Guilt vs. Compassion...

My prayer:

Wonderful Father. I cannot thank you enough for the last four days God. Such peace and rest. Wonderful hiking. Time with you and Mom. A gorgeous place to stay. And you guiding, directing, and helping every step of the way. I almost feel too blessed. 

To come home to find so many people who have been chased out of their homes, or lost their homes to fires that I did not even realize were going on...I almost feel guilty for having such a good time when others are suffering so much. 

But, when I really think about it, there are people suffering unbearably every day around the world. If I were to start thinking I can only be blessed when the everyone in the world is blessed...I would never be blessed. Ughh. I don't know. It just feels selfish to enjoy myself and be relaxing when people around me are losing their homes.

I pray and ask God that you make a way out for every person who is in danger and who has suffered loss. In particular, I pray for those who are being threatened by wild fires right now God. Please put up a hedge of protection around them, keep them safe, keep their families safe, and provide a way for them. Thank you Jesus.

What God Said Tonight:

The world and the people in it are not your responsibility, they are mine. I love that you are my hands and feet in this world and that you want to be a blessing to everyone but you are not their savior. You are not their protector. You are not the one who can make a way out for them. 

Yes, I need you to pray. Yes, I need you to help in any physical way that you can. Yes, I need you to do your part. But the responsibility for my people lies with me. 

You, live our life. Enjoy my blessings in your life and do your best to be a blessing. 

Guilt, is not from me. I do not cause or create guilt. Guilt is a result of thinking you see the truth and doing the opposite. But sometimes, the truth you see is not the actual truth. It is not my truth. Look at life through my truth and you will know no guilt. You will only know compassion.

Compassion is the gift of the Holy Spirit. Guilt is the gift of satan. Choose your gift.

Rest...

My prayer:

SO, my plan was to go on vacation, take a few days off from the blog, let folks look up old postings...looks like your plan was a bit different...let's go with your plan since it always works out better :).

Truth is, I want, need to spend quiet time with you at least every night. Whether we do that here or some other way, it doesn't really matter to me. As long as you are with me, nothing else really matters. 

This place that you brought me to is so beautiful. I am looking forward to seeing what all you have planned!

What God Said Tonight:

I am with you always but I do confess I love when you focus on me. When you listen just to me. When you take the time to be with me, no distractions and no competing demands. Those times are truly precious to me. Just as you are precious to me. 

I love you and I have planned this time of rest, calm, before your next season. There is a lot coming and it is good but you will need to be rested and at your best for it. Take the time to rest but be sure that you are resting in my presence. That will ensure that your rest is fruitful and you are ready for the next season.

Restoration...

My prayer:

What a long but pretty wonderful day God. I am still soaring on the amazing things you did today through prayer. Healing of eyes that were going blind, healing another back, and beginning the restoration for one of your kids who was sexually abused. You are amazing and you are our hope. There is nothing too hard and nothing too ugly for you to handle. 

I am not sure when we started white washing things in church. I don't know when we decided that we shouldn't talk about "certain things." Seems to me, the best place to talk about the nastiness of life is at church with people who can help me seek you and find a way out. 

I love you God. Thank you for being the God who can handle it all!

What God Said Tonight:

I am here for your every need. I will provide for you always. 

I never meant for you to live a sanitized life. I never meant for you to change before you come to me. I died for you while you were yet a sinner, not after you got your life cleaned up. And truth is, your life will never be cleaned up enough for you to be righteous. It will remain filthy rags if you are trying to do it on your own. 

Bring me the soiled rags, the unspeakable things and I will clean them. I will restore you through them. I will make you new. Bring me the thing that is so awful you can't even talk about it and I will turn it to your good. I promise. As impossible as that seems, I promise I will turn it to your good. 

Try it out. I promise you can't shock me. I already know what happened. I love you anyway. Bring it to me. Speak it out to me. I will heal you and I will restore you. I love you so much.

Love them...

My prayer:

Mighty God. I am not sure what to talk with you about tonight. Not that I don't have anything on my mind. My mind is actually racing with a million different thoughts. Some are too difficult to put into words, others would take to long to explain, and others are so random, I am not sure they are worth your time. 

A lot of them are centered around trying to understand what to do when everything is falling apart. I have some wonderful people in my life who are doing everything they know to live for you and to live in your purpose for them and yet their lives are falling apart financially, in relationships, and in their health. 

I know that is not your will for their lives. They are earnestly seeking you for answers and a way out. And still, they are truly suffering.

