How to accept God’s will in our lives

When life throws us an unexpected twist, it can be hard to understand why. However, God knows why. Here are four suggestions to help you accept God’s will in this continually changing world.

Change is one of the most difficult things we will face during our mortal journey. Change appears in all different forms: the loss of a loved one, a change in jobs, housing plans falling through, unexpected financial situations, etc. As we cope with these changes, we must remember they are God’s will. He is directing us to where he wants us to be and helping us become the person he knows we can be.

However, accepting God’s will, especially during times of change, can be challenging. Thoughts of self-doubt, frustration, depression, anger and many other emotions surface as difficulties arise in our lives.

Additionally, as we make large life decisions such as who to marry, when to have children, what employment opportunities to accept, etc., God has a mission for us, and it is our job to recognize God’s hand in all things and move forward. But this is much easier said than done. I have struggled trying to accept God’s will, especially when his plans didn’t match up with the plans I had for myself. Here are a few suggestions that have helped me accept God’s will and hopefully they can assist you, as well.

Be Prayerful

If you want to know and understand God’s will, you must be willing to communicate with him. Prayer is the way in which you can develop a relationship with God and come to know his desires for you. As you pray, be mindful of the thoughts and feelings that come to you. These revelations will help you understand the path you need to be on and why certain experiences are happening. Also, pray continually throughout the day. When those doubts and feelings of depression and anger begin to creep in, say a prayer. Ask for help understanding the lessons you are being taught.

Study the problem out yourself

In many situations, you need to figure out life’s challenges on your own. God may point you in a certain direction or ask you to endure a life-changing experience, then it is up to you to choose how to best handle the situation and press forward. Throughout life, you may be presented with several options where you need to choose which is best. When these decisions come your way, find ways to study out the situation. Make comparison charts, research each option if applicable and talk to those you love most. Frequent and consistent worship, prayer and scripture study are also critical for finding answers.
Keep the spirit with you

You will only understand and accept God’s will when you have the spirit with you. You need to live your life in harmony with his teachings and make righteous decisions that will lead you back to God’s presence. Feelings of anger, frustration, self-doubt and other discouraging emotions are not from God. When you are overcome with these emotions, you will not be able to hear and understand what God wants you to hear. If these dark emotions do surface, find ways to bring the spirit back into your life. This could be as simple as sitting down and reading your scriptures, singing a church hymn or saying a prayer.

Move forward happily

Sometimes things don’t quite turn out as expected. We need to remember that God’s plans for us may not match up with the plans we have for us. We need to be accepting of the pathway God has for us and happily proceed down it. Our attitude has a great effect on how we handle and deal with life. When we are optimistic and happy about the circumstances before us, we are able to find the good during the trials in our lives and be more grateful. Here are some other reasons why accepting trials helps us grow.

God has a path for us, even though it may be difficult for us to see. When we recognize God’s hands in our lives, we are able to overcome challenges in our lives and we are able to see the many blessings and tender mercies God has in store for us.

Courtnie Erickson
Reblogged from: http://familyshare.com/how-to-accept-gods-will-in-our-lives

Because He Lives

Just Yesterday, God talked to me through the preacher… recently, life’s issues distracted me and got me… I lost focus and confused. It seems just everything has been out of control. To cut is short, I think I’m lost and I’m so blessed before I got drowned He takes my hand again and remind me.

The preacher talks about the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:3-7); Lost Silver (Luke 15:8-10) and the Lost Son (Luke 15:11:24). He emphasized on the Value of the “lost”, God valued each and everyone of us. He even said even if you are already saved and have known Jesus you could still wander off from the shepherd, get lost and distracted. If you would look unto the world you get distracted. Only by looking unto Jesus could keep on focus and not loss sight of the things that counts important. I got distracted and starting to put interest in things that I didn’t confront with God but I’m so thankful He reminded me early.

Lost Silver (Luke 15:8-10) was misplaced. The woman had 10 silver and later she noticed she lost one. Sometimes we misplaced some things too, you didn’t noticed you put it somewhere and time comes you remember it weren’t on where it should be, it was lost, It got misplaced. It’s the same with life too, sometimes we are so busy on something,that something might be good, but we tend to forget some other things that are important too. For example, it might be your Job, you got so busy with your Job and it takes all of your time, you cannot read the Bible the way you would, you cannot pray and have that silent time alone with God, or you cannot be present anymore every Sunday since it is required for you to go to the office. You might be a Church Minister and so busy with God’s ministry, Yes it’s not bad, but if that makes you neglect the time you can have to spend with your children and family, then something is misplaced. Children doesn’t stay as children, they grow fast and then you will just not notice then they go astray because you haven’t spent quality time with them and pray with them and trained them. I could see so many children of very faithful ministers and servant of God gone astray.

