Monthly Archives: August 2023

When the Winds of Change Begin to Blow

Leave a reply

Most of the time, we plod along in our journey of faith. We take step after step, following God’s leading in our lives. Most days, we know exactly what to expect. Each day is about choosing to do what God has for us that day.

winds blowing

And then, there comes those times when everything starts to shake up. I call it the “winds of change.” The ground beneath you isn’t quite as steady as it used to be. You start noticing things, small things at first. But those small things start adding up until you realize that something is happening. It takes a while to put it together, but then you realize that the Holy Spirit is working and moving, and things are starting to change.

Change is Both Exciting and Fearful

These times don’t happen a lot in life, but when they do, it’s both exciting and fearful at the same time. It’s exciting because you don’t know what God is doing, but it’s also fearful because you don’t know what God is doing.

It’s these seasons of life that make being a Christian exciting. It reminds you that you aren’t living your own life. No, God is directing and guiding you in every aspect of your life. He is working and moving, and you and I are simply instruments to be used however he sees fit.

Some people get worried when change comes, but I get excited. Why? Because it means God is still working in my life; he is still actively involved in my life. It’s way more scary to not have God do anything in your life for decades.

God is at Work

When you feel the winds of change begin to blow, you’d better hold on. God is at work; he’s starting to move. Don’t be afraid; instead, be excited. Do what you can to be ready. Because when God decides to move, there isn’t anything that will stand in his way.

Matt has a saying for times when God is working.

When God opens a door, you can drive a Mac truck through it!

So if you’re feeling God moving, if the ground beneath your feet is beginning to shift, don’t fear it. Lean into it. Get excited and ready to see what God is going to do in your life!

For More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post, Knowing When to Wait and When to Move Forward. A great book to read is Matt’s book, Momentum.

How to Know if God is Answering my Prayer

Leave a reply

How do you know when God answers your prayer? How do you know if it’s a yes or no from him? 

Praying Specifically

Matt and I were talking with one of our friends and church members recently. She is going through a lot and needs a lot of prayer right now. We were praying with her about what to do about her living situation. I encouraged her to pray specifically, so she would know which direction God wanted her to go. 

The next day, God answered her prayer so directly, it was impossible to miss. She told me with big eyes that she knew exactly what to do for her next step because God answered her prayer so directly.

That’s the thing about specific prayers—that they get specific results. 

Seeing How God is Leading and Guiding

Sometimes, I think the reason we don’t get our prayers answered is that we don’t pray in a way to know if God has answered that prayer. We say things like, “I’m just praying about it,” or “I’m just praying for God’s will.” How do you know if the answer comes? How do you know God’s will? 

I always encourage people to pray in a specific direction. Tell God, “I feel that you are leading me in this direction. I’m going to continue to go that direction. If you don’t want me to, then please close the door.”

When you prayer in a certain direction or specifically, then it’s easy to see how God is guiding and leading. 

The Two Blind Men

God is a fan of specific prayers. Look at the two blind men who called out to Jesus in Matthew 20. Jesus stops and listens to their cries. Then he asks them a question: “What do you want me to do for you?” They respond, “We want to see.” 

The directness of our prayer may not be for God’s benefit, but it’s definitely for ours. It helps direct us and guide us so we can be certain as to how God is leading in our lives. Have you ever had a prayer that you prayed so specifically that when God answered, you just knew this was the next right thing? It’s a good feeling, a really good feeling.

The next time you have a big decision to make or something you need God’s direction for, pray in a specific direction so you can know exactly which way God is leading you. It makes all the difference in knowing if God answered the prayer or not, and it takes away the confusion of knowing how God is directing you.

For More Encouragement

For more on this topic, check out my post: Specific Prayers Get Specific Results, or check out Mark Batterson’s book, The Circle Maker.

When You’re Exhausted

2 Replies
exhausted mom

Exhausted. It’s a mom during a 2 AM feeding for her crying newborn. Weary. The guy working third shift to make ends meet. Tired. The college student pulling an “all-nighter” to complete a paper for a class at 7 AM. Worn out. The family that’s trying to help their loved one overcome addiction. Burned-out. The boss who can’t meet payroll. Drained. The couple who wonders if they should end their marriage. 

**Today’s blog post is an excerpt from our 30-day Devotional You Are Not Alone.

Fatigue

Fatigue can make us fearful, doubtful, and depressed. It’s one thing to be physically tired. It’s another thing to be so weary at the soul level that you lie awake at night staring at the ceiling. You’re so exhausted you can’t sleep. That’s tiring. 

What can you do when you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel? Take a glimpse into David’s life.

David was exhausted from being in conflict with people.

Psalm 57:6

David was weary from an all-night sob fest.

Psalm 6:6

David was worn out from waiting.

Psalm 119:81

David was tired of the toxic people around him.

Psalm 120:6

David was broken from a weary soul.

