Spiritual disciplines

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A while back we talked about times when God says no and trusting in His love even then. This trust rests in our knowledge of His character:

God is good

Good is love

God is faithful, powerful, and sovereign

God is always with us

It’s largely about a change of focus. Will we focus on the closed door or on God and His unchanging nature?

But what about when God says wait? Sometimes I think that is harder than a thousand closed doors! It goes against our “do” nature and pricks at our insecurities. What if we surrender our all, keep walking, and God doesn’t pull through?

Lately, I’ve felt like I’ve wandered into the perpetual waiting room, and it’s easy to assume the not-yets mean no. It’s much harder to keep walking when the road continues to climb, the finish line shrouded from view.

Our faith is tested most, I believe, during times of waiting. The longer the wait, the more faith we’ll need.

For those of you waiting … for a job, an opportunity, a loved one to come to Christ, whatever, stop and meditate on the following passage. Take time to recall the history of each life mentioned and how long they waited.

Psalm 105 (I’ve pulled out the verses that impacted me most, but you can read the entire passage here.):

Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
2 Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts. 
3 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
4 Look to the Lord and his strength;
    seek his face always.

When you can’t see the future, spend time recalling the past. Remember God’s goodness, His faithfulness. Most importantly, draw near, focusing on His strength working in you.

7 He is the Lord our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.

8 He remembers his covenant forever,
the promise he made, for a thousand generations,
9 the covenant he made with Abraham,
the oath he swore to Isaac.
10 He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
11 “To you I will give the land of Canaan
as the portion you will inherit.”

12 When they were but few in number, 
    few indeed, and strangers in it, 

(You can read the full account of each event mentioned by clicking on the following sentences.) God’s promise to Abraham came when he and his wife were old and barren. God’s promise came to Jacob when he was fleeing the wrath of his brother, Esau. Joseph received his divine promise when he was a young man, hated by his brothers. Shortly after he was thrown into a cistern, sold into slavery, and falsely imprisoned. And then there was Moses, a man trained and educated as a prince, later hiding out in Midian ….
13 they wandered from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another.
14 He allowed no one to oppress them;
for their sake he rebuked kings:
15 “Do not touch my anointed ones;
do my prophets no harm.”

16 He called down famine on the land
and destroyed all their supplies of food;
17 and he sent a man before them—
    Joseph, sold as a slave.

To the observer, this would have seen like a step backward. How could these men be chosen people? A great nation? Was this how God treated His own? Why would He allow this famine and Joseph to be sold into slavery? We’re blessed to have the entire account, so we know the answer to all the whys … but Joseph and his father Jacob didn’t. They had to trust and cling tight to what they knew to be true.
18 They bruised his feet with shackles,
his neck was put in irons,
19 till what he foretold came to pass,
till the word of the Lord proved him true.
20 The king sent and released him,
the ruler of peoples set him free.
21 He made him master of his household,
ruler over all he possessed,
23 Then Israel entered Egypt;

Jacob resided as a foreigner in the land of Ham.

While in Egypt, the Israelites were oppressed and enslaved. What happened to God’s promise? I wonder how many gave up hope, how many turned away …. 
26 He sent Moses his servant,
and Aaron, whom he had chosen.

Israel’s redemption didn’t come quickly nor easily. It took centuries for God’s promise to be fulfilled. Centuries of trusting or fretting, surrendering or rebelling, focusing on God and His promises or the obstacles marring their way.
37 He brought out Israel, laden with silver and gold,
and from among their tribes no one faltered.

Let’s talk about this!

Are you waiting on God for something? Does it feel like you’ve been waiting for ever? Perhaps so long that you’ve begun to wonder if you’re heading in the wrong direction? Join us at Living by Grace as we talk about perseverance and how we can do that during “the waiting period.”

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Six years ago, we faced a period of unemployment. As my husband saturated online career sites with his resume, and we scrambled to sell our house before landing in debt, I prayed fervently for aid. I didn’t care where we lived or where he worked so long as we could make ends meet. A few months later, when a job came through, and we headed to a 500 square foot, rent-by-the-month apartment in Texas, I praised God for His provisions.

The move was tough. Everything we owned, minus what we’d crammed in our apartment, was packed in storage. Our daughter’s bedroom was the tiny living room, her bed the couch. And yet, we were happy, content. Why? Because God had come through. More importantly, having so much of our “fluff” stripped away reminded us of what was truly important. We had each other, and we had our Heavenly Father standing beside us.