The Woman in order for her to find the lost silver sweep the house and found it. The same with life, Let’s sweep these things that distracts us and regain focus on things we must do and put them in order. It is not easy but by the Grace of God, I know we can.

the Lost Son (Luke 15:11:24) asks for his inheritance. I know the Father would give it to him one day, when the time is right but he couldn’t wait. He leave the house gone to the faraway country and live riotously. The son willfully leave the father’s house. Sometimes, it is true in our lives too. We Christians are capable of leaving willfully the Father’s House (the Church) to go to the faraway country (the world). The younger son was deceived by what the faraway country could offer. The worst thing about being deceived is you don’t know that you are already deceived. It is sad that sometimes we view the church like a hedge or a fence that controls us and stops us but in reality the church’s there to protect us, the world is dangerous. You don’t need to fly to go to “faraway country”, it is just there somewhere near calling you, offering you things, temporal things, just anything that could take you out from the church.

So when the younger son was hurt by the faraway country, “He came to himself and said, How many hired servants of my father have bread enough to eat, and I perish with hunger!” He realized that it was far better for him then. Then came to a decision to go back and ask his father to be hired even just a servant because he thinks he doesn’t deserve to be son anymore. But when he was still on the way the father saw him, had compassion, ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. Did you noticed it was father who saw him first because he was waiting for the son everyday of his life since the son leave the house. Put on the best robe on him, put a ring on his finger and killed the fatted calf and celebrated. There is always something better more than we could imagined God hath prepared to us. The world trying to distract us offering things that in the end hurt and break us, but God prepared something good and far better, the best it might not be right now, but God’s time is the best.

I got distracted, I started to look on a “faraway country”, A job I would never consider to apply before, because of it’s 24/7 schedule which you will be on duty even on Sundays, just because it has a so much higher pay than my current job. But then I’m thankful God answered me and He said No, don’t take it, it will take you away from me.. Remember you used not to put interest on that job. 😉 I think I got impatient and wanted to do it with my strength. Thank you Lord for sending Pastor. Matt Keen, visiting us last Sunday to deliver that message. That was really for me. I take personally every word he said.

Forgive me, I hope I could relay it much better. What preacher Matt Keen all have said, 😉

Romans 8:18 “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

Not Time for Sorrow

As season of love coming as what the world celebrates, As A Christian, we know that celebrating love shouldn’t be only on February 14 as what the world have always done. We knew everyday of our lives we ought to celebrate and be glad that Someone hath love us more than anybody could love us. Sorrow always come uninvited, we couldn’t do anything about it, but we could shrug it off by always remembering what did the Lord Jesus Christ done for us. And remember this ” Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.” (John 16:20)

Is there a heart o’erbound by sorrow?
Is there a life weighed down by care?
Come to the cross, each burden bearing;
All your anxiety—leave it there.

All your anxiety, all your care,
Bring to the mercy seat, leave it there,
Never a burden He cannot bear,
Never a friend like Jesus!

No other friend so keen to help you,
No other friend so quick to hear,
No other place to leave your burden,
No other one to hear your prayer.

Come then at once; delay no longer!
Heed His entreaty kind and sweet,
You need not fear a disappointment;
You shall find peace at the mercy seat.

Christian Hymn: All Your Anxiety

I am Capable

The next time you feel like God can’t use you, just remember…

Noah was a drunk.
Abraham was too old.
Isaac was a daydreamer.
Jacob was a liar.
Leah was ugly.
Joseph was abused.
Moses had a stuttering problem.
Gideon was afraid.
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer.
Rahab was a prostitute.
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young.
David had an affair and was a murderer.
Elijah was suicidal.
Isaiah preached naked.
Jonah ran from God.
Naomi was a widow.
Job went bankrupt.
John the Baptist ate bugs.
Peter denied Christ.
The Disciples fell asleep while praying.
Martha worried about everything.
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once.
Zaccheus was too small.
Paul was too religious.
Timothy had an ulcer.
AND…
Lazarus was dead!

No more excuses now. God can use you to your full potential. Besides, you aren’t the message; you are just the messenger.

Disclaimer

When I am Weak, I am Strong

There are moments in my life that I felt so weak and vulnerable. No matter how I sleep, rest, ate, I still felt
tired and blank. This always happens when life’s struggles hits me, when decisions need to be made, life’s choices pressures me and more. Then I remembered, Philippians 4:13, I don’t need to solve it myself, all I need to do is to lean on Him the all powerful God that hath laid His life for me… 😉 Even though I still feel weak right now, yet I’m confident that all this struggles will pass away because HE is there…He is always there…

His strength is perfect, so perfect

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength
But sometimes I wonder what He can do for me
No great success to show, no glory of my own
Yet in my weakness He is there to let me know

His strength is perfect when our strength is gone
He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on
Raised in His power, the weak becomes strong
His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect

We can only know the power that He holds
When we truly see how deep our weakness goes
His strength it must begin, when ours comes to an end
He hears our humble cry and proves again

His strength is perfect when our strength is gone
He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on
Raised in His power, the weak becomes strong
His strength is perfect

His strength is perfect when our strength is gone
He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on
Raised in His power, the weak becomes strong
His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect
Raised in His power, the weak becomes strong
His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect

Songwriters
CHAPMAN, STEVEN CURTIS / SALLEY, JERRY DEAN JR.

Published by
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Read more: CeCe Winans – His Strength Is Perfect Lyrics | MetroLyrics

Redeemed!