Not only do I want to understand so I can provide them with hope, but also, for those people whose lives are going well but see these things happening to your children and get worried they are next, I need to know what to tell them. I need to know what to tell myself about it.

I ask God for wisdom and understanding.

What God Said Tonight:

No two life stories are the same. No two paths are the same. I cannot provide you with a blanket answer that will give you what you hope for. The blanket answer, you already know. You live in a world that still has sin in it. As long as sin is in the world, bad things will happen. Sometimes, for no apparent reason. Because I allow people to make their own decisions, I can't stop the bad things from happening but I can use them for your good. 

But, I think what you are wanting tonight is something more specific. You are wanting to know what to tell the people who are suffering. I have some answers for you and I will give you the words when you need them. 

Most of all, love them. Most of all, make sure they know that no matter what they face, you will face it with them. That is more important than any words of wisdom you might provide Love is the key to all healing and all restoration. Let them know your love in a real and tangible way and that will do more than you can imagine. 

I have not forgotten them. I have not stopped loving them. I have not forgotten the plans I have for them (which are good). I have a way out for each of them I will not leave them or forsake them. 

And, I will not leave you either. As you walk with them through this journey, I am right there with you. I am in your midst. I will comfort, heal, strengthen, guide, and teach them. I love you.

Asking for help...

My prayer:

Perfect night God. Just what I needed. Thanks for reminding me of the things that I forgot. Basic things like get out of your way and let you do your thing. I am sorry that I allowed my prideful self think it could do it all. I should know by now that any time I rely on my strength and my abilities, I end up crushed into the ground. 

I ask for help to let go of all of the things that are outside of my control. I ask for help for letting go of guilt when I feel like I have let someone down. I pray God for your grace and mercy on my life and help to receive it.

So, pretty much help with everything! LOVE YOU!

What God Said Tonight:

Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. Asking for help is a display of wisdom. 

To know what you need help with and what you don't is a difficult but important thing to learn. When you ask for help on things you already know, it is a waste of your time and the time of the person you are asking for help. 

But, when you ask for help with things that you are not capable of or don't know yet, you find help, understanding, and build new skills and strengths you did not have before.  

People who are helpless don't ask for help. People who ask for help are those who still have hope but need more of what they don't have to make it to where they want to go. 

I am your ever present help and I will honor your prayer. I send my helper to you. He will be by your side, guiding, directing, helping, and sharing this life with you. I love you so much. 

See you again soon...

My prayer:

Wonderful Father. Today was mostly about loss and I am left feeling a bit empty tonight. I think it is time to count blessings: 1. wonderful family who loves me 2. friends who are amazing and who love me 3. a roof over my head 4. food to eat 5. a great job 6. amazing opportunities to minister to people every day 7. beauty all around me 8. and most of all YOU!

Thank you for this life that you have given me. It is more than I could have hoped for and I can't wait to see what is next.

What God Said Tonight:

I have an eternity of joy for you. I have an eternity of joy for anyone who wants it. 

Today was not goodbye. Today was "See you again soon." My people don't have to say goodbye. My people have been given everlasting life My people have a home here in heaven with me. I have mansions that are built and ready to be occupied at the right time. 

I have not forgotten my covenant with you. I will never separate you from those you love longer than is absolutely necessary and when you are back together, it will seem as no time has passed. 

I love you and I will take care of your every need always.

Cloud of peace...

My prayer:

What a weird mix of good and bad stuff today God. I don't know if I did a good job today but at least I survived. On days like today, that seems like quite an achievement! 

I guess when I really look at today objectively, nothing horrible happened (except dropping my sunglasses in the dirty toilet...that was pretty horrible). But seriously, compared to the real problems in the world I shouldn't complain. I definitely let stress get the better of me at times today. 

I would love to get to that place where I live in the middle of your peace no matter what. I have met people like that. People who, no matter what is happening around them, they remain in your peace. I think that would be a pretty wonderful way to live. And the truth is, you ALWAYS work things out for me so I should be at peace. Help me to get there?

What God Said Tonight:

You have my peace, whenever you want it. It is always with you and in you because I am in you. You can choose to experience that peace or you can choose to stress and worry. But always remember that you are making a conscious choice to do so. 

You always have access to my peace. You may want to keep some reminders about that around handy that you can see when you run into stress. You know my promises around peace and how I have promised to take care of you. Keep those readily at hand to remind you in those tough times. 

Truth is, you are a lot more at peace today than you have been in the past so this is simply a continuation of that journey. It is the next level of peace in any storm. 

Feel my peace surround and cover you tonight. Like a cloud, let it surround you and block out the worry. Rest in my peace and know that I am God, your Father.