Two years and another move later, I sat in the basement of our house, three times bigger, miserable. Because I wanted more. Discontentment had settled in, and it started to steal my joy.

In Philippians 4:12 Paul says, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

Contentment doesn’t come naturally. In fact, the opposite is true. But it can, must, be learned and practiced.

I believe the secret lies in our focus. When we focus on ourselves, our situation and problems, we only become more miserable. But when we focus on others and on God, seeking to turn each day into a fragrant offering to Him, we find joy, peace, and fulfillment.

Ecclesiastes 6:3-9 reminds us to enjoy life, to focus on what we have, not what we don’t.

3 A man might have a hundred children and live to be very old. But if he finds no satisfaction in life and doesn’t even get a decent burial, it would have been better for him to be born dead. 4 His birth would have been meaningless, and he would have ended in darkness. He wouldn’t even have had a name, 5and he would never have seen the sun or known of its existence. Yet he would have had more peace than in growing up to be an unhappy man. 6 He might live a thousand years twice over but still not find contentment. And since he must die like everyone else—well, what’s the use?

7 All people spend their lives scratching for food, but they never seem to have enough. 8 So are wise people really better off than fools? Do poor people gain anything by being wise and knowing how to act in front of others?

9 Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless—like chasing the wind.

Don’t spend your days chasing after the wind. Instead, spend them chasing after a righteous God.

Paul experienced some horrendous trials. He was beaten, slandered, abandoned by friends, imprisoned, and yet, he found joy and contentment, because he focused not on his problems but instead on his mission. He had an eternal perspective and understood life here was but a blip. He also understood God was sovereign. Not only sovereign, but loving and faithful. This means everything we go through, the good and the bad, has a purpose.

Ecclesiastes 6:10 says, “Everything has already been decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there’s no use arguing with God about your destiny.”

Psalm 139:16 tells us, “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”

God’s in control, even when life feels crazy. He’s working out His plan even when we hit a roadblock. And it’s a good plan, a loving plan, one that will result in hope.

When we face a difficult time or disappointment, we have two choices: spend our short time bemoaning our situation and arguing with God or get busy doing what He’s called us to do.

Each day the choice is ours. We can make ourselves miserable or we can grab hold of the abundant life God promised by focusing on our blessings, His nature, and the work He wants to do through us. The former leads to misery, the latter to joy.

When I get bogged down with discontentment, I’ve found relief by serving others, in getting over myself and joining in God’s eternal plan. What about you? We all struggle with discontentment on occasion, with disappointments and regret. When you’re going through a dark time, what’s helped you find and hold tight to joy?

For me, God used a hot, afternoon run through a very poor part of town to change my perspective. (You can read about my story in Cathy Messecar’s A Still and Quiet Soul)

You may also find the following resources helpful:

The Greener Grass Conspiracy: Finding Contentment on Your Side of the Fence

Finding Contentment: Lessons For Daily Living

 

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Today, Catrina Bradley challenges us to be intentional in our spiritual growth. What can you do today to draw closer to Christ, to grow more Christ-like, and to spread His fame?

NAIL CLIPPINGS AND HAIR TRIMMINGS: Are You Growing? by Catrina Bradley

My poor little dog Lady’s toenails are too long. We’ve been meaning to take her to the VetExpress for weeks, but didn’t seem to get around to it with the Christmas crush. She could use a good trimming, too; she’s getting a bit shaggy.

Like me, her nails need constant clipping and her hair grows out of its styled cut because…well, because we are living organisms, and living things are constantly in a state of change and growth.

If our nails stop growing, that means our bodies are dead.

To be alive means to grow.

If you aren’t growing in Christ, are you alive in Him?

My doggy’s toenails made me think again about Sunday’s thought-provoking sermon. Our guest preacher at FBC this past Sunday was outstanding. He spoke to us about the importance of a Christian growing to maturity.

In closing he asked, “Are you growing in grace and in knowledge? Are you growing spiritually?”

How do you know if you are growing or stagnant?

He gave us 10 questions to think about, to help us see if we growing.

