The One who cares

Life can be overwhelming.


At work, the boss just isn't making himself clear, his lack of communication is bugging you.
Or you are the boss and you have been faced with impossible tasks and business decisions that will affect the lives of others, there is so much pressure to make sure you keep everyone happy yet turn a profit or stay afloat.


You have been hit with a number of awful occurrences, a broken marriage, debts which are now out of control, a victim of abuse. Your job is on the line.
You're facing a long and difficult illness and you worry about your children. What happens to them if you succumb to this illness? What about if you survive but you've had to take alot of time from work and now your employers regret that they will have to let you go? What about the bills coming in still?
Your parents are elderly, health failing and, as they get older, they get harder to take care of. You are trying to take care of them but you have your own family demands too, children at school who need your attention.
Life just gets so busy and it doesn't even have to be some of the more drastic ones above, it can just be the day to day tasks but everything seems to come at once and you can't split yourself into enough pieces


We all have this, its part of the human experience where we just don't know which way is up or down.
This may sound simplistic but, if you are a Christian, you can go to Someone in prayer. You can cry out to God. He may not actually remove any of these factors. That's a whole other post. But you can still go to God. He is the one Person whom you can just spill it all out at. He won't tell you to pull yourself together. He won't say there there never mind


The fact of just being able to talk to God about it is a form of release. Even if, initially, we don't actually feel any better for it (and I know because I have had those times), the very fact of opening that part of our lives to God gives the option for change, for allowing His Spirit into that situation.
Sometimes God will remove the thorn that causes pain or anger or irritation, even all three. Other times He wont. But in every case, God cares for us and wants us to go to Him


1 Peter 5 v7 says "⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
Ps 94 v 18 says "And when I was burdened with worries,you comforted me and made me feel secure."


So why am I telling you this? 


Well, my husband, who isn't a Christian, is going through tough times at work. He is under a lot of stress. In addition to that, two other family members are experiencing disappointment, stress, anxiety about finances, future of children. There are worries about harmful recent experiences and how this will affect them in the future, there is broken relationship. Neither of these other family members are Christians.
As I've spoken to them, listened to their worries, I have silently prayed for them, pleading with God on their behalf (no, I'm not all that as a Christian so please don't think this is me congratulating myself).
What has occurred to me is that, as a Christian, I believe that God my Father does actually give a stuff about me. The Bible tells me this is also true (see the above verses). David frequently spoke of his troubles and trials to God. Just read the Psalms. But people who have no belief, who do they turn to?


Well, yes, they can turn to family members, they can turn to friends. But as we all have our own issues to deal with, one can be reluctant to burden others with our own problems. There may be reasons why we can't involve others. This can make us feel isolated, alone in a morass of problems which no-one can rescue us from. Depression can also shut us in a room in our mind where no-one can reach us. Either way, it's very lonely there.
As I have prayed for these dear ones (no, I'm not congratulating myself on being Super Christian, I'm so not), I've had a revelation.
1) I am so blessed. God loved me so much that He sent someone to take time out to tell me about Jesus, to talk me through salvation and what it means and then God's Spirit prompted me to accept this gift of salvation and ask Jesus into my life. As a result, even when things are bad, I can turn to God always. I might rant and rail Him like David did. Our God is big enough to take this. But always, I know that He is there and that He does care. He knows the number of hairs on my head, He has all my tears collected and He values me more than the sparrows He provides for. What a privilege and a blessing to know God and to know I can cast my burdens on Him. I am never alone.
2) What about those who don't know God? Where do they go when the chips are down? When they lay in bed at night, worrying about those financial reports to be made, when they worry about how the next electricity bill will be met, when they are angry and feel that their trust has been irreparably broken and that no-one believes them or the hurt they've suffered? Who do they turn to? If they don't believe in a God that cares it doesn't leave them much.



That's what we have to do, be His hands and feet practically but also be ready to  speak up and point Him out so that they too might have the opportunity of being able to go to the God that cares about them.


Do you need to help someone today? To be God's hands and feet? Are you feeling lonely in your world of problems that just won't go away? Call on Him, please. He wants hear from you. He does care.

