Don't Get Distracted

       Yesterday I wrote about how I have had a pretty difficult week but I was choosing to praise God anyway, that I was choosing to trust Him. After announcing that,  my day went really well, last night turned out to be like a long a waited answer to one of my prayers, and then I got confirmation that my other prayer request were going to be answered through a dream. As I thought about all of this I was grateful, and I realized that all of that bad stuff that happened earlier this week may have been used to cause more problems and distractions had I not chosen to trust God.
       See, I could have easily allowed fear, shame, and pride to win out when I treated my husband badly, but instead I went to him and asked for his forgiveness. I could have spent the whole week beating myself up over wrecking my car and screwing up the front fender, but instead my husband said he would show me how to do the body work to fix it and I was and still am grateful for the opportunity to fix the problem I caused. I could have, but surprisingly didn't, get angry,  honk my horn and curse at the vehicle that almost caused the accident Wednesday, but instead I chose to believe that it was an accident on that person's part and let go of it.
       Any one of those situations could have been used to cause me to stumble from walking with the Father, but the more stressful the week became the more I kept repeating Jeremiah 29:11 which says 'For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' and also James 1:17 'Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.' I stubbornly held onto trust in God; the worse this week seemed the more I believed and said that God would use these situations for good.  And now it seems that I was right!
       I wanted to share this today because I feel like often we let one, or two, or three bad incidents or more,  that all happen together make us lose sight of God's word and promises. We start to get focused on the problems building up and take on a 'woe is me' attitude, allowing the circumstances to steal our joy. But really that kind of attitude accomplishes nothing, it leaves you stuck with these feelings of being overwhelmed and upset. But if you can look past those situations and trust that as bad, or uncomfortable as they are that they will bring good things then you are able to look at things in a more positive light and feel confident despite what circumstances may appear like.

Psalm 85:12
12 The LORD will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest.

Proverbs 3:5        
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

Lamentations 3:25-26

25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; 26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. 

 

Romans 8:28        

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.