Are You Growing Spiritually?
1. Are you becoming more confident in your salvation, not always questioning whether your salvation took or if you are really saved?
2. Do you feel more satisfied, content, and fulfilled in Christ?
3. Are you becoming increasingly aware of your sinfulness and weaknesses?
4. Are you finding new guidance in familiar scriptures?
5. When at church, you don’t feel the need to keep God on the clock?
6. Are you learning to see trials and temptations more as opportunities for your growth and for God’s glory?
7. Is your perspective on life becoming less temporal and more eternal?
8. Are you eager to share with others what Christ is doing in your life?
9. Are you praying for opportunities to minister to those around you that don’t know Christ?
10. Does the way you spend your money and the way you spend your time indicate Christ’s importance and priority in your life?

My automatic and immediate answer to all of the above was “YES”, but I’m convicted I need to take an honest assessment of my situation. I need spend a little time thinking about each question, meditating on the “YES” areas of my life, and praying to uncover the “not quite” places I’ve secreted away and haven’t fully surrendered.

How about you? Are you growing?

Catrina Bradley grew in Iowa but now makes her home in Georgia where she serves her church as Admin & Ministry Assistant. She has been blissfully married for over 20 years and has a beautiful, talented daughter and two precious puppies. Her Christian poetry, essays, fiction, and devotions have been published in numerous on-line and print venues. She posts quasi-regularly at her blog Scattered Seeds and monthly at Jewels of Encouragement.

Visit her online at Scattered Seeds.

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I needed this post today. I haven’t been terribly busy (no more than normal), but I have been fighting a virus, which for some reason always makes it harder for me to pray. It’s like a fog fills my brain, lulling it to sleep. I know God is always with me, even when I don’t feel Him or hear Him, but oh how I miss the feeling of intimacy that comes from connecting with God one-on-one. Sometimes I take God’s presence–His close friendship–for granted. Perhaps these temporary mental fogs are beneficial since they remind me what a treasure a close relationship with God is.

Today’s post comes from a friend and fellow writer, Jan Cox, founder of A Better Way.

Inspired after reading Mary Weaver’s book, ‘Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World’, Jan decided to create ‘A Better Way’, using both her talents as a writer and an artist.

Connected by Jan Cox

“My kingdom,” said Jesus, “doesn’t consist of what you see around you”  (John 18:36 The Message).

When we arrived at our winter residence, I expected to pick up where I had left off last April. As I had hoped the water ran, the hydro and phone worked. Wonderful! But when I plugged in my computer … no Internet.

The Internet is my connection with family and friends, downloading recipes, asking how to’s, and finding out the weather here and back home. We also watch movies and the news. So I felt … STRANDED. I felt unhooked.

Good news. The Internet provider, after a phone call, resolved the problem. We are now rewired to the world.

The same thing happened to my godly connection – my morning devotional and meditation. My morning time is so vital for me. We have been travelling for four days and although I prayed, read and studied, my godly connection was missing.

This morning – I reconnected.  Blissful. Peaceful. Inspiring. Revitalizing.

I think about our ‘busy’ lives and know that our quiet time with God gets left out. But I believe it is the MOST important part of our day. To be wired to God. How else can we live the life He wants? Without His godly spirit flowing through us, how can we deal with our daily lives?

I felt I needed the Internet to stay connected but I needed God even more. He also answers my questions, speaks to my family and friends and gives me insights and knowledge.

When I get frustrated with my life – He is the answer.

When I get hurt – He is the answer.

At all times – He is the answer.

“The great enemy to the Lord Jesus Christ in the present day is the conception of practical work that has not come from the New Testament, but from the Systems of the world in which endless energy and activities are insisted upon, but no private life with God”. Oswald Chambers.

I plan to stay connected with God. I want to put my emphasis on the right thing. Do you?

Prayer:

Help us, Father, to make the time to have a private life with You. Help us to connect. And as we have this time remind us to listen to You. In Jesus’ name. AMEN.

***Remember, if you loved today’s post, FB share it, leave a comment, “like” it, or tweet it. At the end of the month, I’ll tally each share, like, tweet, and comment and will announce our top three blog posts of 2011.

Jan, a former school teacher and small business owner, found a new passion in writing in her retirement. She has published two devotionals and a number of articles for magazines and a Bible study. She is owner of Under the Cover of Prayer and moderates the site. She also writes at A Better Way. Jan is working on a couple children’s books in which she is also the watercolour illustrator.

She has published devotionals and articles. Her Bible Study based on Ed Hird’s book, ‘Battle for the Soul of Canada’, is available for a free download at http://spiritfilledcanada.wordpress.com.

