“God given reminders to help survive difficult times”
The words to come were written by one of my best friends from birth, my birth, not hers. The person that I have always admired and the first person that I strived to be growing up. Read as my big sister sheds light on how to survive the process. She uses scriptures to remind us that God has a plan for us. – Tiffani Thomas
The word “give” has been running through my mind for the past few weeks, resulting in these 3 God given reminders. Hopefully they will challenge your understanding and perspective of what you have been given.
Know that he will give you rest
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
The first verse “come to me all who are weary and heavy burdened and I will give you rest,” Matthew 11:28. Come, give and rest stick out to me in this verse. Come is an instruction. As if, God is instructing me to come to him, especially when I am “weary and heavy burdened.” Ok, God. I fall into that category and I can relate. Count me in. Give is preceded by “I will”. “I will” sounds like a promise. So, God is telling me he will give something to those who come to him. The end of the verse states he will give REST. God has my attention with REST. I struggle understanding what REST is and how I can have it for my mind, body and soul. So, my prayer is for God to help me understand and receive the rest he gives me. I am excited to find out what he means, because I definitely need REST. God, REST sounds real good and it is in your word.
Know that he will give you hope and a future
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:11-13
The next is 3 verses, but we will start with Jeremiah 29:11. “ For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord plans to prosper you not to harm you to give you a hope and a future.” Hope and a future sounds really good too. It’s his reassurance that he has objectives and is intentional about his plans. The promises of my intentional God are to prosper us and not to harm us. Furthermore, he gives hope for right now and for a future, when we will see the manifestation of his plan and his promises. Now, thinking back to rest. Maybe I can REST knowing I have hope and a future. God knows how uncomfortable the plan/process/developmental phase can be and he tells us his purpose/objective is to prosper us and not to harm us for this guides us. God is helping me see I can have different responses to his plan. The response should be to call on, come to and pray to him.
The passage goes on to say “then you will call on me and come to me and pray to me and I will listen.” Calling on can be saying “Help Me.” “Help Me!” with a side hand clap and head tilt looking up. Coming to the Father can look like journaling to some worship music with the intentions of getting a refill of God’s love, mercy and grace after emptying and pouring my heart out to God. The coming part is challenging because I struggle to surrender, stop fighting, let go, and submit. Praying is an opportunity for me to ask God for guidance and whatever I need during the developmental phase. God promises he will listen.
Lastly, verse 13 reassures me I can find him when I seek him with all my heart. Ok, God has a plan.
Know that he gives you the power to please him
For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
Philippians 2:13
Philippians 2:13 focuses on give too. “For God is working in you, giving you the desires and power to do what pleases him.” Ok, God so not only do you have a plan, you are working on giving me the desire to complete that plan. He said what he said. Sounds to me God wants us to know it is a process. I wonder if that is why God gives us new mercy and grace each day. This verse reminds me God is intentionally involved from the beginning.
What else have we been given? I’m so glad you want to know. Take a look at 2 Peter 1:2-4 and find out more.
Thank you, God, for giving me rest, hope, desires and power for the journey. Help me grow in the knowledge your many promises and lean on you. Guide me through this process. I hope to remember I can give you all of my worries because you care for me.
Amen
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