The Switch that Turns on the Light

This devotion was sent to me in an email recently and I thought it was too good to share. It is difficult to praise God when things are difficult in our lives but that is the time that we need to do it the most. Even in our struggles God is still good to us. Imagine how much more difficult that situation would be if God were not in control.

I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.

Psalm 13:2, NIV

King David knew that the secret of victory over adversity was a conscious choice to praise God. Again and again, as he cries out to God in prayer, we hear his choice to praise: “How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? . . . Look on me and answer, O Lord my God. . . . But I will trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me” (Ps. 13:2-6, NIV). David, hounded by Saul and living as a fugitive for years in a nation where he was the national hero as well as the anointed king, exercised his will to praise God even when he just didn’t feel like it.

Praise is the switch that turns on the light of joy in our lives even when it’s “dark” outside. And the resulting “light” causes others to see the glory of God in our lives.

Blessings,

Anne Graham Lotz

Being still is not the easiest thing in the world for me to do. Actually, I am rarely still…..there is always a foot or leg moving even when I am sitting down. I am not a still sleeper either…..I wake up most mornings with the covers halfway off the bed! Needless to say, I am not good at being still either when it comes to hearing from God.  That though was the word that keeps being spoken to me in this season. It is so easy during a difficult season to focus on our problems and even try to find ways to solve them ourselves. Not only that, but there are so many distractions, so many things competing for our attention.

Chapter 46 of Psalms opens up with David describing God is our strength and refuge and a very present help in trouble. He goes by saying no matter what happens, whether the mountains slip into the sea that God is still in the midst of us and we will not be moved. In verse 10 we are told to “be still and know that I am God.” Another translation says to “cease striving”. That is a difficult thing for me to do but I am learning that when I cease striving, then I can allow God to do what He needs to do to let me know that HE is God and that nothing goes unnoticed by Him and He will work everything out for my good and His glory.

Immmmmmmmmmmm Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!! I know it has been awhile since I have written a post and in that time, lots of ideas have floated around my head but the energy to actually write something was just not there.

Anyway, sometimes we have to fall flat on our face or end up flat on our backs…..in my case it was both…..to realize that  just getting by in life is not enough. So many times we settle for okay when God wants to give us abundant life. Yeah, living life hurts and we sometimes just go through the motions of living because we don’t want to get hurt or feel the hurt. If we want to live the life that God has for us, then we need to live. I have decided during this season of my life I am not going back to okay. I am striving to find life and to live it more abundantly.

The lyrics to the song  Never Going Back to Okay by The Afters, describe exactly how I feel. Watch the video also, this is a great song.It’s not the end, but it feels like it is
I’m waking up, like I’m back from the dead
I’m stepping out, and I feel so free
But as long as I’m moving it’s all right

I feel alive, and it hurts for a change
No looking back
It’s hard to believe that I was cool
With the days that I wasted
Complacent and tasteless and bored
But that was yesterday…

We’re never going back to OK (OK)
We’re never going back to easy
We’re never going back to the way it was
We’re never going back to OK

This discontent, like a slap in the face
I’m mediocre, I’ve had enough of this place
This party’s over, and I’m moving away
from the thrills of your Beverly Hills
That was yesterday…

Today, exactly one year ago, I began the blogging adventure. I wasn’t sure what I find when I embarked upon this journey but I have to say that I am glad I was along for the ride. I have gotten to know some really awesome people and even had a chance to go to a blog party in November in Atlant. I really enjoyed meeting people face to face. I have laughed and cried, been encouraged, and challenged by this adventure called blogging. Anyway, I decided to link some of my favorite posts over the past year.

You Know You Are In A Pentecostal Church When-This is a funny story about something that happened to me at church

Adventures in Residential Treatment-The night we waited out a tropical storm at work

Bull In A China Shop-The time I fell off the fence

Don’t Just Live There….Do Something-This was part of a month of posts for making a difference in our part of the world…this was my contribution

I Love Jesus but I Drink A Little-Hysterical video from Ellen

The Simplicity of the Gospel-How we make things harder than it is

Mess Up to Step Up-My favorite quote from Grey’s Anatomy

It doesn’t matter how tough we are, trauma always leaves a scar. It follows us home, it changes our lives. Trauma messes everybody up, but maybe that is the point of all the pain, the fear, and the crap. Maybe going through all that is what keeps us moving forward. It’s what pushes us. Maybe we need to get a little messed up before we can step up.               ~Grey’s Anatomy

My friend and I were watching Grey’s Anatomy last night and this quote was at the very end of the show. It was one of those moments when it hit me that maybe all I have gone through the past little while is just moving me forward to another place. My friend kicked me and said “That is so you” and we had a good laugh about deep moments on television shows. I guess through this whole process I have tried to keep moving forward, it is the only way I am going to get out of it, and believe me I want to be done with this season as quickly as I can!! Hopefully this particular mess I find myself in will help me step up to be a a better person, to be more compassionate, to be a better friend, to be a healthier person, physicaly and emotionally. I do not want this experience to be in vain, so I am trying to learn all the lessons that I am supposed to learn from this event. I pray that one day, my experiences will be able to help someone else going through similar circumstances.

