I Am NOT A Victim

Life is tough.

Emotions are real.

Pain is present in this broken world.

How we handle and react to all of these tough moments is how we will view every day life.

I've always been one to see the positive or try to see the positive each day.

I've recently been taught how to be vulnerable in a whole new way.

I get daily devotionals from my mom during the week, and each one seems to be perfect for the day ahead.

Reading these devotionals and reading scripture can be enlightening and powerful.  However, at the beginning of this week, I was taught to turn those devotionals into a personal prayer and to say it out loud over and over until it was imprinted in my heart.  Until I truly believed it.

Saying it out loud, knowing God not only hears you, but is guiding you to His healing grace.

Yesterday's devotional was:

Here is the prayer I created from this devotional:

"I have come through very difficult times in many ways, but I see there are lessons you've taught me, Lord.  You have given me opportunities to overcome adversity.  I am NOT a victim of life's circumstances.  I have the strength to make changes and establish myself in a new position.  Amen."

I was having a really tough day yesterday.  During a mental break at work, I wrote this and kept repeating it until my heart started to feel the strength behind it.  It became real to me.

God is real.  His love is real.  His strength is real.

You are not a victim.

Today will only be difficult if you allow it to take over your life.

Make that change.  Be strong and confident in yourself that God is guiding you always.

"Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience." - Colossians 3:12

Do you Trust Him?

"Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you.  Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." -Matthew 11:28-30

Life can be so incredibly difficult at times.  It can feel like there is no reason we should push forward and keep traveling the path ahead.

Come, is such a powerful word in this scripture as it's Jesus' invitation to follow Him.  Give ourselves completely to Him.

By giving ourselves completely to Him, we are giving him all that is weighing us down.  We are reminded that WE ARE NOT IN CONTROL.  We are learning from God.  We learn that He is in control and He teaches us through these trials to remember that He will never leave us.  These trials are placed in our lives so we can become humble and gentle children of God.

When life gets hard and the long road ahead gets tough to travel, we must remember God is by our side always, pulling the weight for us.  The only time the load becomes overbearing is when we try to handle it all ourselves.  However, God will not abandon us.

 His yoke is easy to bear....

Humbleness and Gentleness

We find our strength through Jesus.  With this strength, we fight off the enemy that brings doubt, fear, and worry into our lives.  The more we submit to God, the stronger we become.

Those doubts and worries become joys and praises.

We begin to see the good in everything.

We feel peace.

We see why we are placed in these situations.  We see that we need Jesus.

Whatever is weighing on your tonight and it feels like it's too much to bear alone....

Remember that we are not alone.

He wants to us to lean on Him and learn from Him.

Below is a prayer a friend of mine wrote from a devotional we read.

This prayer will help you see that God wants us to submit to Him completely.

"I declare that I am able to rise up in Spirit, and defeat whatever has established itself against me.  Remove from myself every hindrance and be free.  Receive the Holy Spirit and be well.  Again, I say let every enemy that has established itself against me be rebuked, and thus removed.  By the authority given to me by my Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen."

You are strong.  

You are worthy.  

You are one with Christ.  

Keep moving forward confidently, knowing that no matter what, God's got your back!

Be grateful for all these troubles and trials.  They are strengthening you as you continue your journey.

It will bring your hope.

"And this hope will not lead to disappointment.  For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love." - Romans 5:5

Remain patient.  Remain confident.

"So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord.....

....Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will.  

Then you will receive all that He has promised." -Hebrews 10:35-36

Moving On....

Dealing with thoughts of insecurities and unworthiness....

I'm first to admit that this has been me for years and last night it hit full force and I wasn't sure how to handle this feeling I felt within me.

However when I woke up this morning and looked at myself in the mirror, I knew that I was worth something much more than I've ever given myself credit for.

I felt beautiful, even with the dark circles and bags under my eyes.

I felt like I deserved the best.

I felt worthy.

I've had to do some hard things this weekend, which in turn has made me feel unsure, scared, and heartless.

However, my goal recently has been to stand up for what I want and not back down from it.

Be honest about who I am and what I'm looking for.

In doing so, I'm starting to see that worth I lost within myself from my past.

I heard a song by Rascal Flatts as I sat reflecting on how I had been feeling last night and it was truly fitting.  

"Movin' On"

https://youtu.be/IiHhTdg8qrc

It was a very powerful song for what I'm determined to do in my life.

Letting go of all my negative thoughts and filling my mind with positive ones.

Trusting the present and moving on from my past.

Finding peace within myself, knowing I'm worthy.

I find my security in my relationship with God.  It can be easy to get lost in how the world portrays how you should look or feel, but God made you out of love and He will help you see your worth, your beauty.  I'm letting Him build me back up and give me the strength to see my worth for the first time in my life.

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth." -Psalm 139: 13-15

  

You are worthy.

And so am I.

May today bring you comfort and peace, no matter what you might be struggling with.