Psalm 63:1

David was tired of God’s heavy hand on him.

Psalm 39:10

Sometimes it feels like God is actively working against us. It’s in these times, we seek God’s rest. 

What’s God’s answer for you when you’re exhausted? More work? Trying harder to do better?

Rest for the Weary

God’s answer is rest. He gives rest for your mind, your body, and your soul. How can we practically activate this rest?

1. Set a stopping time for your work. Your body will give you the stopping point and give out on you otherwise. God gives rest for your body. “My body rests in safety.” (Psalm 16:9) 

2. Look for the natural rhythms God gives you. Don’t be a martyr. No one wins awards for making things harder on themselves. Instead, work toward peaceful healthy places and spaces in life. Who are healthy encouraging people you can be around? Where are safe places? What drains you? What fills you up? God leads you to peaceful and healthy places naturally. Look for them in your life. Don’t fight against them. “He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.” (Psalm 23:2)

Flip the Script

If you can worry, you can worship. Whatever narrative you’re telling yourself must change if you want rest. 

Replace: “I’ve got to try harder” with “God is working for my best when I’m at rest.” 

“God gives rest to his loved ones.” 

Psalm 127:2

Replace: “People in my life are dangerous and can’t be trusted” with “God is my safe space and place.

”I“… live in the shelter of the Most High … find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” 

Psalm 91:1

Replace: “Nothing ever works out for me” with “God is ever and always good to me.” 

“…the Lord has been good to me.” (Psalm 116:7)

What kind of rest do you need from God today?

Taking It Further

Today’s Bible Reading: Psalm 127

What does God say about rest? (verse 2)

One of the reasons you may find yourself so exhausted is that you may be doing more of drains you than what fills you up. Take a few minutes to answer the following questions. 

What drains you?

What fills you up? 

Which are you doing more of—what drains you or what fills you up?

If you picked what drains you, then there needs to be a change. Write down some ways you can get more of what fills you up into your weekly schedule.

For More Encouragement

If you enjoyed this devotional, be sure to check out You Are Not Alone as well as our other devotionals.

You can also check out my post, Have You Ever Tried a Sabbath Day?

You Get to Choose

Leave a reply
two paths to choose from

Do you ever feel like you work really heard, yet people rarely seem to notice? If you’ve felt that way, you are not alone. Many of us feel like we put in more than our fare share of work, but we don’t get praised or thanked for it like we should. Sometimes we fool ourselves into thinking that God doesn’t notice; or worse, that he doesn’t care. He just wants us to “do more things” for him.

Two Different Sons

Jesus tells a story in the New Testament about two sons. Both sons worked for their father, but both of them had a very different story. It’s the well-known story of the prodigal son. We are all familiar with the story—how the younger son asks for his inheritance and leaves. He goes out and lives a life of luxury and partying. Then we know how he comes to the end of himself and finally comes back home. We usually focus on the prodigal son, but we often neglect the other son in the story.

Two Different Choices

The older brother in the story works for his father as well, but he stays faithful and does what he’s supposed to. When his younger brother comes back and his father requests a party to celebrate, the older brother is outraged. In fact, he refuses to come inside for the party. His father tracks him down and asks him why he won’t come to the party. Notice the older son’s answer.

All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’

Luke 15:29,30 NLT

Notice the word slaved. The older brother shows how really feels about all these years working for his father. I can imagine that those words were a dagger to his father’s heart. His father didn’t want him slaving for him; he simply wanted him to enjoy the work that they did as a family.

Slaving for God

When my husband, Matt, brought these verses and words to my attention a little while ago, we sat and talked about it for a little bit. I think that we as Christians act the same way to God sometimes. We treat the work he gives us to do as toil and labor and view ourselves as slaves to the work he’s called us to…almost as if he’s a taskmaster, and we have no choice but to obey him.

Does it ever feel like you’re slaving for God? Like he’s your taskmaster, instead of your father? I think that’s what Satan tries to convince us of—that we’re just slaves, doing what God wants us to do; and we have to be miserable to make him happy.

That’s now how God views his relationship with us at all. God calls us sons and heirs. There’s a big difference between a slave and an heir! God says that he has adopted us into his family.

Choose Your Own Adventure

Read the verses below and take a moment to really think about these words:

 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Romans 15-17 NLT

I love those rich words. We are adopted as God’s own children and have all the privileges that come with being an heir of God. What do heirs receive? They receive all the privileges that come from being born into that family. In God’s case, that’s a lot of privileges!

We can choose to live like a slave or we can choose to live like a son.

The Choice is Ours

We can go through this life choosing one of two ways to live out our life in Christ—as a slave or as a son. The choice is ours. God’s already said what we are, but we have to choose to live that way.

For More Encouragement

A great song that goes along with this post is Zach Williams’ song, No Longer Slaves, or check out my post, When You Can’t Feel God in Your Life.