{"id":8996,"date":"2013-02-07T00:01:22","date_gmt":"2013-02-07T05:01:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/?p=8996"},"modified":"2013-02-05T17:34:37","modified_gmt":"2013-02-05T22:34:37","slug":"lifes-healing-choices-chapter-5-make-the-choice-pgs-144-148","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/2013\/02\/07\/lifes-healing-choices-chapter-5-make-the-choice-pgs-144-148\/","title":{"rendered":"Life’s Healing Choices: Chapter 5 – Make the Choice (pp 144-148)"},"content":{"rendered":"

MAKE THE CHOICE<\/strong><\/p>\n

What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.\u00a0 When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs.\u00a0 The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings.\u00a0 They will continue to grow stronger, and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

Psalm 84:5-7 (NLT)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Have you ever had something just \u201cfall into your lap\u201d and wonder why it appeared when it did, the way it did?\u00a0 Last month, the February 2013 issue of \u201cIn Touch,\u201d a magazine from the ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley, arrived in my mailbox and I dropped it in my bag to read when I had the time.\u00a0 Preparing for this blog, I pulled it out and decided to peruse for anything that might be helpful.\u00a0 Turns out this issue is about grace, about a deeper relationship with God, about seeking Him during our trials.\u00a0 I doubt this is a coincidence.<\/p>\n

I think we can pick up a few good tips from this little magazine today.<\/p>\n

\u201cGod is willing to provide what we need in our darkest moments.\u00a0 Like a spring, His provision never ceases to flow, but we must seek it.\u201d (Hughes, 10)<\/p>\n

Dr. Stanley writes, \u201cToo many believers approach the Christian life on a behavioral level.\u00a0 They go to church, read their Bibles, serve others, give generously, and try to be as good as possible, thinking that they\u2019re doing what God wants.\u00a0 Although all these practices are beneficial, they\u2019re not enough.\u00a0 He desires more for us than knowledge and good behavior.\u00a0 He wants us to know Him experientially—person to person.\u201d (22)<\/p>\n

But, Max Lucado brings it home in such a simple way, \u2018Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come.\u00a0 \u2018Twas grace that brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.\u201d\u00a0 (31)<\/p>\n

Recognize those words?\u00a0 Amazing Grace<\/span><\/em>!\u00a0 For me, this chapter has been screaming about grace.\u00a0 Not just about His grace towards me, but being gracious to myself.\u00a0 God gives us a free gift (grace) to forgive every sin we\u2019ve committed, and even those yet to be.\u00a0 All we have to do is accept His gift.\u00a0 It\u2019s our choice.\u00a0 Pretty simple, right?<\/p>\n

So why is it easy to accept His grace for us, but we cannot extend the same gift to ourselves?\u00a0 When I look back on the experiences that led to my heartache or bad circumstances, it\u2019s been due to my choices.\u00a0 I ended relationships, or started ones that were inappropriate.\u00a0 I left jobs for no other reason than boredom.\u00a0 I said things that hurt other people.\u00a0 And, even though God has forgiven me and washed me clean with the blood of His son, Jesus, there are days I cannot look at myself in a mirror without thinking I\u2019m a wretch.\u00a0 I yelled at my kids.\u00a0 I grumped at my husband.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t use His time wisely, or manage money effectively.\u00a0 I trashed my body because the bad food sounded so good.\u00a0 My hair’s out of control.\u00a0 My waist is too thick.\u00a0 My complexion is too splotchy.\u00a0 I find every little fault possible with my life, my character.\u00a0 What does this say to God?\u00a0 Am I grateful for His creation?<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0 His design for MY body, my character, my life?<\/p>\n

While a symptom of my heart\u2019s protective nature, it\u2019s also a sign that the father of lies, Satan, is trying to keep me from thinking the truth.\u00a0 If God has forgiven me, I need to let it go and stop beating myself up.\u00a0 I\u2019m not a bad person.\u00a0 I\u2019m just a person who made bad decisions.\u00a0 This negative thought system is one of the biggest issues I need to overcome.\u00a0 I need to stop\u00a0checking off\u00a0the endless list of\u00a0things ‘wrong’\u00a0with this woman God created.\u00a0 \u00a0It affects how I view myself as a wife, a mother, a worker, etc.\u00a0 And, rather than focus on my short-comings, I need to (1) focus on His Word & Truth about my life, (2) focus on not comparing myself to others, (3) focus on finding gratitude for each day\u00a0and circumstance, and (4) focus on letting it go.\u00a0 Hmm, there\u2019s that control thing again!<\/p>\n

We\u2019re told in Ezekiel 36:26, 27:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

I\u00a0will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I will take away your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. \u00a0<\/sup>And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to follow My Laws and be careful to do what I tell you.\u00a0 (NLV)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

He will give us a new heart and a new spirit.\u00a0 Will you reach out and accept this treasure from The King?<\/p>\n

PRAY \u2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

Take the time this weekend to write a prayer to God.\u00a0 Acknowledge your shortcomings, character defects, areas you wish to change.\u00a0 Tell Him what you would like to see instead in your life.\u00a0 Be specific.\u00a0 I once read that while God knows our prayers before we speak them, He wants to know that we have thought through the requests and really zeroed in on what we\u2019re asking for.\u00a0 I think it makes for a much more personal prayer than the rote memorization we learned as children.\u00a0 Show God your gratefulness, even in difficult times, and as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians, thank Him for everything (good & bad) in your life.\u00a0 Ask Him to show you ways to change, and lessons to be learned from the experiences you have.<\/p>\n

WRITE \u2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

List\u00a0 areas you have been able to turn over and surrender to Jesus during our study.
\nAre there areas you still need to turn over, attempting to control on your own power?\u00a0 Remember, we make progress by focusing on one defect (or task) at a time.\u00a0 Not by trying to attack it all at once.<\/p>\n

Sometimes it\u2019s not easy to see the positive changes in our lives.\u00a0 What changes have you seen in the past 5 weeks?\u00a0 Have you been able to celebrate and find joy in these steps?<\/p>\n

Check out Life\u2019s Healing Choices<\/em> for an excellent note card exercise to help you focus on His Truth regarding your character and life.\u00a0 I have a list of verses at my desk that I can see at a glance, but this exercise gives a more hands-on approach to keeping the Word close to your heart.\u00a0 I have listed some of the verses from this exercise below.<\/p>\n

SHARE \u2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

Share the one<\/em> defect God has guided you to focus on changing first.<\/p>\n

Share the progress God is making in your life in changing this defect.<\/p>\n

Share about your efforts to act yourself into a better way of feeling.<\/p>\n

As I was writing this blog, this song came on my Pandora station.\u00a0 I think it\u2019s another God-moment.<\/p>\n