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Yesterday we woke to our first dusting of snow. Although it was pretty, standing on our porch shivering I found myself longing for spring. Today’s post was written by author Delia Latham after a long winter. As we head toward blizzard season (in MO, anyway) take a moment to remember those first rose buds, leaf sprigs, and yes…weeds.

Pretty Little Weeds by Delia Latham

Spring brings with it such incredible beauty! Every year, I’m amazed all over again by the stunning gift of nature God gives us so freely, and which we rarely take time to fully appreciate.

Yesterday, I also discovered a lesson hiding in some of that beauty. Is it a new thing? No…I tend to agree with King Solomon: There is nothing new under the sun. But sometimes we need a reminder of things we already know, don’t you think?

My family had gathered out on the front deck, enjoying the sunshine and welcome warmth after a cold, harsh Winter that seemed endless. Most of the trees around us are donning their dress-up gowns in various shades of green for the new season. Across the way, Mr. Nichols’ redbud tree is a picture of fuschia-colored glory. Bright yellow forsythia blooms in several yards down the road.

Even the lawns have greened up and are taking part in the joyous song of nature, which always seems to me at this time of year to be praising God for another chance to shine.

Our front lawn needs to be mowed. It’s so beautiful right now, though, that I told my husband I hated to see the lawn mower come out of the garage. The grass is covered in a beautiful carpet of some kind of pale purple wildflower, just tall enough to blow and sway with every breeze. From where I was sitting, it looked like a sea of heather, stirred by gentle waves.

Of course, that’s just me being fanciful. Those pretty blooms aren’t even wildflowers, according to my husband. They’re weeds, and must be mown down—and the sooner the better, to prevent them choking out the grass. My daughter-in-law told me their lawn is covered in something similar, but it’s pretty little white flowers, which are also, unfortunately, just some kind of weed.

As I sat there and studied those pretty weeds, God impressed on me how similar they are to things that often crop up in our lives—things that need to be weeded out, but which we steer the metaphorical lawnmower around because we like them:

• Habits that threaten our health and shorten our lifespan. We not only “allow” them to remain in our lives, we embrace them, nourish them, cling to them, because they fulfill something within us. (Smoking, drinking, overeating, caffeine, OTC drugs, for instance.)

• Pastimes that probably shouldn’t be a part of the life of a Christian . They usually contain some element of attractiveness—that’s how Satan convinces us to take part in them. Simple things like books and movies that contain an over-abundance of R (or higher)-rated language, violence, sex, etc. Places we go that fall outside the auspices of acceptability for a Christian. Even the company we keep can fall into the category of a weed that, if allowed to flourish within our own lives, can choke out the healthy, godly growth that we should be nourishing.

Most of us, if we call ourselves Christians, do a fine job of holding at bay what we consider “big” sins. Think about it. Satan couldn’t convince us to rob a bank, sleep with our neighbor’s wife or husband, get high on cocaine, or molest a child if he tried from now until the end of the world. We know that…and so does he. His best chance of worming his evil way into our lives is through the little things: the pretty weeds on the lawn.

Song of Solomon 2:15 attributes the spoiling of the vine to “the little foxes.” Not a big lion or bear, not some frightening beast that’s difficult to bring down. No, it’s the cute little foxes. The things we barely notice, and if we do, they hold a certain amount of attraction for us. Baby foxes are adorable to look at…but when they’re grown, they become troublesome creatures that are not often welcome on one’s property.

When referring to anything with the potential to escalate into an unpleasant or troublesome situation, my Daddy (the earthly one) used to say, “Best nip it in the bud!” In other words, handle it before it becomes a problem. Pull the weeds before they choke out the garden. (In his case, a lot of times it meant replacing the spark plugs under the engine before they led to a more serious mechanical failure.)

Maybe this lesson was intended only for me. Sometimes God does that, I know—just drops an idea in my head because I need a reminder for whatever reason. That could be why he opened my eyes to those beautiful purple weeds on my lawn…and is it just coincidence that purple happens to be my favorite color?

Sometimes, however, the little spiritual nudges our Father sends to one of us can also be a blessing or a help in some way to another of His kids. So I thought I’d share with you the lesson He shared with me this week.

