tea time

i’m not known to go around spouting bible verses or updating my facebook by sending “hallelujah tweets” because i feel that too many people who call themselves christians do it only to make themselves look righteous. so many times, their lives contradict the words they “preach”. i’m not ashamed nor embarrassed of my faith by any means, but i feel that most of the time, my faith can be better seen through my example and my actions rather than my words (not that words can’t be powerful).

so with that in mind, i share this with the most sincerest of hearts.

a year ago this month, i sat down and wrote out some encouraging verses, not really thinking too much about them, just knowing that they were good ones to remember. last night, i stumbled across them in my bible and as i read over them, i realized that they speak to the very things i’ve been struggling with today. and the cool thing is, every single one i wrote down, i needed to hear.

i love how God works [most of the time… =) (shrugging) what? i don’t always have a handle over my flesh.] and His timing, whether i want to admit it or not, is impeccable. these verses are such a great reminder of what i need to be doing right now.

philippians 4:6-7 (nlt) “don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done. then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your heart and mind as you live in Christ Jesus.”

james 1:5-8 (nlt) “if you need wisdom, ask our generous Father and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. but when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. do not waiver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave in the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. such people should not expect to receive from God. their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.”

psalm 34:4-5 (nlt) “i prayed to the Lord and He answered me. He freed me from all my fears. those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. in my desperation, i prayed and the Lord listened. He saved me from all my troubles.”

james 5:16 (nlt) “…the earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” prayer is a christian’s most powerful resource. the results are often greater than we thought possible. sadly, some people see prayer as a last resort – when all else fails. because God’s power is greater than our own, it only makes sense to rely on it.

i share these with you not to say, “hey, look at me. i’ve got it all together.” i don’t. and i’m far from it. but perhaps you’ll come across this and these verses will encourage you just as they have encouraged me. (shrugging) who knows. God has been known to work in mysterious ways. =)