Redeemed—how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child, and forever, I am.

Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, redeemed,
His child, and forever, I am.

Redeemed and so happy in Jesus,
No language my rapture can tell;
I know that the light of His presence
With me doth continually dwell.

I think of my blessed Redeemer,
I think of Him all the day long;
I sing, for I cannot be silent;
His love is the theme of my song.

I know I shall see in His beauty
The King in whose way I delight;
Who lovingly guardeth my footsteps,
And giveth me songs in the night.

Source: http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/301#ixzz2rIfeEoLl

Can We Really Know?

Sometimes looking back with my life, and now see people lived differently, or shall I say have a different situation with me, most of the times I felt disappointed and it seems unfair to me, not realizing that I’m so blessed by God of what I have right now despite of what I am, a sinner. And then I asked myself, What if’s. What if it weren’t like that?, what if it weren’t like those had happened? Will I be what I am right now?

As I could remember I have a not so good childhood days, parent’s weren’t going well with each other then decide to live and take different paths separately because they couldn’t understand each other and just always fighting. I then have a second father, adopted us, treated us as one of his own children. But then, with just a blink of an eye, he got sicked with cancer then passed away. While he was alive I couldn’t feel that we don’t have a father because he really made us feel that we are one family. I stopped studying, then got a job which leads me to another job I have right now for 5 years. Mother then was depressed and lonely but still God was so good even though back then we don’t know Him yet.

But then after that, our youngest was then involved in a “religious group” which was before as I call it. Then invited us,me, then I attended because I was curious. Then she enrolled in Bible college and leave her management course. And maybe because of all the prayers, I was convicted and converted, I got saved! I received Jesus and I understood God’s simple way of Salvation, How to be sure of Heaven when you die, is to just accept and believe Jesus Christ gift that He died on the cross in my stead for the payment of my sins. He paid it all already and all I have to do is to just received it. Then Mother got saved, my other sister got saved, Father was the last one, and even though he is not attending church with us due to some family circumstances, I do hope that he already received Jesus when it was shared to him the Gospel.

“Can we really know whether to label life’s circumstances good or bad? Is it bad because your dreams weren’t fulfilled, or good because God directed it in ways you could have not predicted? Sometimes it’s hard to see how God is working, His mysteries don’t always reveal their secrets to us, and our journey is often directed by uncontrollable detours. Perhaps God is showing us a better route.

To make sure we benefit from what might seem bad, we must recognize and trust God’s “unfailing love”. In the end, we”ll be able to say “I will sing unto the Lord, because He hath dealt bountifully with me.” Psalms 13:6″ ~ from ODB Vol 19
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The circumstances in our lives
seem random and unplanned
But someday we will surely see
The order of God’s hand. ~ Sper

Just Like Apples ;)

Girls are like
apples on trees. The best
ones are at the top of the tree.
The boys don’t want to reach for
the good ones because they are afraid
of falling and getting hurt. Instead, they
just get the rotten apples from the ground
that aren’t as good, but easy. So the apples
at the top think something is wrong with
them, when in reality, they’re amazing.
They just have to wait for the right
boy to come along, the one
who’s brave enough
to climb
all the way
to the top
of the tree.

Credits to the owner of the Poem

Standing on the Promises

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.
Refrain:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call,
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.

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Whatever this year may bring unto our paths, Let us always remember We are standing on the Solid Rock of Our Salvation, The Lord Jesus Christ and His promises never fails and it never changes. 😉

Another Year of Grace and God’s Sufficiency

Here in the Philippines it’s just about 1 day or 24 hrs left before the year 2013 will bid it’s goodbye’s and I will welcome 2014 as another chapter of my life. This year was rough, stormy as I could describe it if will only think about those hard times that came on my way. As I could remember 2013 started hard on me, too much persecution and pressure at my work due to difference, Health issues on love ones, family problems, Spiritual problems, and so on… But in all those hath happened a ray of Light was always shining faithfully to guide me all the way. It never leaves me even on my darkest and lowest times. It’s always there, that Light. And It’s Jesus never ending unconditional love. No matter how low I have become or no matter how depressed I am with those things I cannot comprehend, He is there and never leaves my side. Why did I knew? Because If He wasn’t there, I am not here right now writing. 😉

“And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.” John 1:16

I can say all those things did happened, I may not know completely the reasons, but I know He knows and never makes mistakes. Yeah, all the things happened that this limited mind consider bad, I could just count it with the fingers I have, but all the blessings God hath bestowed on me? No, I cannot even count it or remember all of those. There are so much blessings I can’t even count and remember. Everyday is a blessing. Every time I woke every single day, breath, see things, smell, feel, laugh, cry and live my life is already a great blessing. No matter what life may awaits for me this coming next year, I will trust it to God, the Father Almighty, My Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ my life and whatever path I may take that he will guide me and impose His will for me no matter what it is, no matter how it will hurt me at first. I know He will never give trials more than I am capable of.

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. I corinthians 10:13

When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done. — Johnson Oatman, Jr.

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Always look on the brighter side no matter how dark it is on the other side. No darkness could ever extinguish the Light of Jesus Christ on your life.

-Daisuke