I pray it blesses you, and helps you nip something in the bud…

Originally posted on Living the Write Life

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Born and raised in Weedpatch, California, Delia Latham moved to Oklahoma in ’08, making her a self-proclaimed California Okie. She loves to read and write in her country home, and gets a kick out of watching her husband play Farmer John. She’s a Christian wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, but especially loves being a princess daughter to the King of Kings. She loves Dr. Pepper and hearing from her readers. Contact her through her website or e-mail delia AT delialatham DOT net.

Delia writes inspirational romance and women’s fiction, and is currently contracted through White Rose Publishing and Vinspire Publishing.

Did you love today’s post? Think it should make it into the my top three of 2011? Then tweet it, FB share it, leave a comment, or like it.

 

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Today’s post comes from a fellow Living by Grace gal, Patty Wysong. I have to admit, patience isn’t my strong point. I like things quick and easy. When my husband and I were first married, I did the whole gourmet meal deal, but then the honeymoon phase wore off and life caught up, sending me searching for the “quick-and-easy” versions. I think I’d have a tendency to do the same in my Spiritual life, but thankfully, God is bigger than my wants and His love pushes past what’s comfortable to those things that are profitable. I imagine you could say the same. In fact, you might be marinating right now, feeling pickled and boxed in. Maybe you long for release and can’t image why God is taking so long or allowing that trial. But He sees you. He hears you, and He’s lovingly, carefully, attentively crafting you into the man or woman He created you to be, not the stale, mushy, microwaved version, but the five-star gourmet.

Gourmet People by Patty Wysong

In today’s instant society there are mixes and powders for everything, but the one that makes me snicker most is baby powder.  I can just see a little girl stirring water into baby powder and expecting a baby.

Life isn’t always instant though.  In fact, none of the great men of God were instant men—they were gourmet.  It was years after being anointed king that David finally took the position God told him he would have.  During those years he was basically made an outlaw by his father-in-law, yet he never became angry nor bitter about the amount of time that passed.  He did what God put before him, and he sought God’s leading constantly.  God used those years to better prepare David for the purpose He called him to.

There have been many times in my life that I felt I was going nowhere—simply treading water, and killing time.  But that’s not how it was.  God was using those times to prepare me, and He’s still preparing me.  Am I following David’s example of not becoming impatient or angry?  Am I seeking God’s next step for me and making myself available for His use?

Gourmet cooking is not a ‘just add water’ affair.  It takes time and energy and even special ingredients…I’d rather be God’s gourmet dish than my own instant generic-box-blahness.

 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.  “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”  Isaiah 55:8-9 (NAS)

Bio: Patty Wysong, a home executive with over 20 years of experience, homeschools three of her five children, but don’t let that fool you. She spends much of her time working on what God has placed in her hand: her keyboard. From the corner of her living room she writes inspirational fiction, devotionals, blog posts, and teaches online blogging workshops. You’ll also find her drinking kool aid from her china cup, preparing for the ladies Bible study she leads, and helping at their church.

Patty learned about blogs and blogging the hard way and now delights in teaching and helping others, sparing them that frustration so they can focus on what God has called them to do. Through her writing, Patty has found the extraordinary God in her ordinary life. You can find her at her blog: www.pattywysong.com/

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A while back, after one particularly crabby day, my daughter looked at me and said, “You forgot to pray today, didn’t you?”

Standing in our kitchen, schooled by a child, I realized how much truth she packed in that statement. Amidst the hustle and bustle of my day, I’d inadvertently left God out of the equation, and it showed. The peace that surpassed understanding? Forgot to grab hold of it. The strength made perfect in weakness? Missed that one, too. By neglecting to connect with my Power-source, I’d trudged through my day ill-equipped and overwhelmed. 

Our “pick yourself up by your bootstraps” generation tells us to work harder, strive longer, grit your teeth and get it done, but God flips that. He says, “Slow down and come to me, and let me guide you through life’s hurdles.” God never intended for us to walk through life alone. He’s always there, watching, ready to help us move from stress to peace and fear to victory. All we need to do is abide. He’ll take care of the rest.

The 19th century theologian, E.M. Bounds, said, “The men who have done the most for God in this world have been early on their knees. He who fritters away the early morning, its opportunity and freshness, in other pursuits than seeking God will make poor headway seeking Him the rest of the day. If God is not first in our thoughts and efforts in the morning, He will be in the last place the remainder of the day.”

Fritters away the morning. When I neglect my prayer time, that’s what I do. Run around, expending a large amount of energy, accomplishing little. And yet, when I take the time to pause and connect with God, He stills my heart, fills me with truth and clarity, and helps me navigate through the chaos of my day.