Proverbs 18:10 says ” The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe.” So many times though, we choose not to run into that strong tower and we keep fighting until we are wounded and broken. It is so easy in our world to put our best face forward, while inside we are falling apart. We can keep it from people for so long but then when we finally break from the pressure of trying to “keep it all together”, the fallout can be painful. We become so adept at hiding who we really are that we think we are even fooling God sometimes. Only when we reach that place of true brokenness, can we give Him our wounds and scars to heal. Then we are truly safe. The bridge of Natalie Grant’s song “Safe” just kind of kicked me in the gut yesterday when I was listening to this song. It says, ” When You uncovered I discovered that I am not afraid, but when we’re hiding, we’re only fighting to be sane.” The process of uncovering is not pleasant but I know that I am safe with the One who is doing the uncovering.

Yesterday we had a great discussion at mandythompson.com about  understanding everything we go through it and whether or not that it has some divine purpose. I realized during this season of my life that I do not have to understand it, I just have to believe. This is a great song that I listen to several times a day to help me keep focused on the positive things. This song is so where I am at and I know that I just have to believe.

I have to believe that He sees my darkness
I have to believe that He knows my pain
I have to lift up my hands to worship
Worship His name

I have to declare that He is my refuge
I have to deny that I am alone
I have to lift up my eyes to the mountains
It’s where my help comes from

He said that He’s forever faithful
He said that He’s forever true
He said that He can move mountains
And if He can move mountains
He can move my mountain
He can move Your mountain too

I have to stand tall when the wind blows me over
I have to stand strong when I’m weak and afraid
I have to grab hold, hold of the garments
Garments of praise

I have to sing praise when the hour is midnight
He unlocks the chains that bind up my soul
My sin and my shame, He has forgiven, and made me whole

I have to believe

I have and continue to be in a very difficult season in my life. I don’t understand it all nor am I really trying to at this point. I just continue to hold to the promises that God has given me. Jeremiah 29:11 is my lifeline right now. Through all that has happened, I have felt God near in a way that I have never before. I know that He is for me and that when this season is over, there is something great waiting for me on the other side. This song pretty much sums up how I feel right now.

Well, I have totally dropped the blog ball for the past few weeks. Needless to say, life got a little hectic and my brain has been fried by the time I get home from work. What I can say is that no matter how chaotic life gets, God is still in control and if we take time to stop and look, we can see God working in  and through us. I have been reading alot lately in Psalms. It is an amazing book. David wrote some of the most beautiful psalms during the most difficult times in his life. Psalms, 37, 62, and 63. Have been my favorites.

I heard a song recently and I can’t get it out of my head. It talks about not just going through the motions but living each day with God’s passion inside of us. My favorite part of this song is the second verse. It talks about not having any regrets and just okay is not enough. I think so many times we just settle for okay when what God really wants is to give us abundant life.

How would you describe yourself? Better in Time-Leona Lewis

What do you like in a member of the opposite sex? Feelin’ So Fly-Toby Mac

How do you feel today? Numb-Family Force 5

What is your life’s purpose? Make It Matter-Natalie Grant

What’s your motto? Mighty To Save-Hillsong United

What do your friends think of you? Party Like A Rock Star=Shop Boys

What do your parents think of you? Amazed-Jared Anderson

What do you think about very often? Wasted Time-Fuel

What is 2 + 2? Beautiful, Beautiful-Francesca Battistelli

What do you think of your best friend? Wonderful-Everclear

What is your life story? Refiner’s Fire-Darlene Zschech

What do you want to be when you grow up? Gone-Toby Mac

What do you think when you see the person you like? Unfailing God-New Life Worship

What will you dance to at your wedding? Stand, walk, Dance-Lecrae/116 Clique

What will they play at your funeral? Song 2- Blur

What is your hobby/interest? I Love Your Presence-David &Nicole Binion

What is your biggest fear? Beautiful Love-The Afters

What is your biggest secret? Start Over Again-Addison Road

What do you want right now? First Love-Avalon

What do you think of your friends? Low-Flo-Rida

What will you post this as? Where the Story Ends-The Fray

What time is it? In Better Hands-Natalie Grant

I found this on Michael’s blog and thougth it was too good to pass up plus I had some extra time on my hands today!!