Encouragement for the New Year, 2011

I love it when God chooses to use the everyday events of life to speak to me about matters on His heart. I love it even more when I actually happen to be listening and don't miss what He's saying (let's be honest, haven't all of us at one time or another been asleep or listening to other voices when God speaks?).

Well, right at the outset, God wanted to encourage me regarding this year, all of my future really.

I have to give you some background to the way my mind works, struggles I've had in the past.
You see, I used to get really bent out of shape about the approaching New Year. Instead of looking at it with anticipation of new experiences, new challenges, chances for happiness and joy, I used to cry with fear and worry. I used to look at the New Year as being filled with problems, disasters round every corner and, instead of a chance to do well, a chance to screw up my life a bit more. Yup, it was deeply depressing being around me on New Year's Eve, certainly not a fun-filled evening!

After Boxing Day, things got a little tired and fractious at home. As much as it is lovely to spend time with family, have the big feast etc, it can also tire one out, together with the inevitable pig out on food.  Anyway, my fears regarding the future started to crowd in on me. My emotions started to flit all over the place, I was depressed, worried of others' thoughts on me. Old problems with food returned and imagined upsets. All my weak points were poked and prodded and I felt I was coming apart at the seams.

By the time I returned to work on 29th, I was in pieces. But I finally began to speak to God about it all. Why does it take us so long to go to God about these things? Well, what I mean is, why does it take me so long to go to God about these things when previous experiences has taught me He is the first stop and only stop for such matters.

Anyway, as I began to pray, I kept hearing a song that a close friend had sung to me years ago when she was at YWAM ("Youth With a Mission") on short term missions. The song was "Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered". It's not the Chris Tomlin version, I think it's a hymn. Anyway, this kept going round and round my head as I prayed and then, flash of light - EUREKA moment! God encouraged me to lift Him up in praise, to worship Him and in doing so, His enemies (and mine) would flee. This can include the enemies in one's mind, those thoughts that rise unbidden that take our eyes off Jesus and onto ourselves. Basically such thinking reduces God in our minds and our problems, real or perceived, can become the dominent feature in our life.

So this was the first encouragement.

The next was further upsets at home. Now my usual reaction is to push with questions "what's wrong?", "What have I done?" (on the assumption it has to be my fault), "why are you being difficult with me?".
This normally makes the situation worse and can lead to further disagreements and upsets.
But, following on from the Wednesday, I had actually taken note so decided again to pray before doing anything, including talking.

God was very clear on this matter, "Look to Me first. Look to Me only for your affirmation. Look to Me for your confidence. Base your attitude, heart and mind and outlook on what you hear from Me, not from others. Don't be so easily swayed by the atmosphere of others' emotions but instead take lead from Me".
So I elected to do this very thing.  Now I was very fortunate because the atmosphere did improve and all was well but, even if it hadn't, I did feel a lightness in my heart, something I don't normally feel. I tend to be a human barometer for the emotional atmosphere both at home and in the office.

I find it a huge challenge that Christians are to be the the salt, the ones who can and should make the difference. If I'm honest, I'm usually the one leading the charge in negativity. Not something I'm proud of.

Finally, God used a shopping trip, yes a shopping trip to round of His encouragement for the New Year. My hubs decided to take me out shopping for some new clothes. I have lost quite a bit of weight recently and, with it being the sales, hubs thought he would treat me to some new outfits. I decided to spruce myself up and painted my nails a lovely purple. Whilst we at one particular shop, my hubs had me try on a few items which were purple, shirts and cardigans. We ended up getting them. He also treated me to a new handbag, a purple one!

So I got home and began a little fashion parade in my room, enjoying the feel and look of new clothes. As I preened infront of the mirror, God reminded me that purple is a royal colour and that, instead of always doing myself down, always seeing the bad in myself and never any good, He reminded me that I am a member of the Royal Family, His Royal Family. I am a daughter of the King of Kings. God told me that, from 2011, I am to view myself as He sees me. It's time to tell and believe the truth of who I am, not who the devil says I am. This isn't to say I cover over sins, over bad habits and errors in thinking but to see myself in a true light. Quite a challenge - yes, I am a rather pessimistic person!

So I am feeling truly feeling uplifted and encouraged now. I realise that I will have to keep reminding myself of this because there will inevitably be times when I forget.

What has God been saying to you recently?