I’ve learned when it comes to my relationship with God, the age-old phrase, “It’s about quality, not quantify” rings true. As a mom, most days I don’t have the time to lock myself in a prayer closet, but I do have snippets of time sprinkled throughout my day that can be grabbed and cherished. It’s about recognizing and catching those continual God-moments.

Most often, it’s a mind-set, a realization that God’s there, ever-present. It’s about inviting God to do life with me, whether I’m cleaning toilets or singing praises. Because I’m easily distracted by the here and now, I often use little reminders to help me pause and focus on God.

I tape notes on my steering wheel with a verse or a prayer request. This turns the countless minutes spent waiting at stoplights into cherished God-moments that add peace to the rest of my day.

I set reminders on my phone. When the alarm chimes, I pause for a minute or two to talk to God or remember a verse from my morning Bible reading.

I tape a challenge or “life-change” verse on the inside of our door so that I can pause to commit my day to God each time I leave the house.

I ask God for help turning my day over to Him, clinging to the promise of James 4:8 which says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” This reminds me that God is always there, whether I feel His presence or not.

And finally, I toss out all-or-nothing thinking that tells me prayer must be formal to be effective. When thinking of my relationship with God, I’m often reminded of my marriage. It doesn’t take much for my heart to connect with my husband. On his days off, I enjoy just having him around, whether we are talking or co-existing. It’s about doing life together and knowing we’re united.

I believe our spiritual walk can be strengthened if we view it in the same way. God loves it when we carve out time in our busy day to rest at His feet, but He longs for more. He wants to be a part of our entire day. He’s already there, watching us, loving us. The goal, then, is to recognize His presence, grab hold of it, and cherish it.

What about you? How do you find–make–time for God amidst your busy day? Notice a difference when you do? Join us at Living by Grace as we talk about how to grab hold of those God moments.

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I’ve  always wanted to play an instrument, but have never made it past a casual attempt. Oh, how I’d love to learn to draw and paint and crochet. In fact, there are so many things I’d love to learn to do, and I might even follow through if only they came easily. If I could snap my fingers and suddenly play like Mozart, or paint like Thomas Kinkade, or sew like those ladies I see at craft shows. But I’m not willing to do what it takes to succeed, and so, ten years from now I’ll likely still be sitting behind my computer listening to other musicians on Pandora saying, “Wow, I wish I could play.”

But do I really? (To my writer friends, I touched on this subject on Thursday at Words That Keep. Thinking this nugget of truth quite likely applies to all areas of life. Pop on by and let me know what you think…and…what you’re going to do about it.)

Today’s post comes from a fellow Living by Grace hostess, Maria I. Morgan. (In fact, today’s her day to host, so stop on by!)

A Lifetime of Practice

The music is beautiful. Her fingers move effortlessly over the black and white keys. She’s practiced for years and it shows. There were times over the years that she wanted to quit. But we encouraged her to persevere. Piano lessons and countless hours of practice have made the difference.

Tackling an instrument is challenging. It takes a willingness to learn from the teacher. It takes discipline. It takes practice. And more practice. Hours of practice. Years of practice. Our daughter, Riley, has been able to use her talent to accompany school and church choirs, in addition to playing for our families’ personal enjoyment.

There’s an unmistakable similarity between the musician and the child of God. I have to be willing to learn from the Master. He bids me to humble myself before Him, “Submit yourselves therefore to God” (James 4:7a; KJV). An attitude of humility is pleasing to Him. “…God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6b). It is when I’m aware that I don’t know it all that I’m in the perfect position to learn.

Discipline is required. Oh, the lessons He desires to teach me, if I stay pliable in His hands. “But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand” (Isaiah 64:8). Discipline to stay in the Potter’s hand rather than jumping down. Discipline to stay in His hand with my eyes focused on His, refusing to look at all the other lovely vessels He’s crafted. Discipline to allow Him to lovingly mold me into the shape of His choosing, rather than suggest to Him the type of vessel I should be.

Christ speaks to the level of discipline required of the child of God. “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). For the serious musician, other pursuits have to take a back seat. The same is true of Christians. Am I denying myself? Am I daily taking up the cross He has for me? Am I following Him closely? What is my top priority? My agenda or His? All questions that help to determine how disciplined I am.

