not too prideful to confess it to the One who loves me enough to send His Son to die for me. David’s heart was troubled many times, but David never hesitated to rush to the One to set his Heart Straight. Elijah’s heart was troubled, and he hit a breaking point because of it. Even though he didn’t have the strength to rush to the One to set his Heart Straight, the God of Compassion met Elijah right where he was. God understands when we get weary, and He understands when the Heart is troubled – and He’ll LOVE US OUT OF IT every single time BUT He won’t “coddle” us or let us off the hook when the Heart is troubled. Why? Because He already Knows that He is the Solution. He’s the Great Physician…the Bright Morning Star…the Author and Perfecter of our Faith…the Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. He’s the Great I am…the Alpha and Omega…the Beginning and the End. He’s the One that parts the seas…the One to scatter the skies in the heavens and to know them each by name…the One who made the sun stand still once and the One Who raised the dead. When you consider all that He is, why would we ever hesitate to confess a troubled heart and why would we ever accept less than Perfection?

I woke up with a Heart inclined to be troubled this morning, but it sure didn’t last long. I Understand the Journey, and I know where to go to set things Straight. I’ve been through adversity in my life that would rattle the cage of the strongest and bravest, and sometimes people question how I “survived.” No matter the problem, the answer is always the same. I rush to the One Who gave me Life and I do my part to get things Straight. I really CAN “do all things through Christ who gives me strength” He’s Jehovah Shammah (God is there) and I’m His child. When we Work Together, something like a little troubled heart won’t get in my way of Serving the King of Kings, that’s for sure!

How about you?

Not Gauged By “Feelings”…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. To kick off this new day I sat waiting to feel the Presence of the Lord as I usually do, but I can’t say that I actually did. I know my Omnipresent Lord is always with me but I wanted to FEEL Him this morning. I praised Him. I exalted Him. I thanked Him and I made a few requests – but I didn’t “feel” anything in return. When I didn’t “feel” anything I set out to examine my Heart to see if there was any reason within me for the silence. The last thing I want is for something within me to hinder my Relationship with the King of all kings, so that’s ALWAYS the first stop to check the pulse of our Relationship. He’ll NEVER wrong me…but have I wronged Him? I found a few things that I needed to Adjust and I asked Him for Forgiveness – and I felt uplifted even though He was still “silent.” Some people might wonder why I try so hard sometimes, but that’s because He’s my everything and I’m desperate for my God. The words of the Psalmist define my Heart far better than I can “As a deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for Thee, O God.” Isn’t that the way it is in your Journey of Faith too?

It can be so easy to gauge anything in life by what we feel or don’t feel, but a Quality Life isn’t measured by what we “feel.” We don’t exist to be entertained, and we won’t always have warm fuzzy feelings. Everything in life has a season of silence – from work to relationships to time with Living God. When we don’t “feel” excited, or successful, or loved, or appreciated, or anything else we often point to someone or something else for the reason why. Silence isn’t always a bad thing, but when things are silent the FIRST STOP should be to examine ourselves to see if there is anything within us that is hindering the “feelings.” That is NOT taking the blame for every season of silence – it’s doing our Part to find the Truth. As long as we insist on placing blame for how we feel or don’t feel we never Mature and we lose much more than we gain. I don’t know why I didn’t “feel” anything from my God this morning, but I DO KNOW that the most important thing for me is to be sure that I’m NOT the reason why. After that, I continue to do my part and I NEVER read into what I feel while I wait patiently for Him.

I’ll be doing lots of things in His Name today but the most important thing isn’t necessarily what to do with my mind or my hands – the most important is the Condition of my Heart while I Serve Him. If I don’t “feel” from someone else, the first stop will be for me to Examine myself before I ever turn to them for the cause. I’m desperate for my God and Pleasing Him is my Biggest Priority. If I have that part right, everything else just falls into place “feelings” and all.

How about you?