Stop worrying. Hear His voice. Quiet your mind. Relax. Think His thoughts. Don’t let your mind wander. Be present. Don’t conform to the patterns of this world. Seek His face. Trust Him with ALL of your thoughts. Be thankful regardless of the circumstances.
When you feel the clatter of the chaos in the world we live in, it is so easy to be agitated, worried, and anxiety-ridden.
Meanwhile, God is sitting there much like a child who yearns to be called on in class…putting His hands up, moving feverishly in His seat…saying, “Ooh ooh…look at ME. Look at ME. Call on Me!! I know all of the answers!! You can find joy and peace in me!!” He tries in so many ways to get your attention. Do you call on Him? Or do you ignore Him?
In Deuteronomy, it says: Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will NOT leave you or forsake you.
The simple act of acknowledging this during each day gives you strength, courage and comfort.
When you are constantly afraid and anxious because the news is on 24/7 and all you do is sit on the couch with the turmoil of the world in the background and social media agitating you on your phone, you cannot possibly find the Peace that is right in front of your face…staring right at you. God is sitting there, waiving His hands…”Search for me. Look at me!!Pick me, Pick me!!”
You must quiet your mind so that you can recognize the Holy hungers that your soul so desperately desires. FOCUS ON THOSE.
Stillness.
Gratitude.
The beautiful sunset in front of you.
The loved one(s) in your home.
The good food.
The great glass of wine.
An exciting conversation.
A prayer.
A loving relationship.
Your life.
Your blessings.
Your health.
The very breath you take.
The shining sun.
The light of the moon.
The beauty of nature.
The present moment.
Now those, my dear friends, THOSE are the moments that are so meaningful amidst the mayhem that surrounds you in this broken world.
It is NEVER too late (unless you are dead, then I am afraid it is) to start a relationship with God. One of my favorite quotes is this: I have given God a million reasons not to love me and NONE of them changed His mind.
I have done probably over a million shitty things in my life and I can assure you that God loves me anyway.
He will change you from the inside-out. The changes will be subtle at first, then one day you will wake up and the shell of the person you once were will be gone and the new you will brilliantly emerge. You won’t even recognize yourself. You will look back and wonder how you could have lived all of those years without Him and His presence.
You will find that the things that once scared you and made you anxious are no more. After all, you have Love with you and within you.
Instead of curling up in a ball on the floor because you can’t breathe when life’s circumstances punch you right in your stomach, you will pause, be still and be grateful. You will confidently stand right back up because you will realize that you are right where you are supposed to be. There is a reason for all of it.
You will dust yourself off and politely tell the devil to go fuck himself.
You will realize that any struggle is part of “your plan” even when, in your head, it really wasn’t part of your plan. It is His plan for you and you will be okay with it, even when it makes no sense (to you).
You would realize that if you only had to rely on your strength, you would be in trouble. Things would be much different.
So today, I urge you to go confidently about your day. When the discord of the world taps you incessantly on the shoulder beckoning you to run and hide and to be afraid, you turn around and look at him and proclaim that you are NOT afraid because God is with you.
Amen