Practice, practice, practice. I’m thankful that our Heavenly Father graciously gives us a lifetime of practice. He knows our “frame; he remembereth that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14). He is the ultimate encourager. “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9). He forgives us when we fail. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). He graciously allows us to start over. “And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (John 8:11)

Ultimately, our lifetime of practice will end in perfect ‘music’ in heaven. Until then, stay humbly submitted to the Master and continue to practice. Your ‘music’ will be ‘heard’ by others. May the sweet sounds of a life lived for Christ, lead others to Him!

Maria I. Morgan is an inspirational/devotional writer, whose passion is to share the truths of God’s Word with today’s generation. She is a regular contributor to Around About Cumming, Cumming Patch, and Living by Grace. You can visit her on the web Tuesdays and Thursdays for a life lesson you can relate to. Maria lives in Georgia with her husband, Steve, daughter, Riley, their two dogs and cat. You can find Maria on her blog Life Lessons.

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Two weeks ago a seminary professor came to our church and recited 2 Timothy. All of it, from 2 Timothy 1:1 to 2 Timothy 4:22. (You can listen to it here.) Sound amazing? Perhaps even impossible?

And yet, pause now and think about all the songs you sing along to on the radio–those you know word for word. Add to them the commercial slogans and theme songs you know.

When my daughter was seven or eight, the church we went to had a contest. The child who could memorize the most verses won an American girl doll. My daughter memorized 51 verses in four weeks. Sound amazing? Like she’s at superchild? Nope. She just wanted the doll.

See, it’s not that we can’t memorize. We memorize all the time. Our brain’s like a sponge. The question is not do we memorize but instead, what are we filling our brain’s with.

Think back to your favorite song. There was a time when it was new to you, but the more you listened to it and tried to sing along, the more familiar it became until familiarization turned to memorization.

Can we do this with Scripture?

I believe we can, which leads me to my next question: Why don’t we?

I think there’s a couple reasons. First, I think we lack confidence. I don’t think we realize how truly phenomenal the human brain is.

I also think we lack follow through. I’m talking to myself now. Where I tend to pray I have slips of paper with verses written on them–verses I wanted to memorize, yet five months later, I’ve hardly given those verses a second glance. Think back to my song analogy. We don’t learn the songs we don’t listen regularly to, right?

I think we lack focus. Again, talking to myself about those verses in my basement. I started with one that seemed to pop out at me one morning while reading Scripture. Soon, another verse spoke to me, so I wrote it down. Now I have a stack of verses to memorize with no clear plan as to how I’m going to do it. I need focus.

Mostly, I think we underestimate the power of God’s Word and how crucial it is to saturate our brains with lie-combatting-truth. According to the Bible, God’s Word is just that–the very words of God.

2 Timothy 3:16 says, All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (NIV).

God’s Word is alive and powerful, speaking to millions, in this moment, in a personal and real way. God uses His word to purify our hearts, revealing wrong attitudes and motivations:

Hebrews 4:12 says, For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires (NLT).

God’s word is an offensive weapon against our enemy the devil. At every moment, a spiritual battle rages. Right now, your enemy, the devil, looks for a way to devour you. But greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world, and according to Ephesians 6:10-17, we’ve been given all the armor we need to survive and stand firm. Notice all the weapons listed below. Every one of them but one is a defensive weapon. We have one offensive weapon, and that is the word of God, which is the sword of truth.

Ephesians 6:10-17  10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Notice how Jesus used Scripture as an offensive weapon in Matthew 4:1-11:

1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

   “‘He will command his angels concerning you, 
   and they will lift you up in their hands, 
   so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

 7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]”

 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him (NIV).

Did you notice how Satan responded each time Jesus quoted Scripture? He gave up and tried a new tactic.

God’s Word is a powerful, offensive weapon, sharper than a double-edged sword, able to expel negative thoughts, anxiety, fear, hatred, bitterness, resentment, discouragement–all emotions Satan uses to keep us focused on ourselves and ineffective in our lives and faith walk.

But if you belong to Christ, Satan can only work by permission. How about we arm ourselves with God’s powerful Word, daily, saturating our brains with truth, so we won’t be like ships tossed about by the waves.

Tomorrow at Living by Grace, we’re going to start memorizing Scripture together. I hope you’ll join us. And pop in today as we talk about the benefits we’ve seen of speaking, memorizing, and praying Scripture,  why memorization can be a struggle, and what steps we can take toward success.