Trust in the Lord with all your heart

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." Proverbs 3: 5-6

These are my new favorite verses. There is so much meaning in them. They really spoke to my heart. This week (weeks) I fell behind a bit, but I was able to catch up. Here is what I read:

Genesis 18:16-42:17
Matthew 6:25-13:46
Psalms 8-18:15
Proverbs 2:6-4:6

Genesis
Envy and jealously aren't good. So, why do they come so easily for us? We want what we don't have. We say we "need" something. Stop and think, do you really need this? Could wanting it as much as you do cause you to think you need it? Do you look at what someone else has and compare it to what you have? They have a bigger TV, a nicer car, a better computer. Instead of thinking you want something someone else has, think of what you already have. Probably a lot more than some people have. You should thank God for all He has already blessed you with. This is hard to do, especially in this society, where the newer, the better. Where people stand in lines for days waiting for the newest iphone to come out. Appreciate what you already have, because you're lucky to have even that. And when you find yourself keeping score with what others have, it's time to deal with your jealously. Genesis 26: 12-16 and 37: 19-20 can help you with this issue.


Let's talk about prayer. Prayer is a powerful thing. A lot of people only pray when they need something. I used to be guilty of this. Now I pray everyday, several times a day. When I need comfort, when I want to thank God for everything He has blessed me with, when I need guidance and perspective, when I need a shoulder to cry on, when I need to repent my sins, and for so many other reasons. He is always someone I can count on for being there for me whenever I need Him. One thing I have learned from Genesis 30: 22-24 is that I need to be patient. God WILL answer prayers, but on His time. 

Matthew
Matthew 6:25-34 tells us not to worry about basic needs, like what to eat, drink, or wear. When I first read this, I thought that's impossible! How can I not worry about what I'm going to eat?? But now I know what it truly means. That to not worry about simple, everyday things. Don't worry about tomorrow. Instead, focus on living righteously and God will give you all you need. This is something I struggle with daily. I worry about everything! But, worry does more harm than good. It pulls your attention from God, and what's really important. Have faith in God, and know that no matter what comes your way, God will give you the strength to overcome it. In Matthew 11: 28-30, it tells us not to stress. When we feel stressed, turn to God and He will carry our burdens for us. Remember, faith in God is the best way to show Him how much you love Him. We must keep our faith strong, even when times are hard. He might not always take away our troubles, but He will give us the strength to overcome them. 

Here is an issue that bothers me: Judgement. It bothers me because so many people are very judgemental. But it bothers me most because I am too. It almost comes natural to us. I see it all the time, and I catch myself doing it many times. We need to remember, it is not our place to judge others; it's God's. Let God handle that. Turn to Matthew 7: 1-14. God wants us to treat others the same as you want to be treated. Instead of judging someone for their life choices, we should accept them. We should focus on spreading God's word so that the people who have fallen off the right path might see the light and turn to God. 

Psalms
Everyone has doubts sometimes. Everyone gets angry sometimes. It's how you handle these that matter. Always turn to God, even when you have doubts or you are angry. Even if you feel like God isn't there with you, keep praying. Keep your faith strong. Even if you don't understand something, share your feelings with Him. He wants to hear from you. And trust me, even if you don't feel it, He is there. Just turn to Psalms 10:1 and 13 when you feel this way.

Proverbs
I have found new words to live by: Proverbs 3: 5-6. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." I love these verses. They tell you exactly how to live your life basically. Trust the Lord and seek His will, and He will show you the right path to take. I can't tell you how many times I wish I have done this. I wish I realized how true this was a long time ago. But I do now, and that's what it most important. This is how I want to live my life. It's not always going to be easy, in fact it's probably going to be a challenge. But the rewards are so wonderful and are so worth it, it won't feel like work at all.