Tag: encouragement

Christian

A Broken Heart

Cindy Dawson

A friend of mine lost her husband in a motorcycle accident. He wasn’t racing. He wasn’t even speeding. He was riding in a charity event for abused children. It happened in front of her eyes. The man she loved, gone like that in a freak accident. How quickly our lives can change.

Many of us have experienced great loss, or we will at some time in the future. It has happened to me. How does anyone survive without the Lord? He is the only one who can comfort and heal our hearts.

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted … to comfort all who mourn …   ” Isaiah 61:1-2

A broken heart is like a giant wave,  drowning you in sadness and pain, but God’s word is a soothing salve that heals. Not only will God heal your broken heart, He will care for the wounds left behind. Healing may not happen overnight. It didn’t for me. Deep wounds heal over time, but they do heal. The Great Physician will bandage your wounds and heal your broken heart. Ask Him.

“Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise Him …. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars, and calls them each by name. Great is our God and mighty in power, His understanding has no limit …. The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.”  Psalm 147:3-5 and 11)

He is able! He knows the number of stars and has called them all by name. How much more does He know every detail of your heartache! Sing praises to His name and put your trust in His unfailing love. I believe that praising Him and spending time in His presence delivers the soothing balm that heals. He is delighted when you put your hope in His love. Spend time with Him by prayer, studying His Word, and singing praises.

“Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

“Cast your cares on the Lord, and He will sustain you..” Psalm 55:22

“The Lord is close to the broken-hearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”  Psalm 34:18

I pray for my friend that she may know the comfort that only He can provide.

With Love, Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Photo by Yuris Alhumaydy on Unsplash

Christian

When Disaster Strikes, You Are Not Alone

Cindy Dawson

” … Then one day, my world was shattered.”

But wait. Let’s start at the beginning.

 I was blessed to spend 18 years as a stay-at-home mom. That was the desire of my heart. But my kids started growing up, so at age 47 I decided I would go back to school and become a special education teacher.    

My “ministry” became teaching children with disabilities. I prayed for my students and prayed that God would use me in the public school system.

I hung a starfish on my desk lamp to remind me that I might not be changing the world, but if I could help even one child, my prayer would be answered. (See “The Starfish Story” below.)

Then suddenly my world was falling apart. I lost my job because of lies that were told about me. These lies tarnished my record and eventually ended my career. With my emotions in high gear, I could not stop crying.  I was completely devastated and left with a long drive home.How could this happen? I thought I couldn’t go on. In an emotional state of mind, I made the decision to retire with only seventeen years of experience.

You can imagine the thoughts that went through my mind. I  doubted everything I had previously believed. (Surely teaching had not been God’s will. I should have never done this!  It was all in my head. I’m a failure. And worst of all: I never really helped anyone.)

Have you ever been there? Have you ever questioned everything? When you are hurt, you are vulnerable to the attacks of Satan and can begin to believe his lies. But God lifted me out of the valley of despair. This is what happened:

That very night, I met a friend for dinner, which had been planned several days before. She knew nothing about what happened to me that day, but she had a gift and a note from her son a  former student from 15 years before). The note thanked me for all I had done for him. The gift was a beautiful sparkling starfish on a silver chain.

When I saw that sparkling starfish, I was overwhelmed by God’s love and kindness. God was speaking loud and clear to my heart and mind, “I know what is going on. I know your heart is crushed, but I am with you and watching over you. You are not a failure.” 

I realize now that even if God had not sent me such a great encouragement, He would have been watching over me just the same. We must always remember that He is with us every single day and He knows our every care. Sometimes He will give us visible reassurance, but most of the time He wants us to believe His promises and stretch our faith.

The Starfish Story

A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement. 

Continue reading “When Disaster Strikes, You Are Not Alone” →
Christian

Where Has God Asked You to Love?

Cindy Dawson

My job (and ministry) is in a middle school. You know, where kids know how to push your buttons and are exercising their desire to rebel against authority.

Maybe God hasn’t put anyone “hard to love” in your life, but I bet He has. I only know that what God has asked me to to do isn’t easy and even though I am willing – I keep failing over and over.

What is our mission?

It is to love!

Sometimes I wonder why He has called me to love those “not easy to love”. I’m not good at it! I lose my temper. I get angry. I lecture. I utter those horrible teacher words, “I’m done!”

The kind of love God expects us to show to others is not a feeling. It is an action. It can be very hard to show agape love. Where is your mission field? Do you sometimes find it difficult to show love to people there?

Over 20 years ago, God showed me something that I will never forget. At the time, I was very involved in women’s ministry, but I became increasingly disturbed by some of the teaching in my church. I asked God to show me where my focus should be.

I asked Him to show me the main idea of the New Testament. I felt like my focus was on the wrong things. In desperation, I read the New Testament through three times in a row.

In a notebook, I kept track of how often various subjects were discussed, such as hope, faith, prosperity, love, spiritual warfare, etc.

I discovered that love was the most frequently taught subject by far! There was no doubt about it. God was showing me, through my crisis, that love, agape love, was very important to Him and my focus should be there.

I began an in depth study on agape love, looking for every Biblical reference. I studied Greek and Hebrew definitions. I wrote. I read. I studied.

love is patient2I Corinthians 13:4-8

 

I can’t do it in my own strength. God must do it through me. Every day, I must pray for God’s power to dwell in me. Once we realize that we can’t do it ourselves, we have passed Lesson 1.

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-11 (NIV)

Lesson 2: Let our day begin with prayer. “Father, Show the Savior’s love through me today. Teach me to love.” And pray for them. Ask God to help you see the good things about them, not just what they do wrong.

Lesson 3: Study God’s Word about love and be changed. Start with I Corinthians 13. Meditate on it. Study it. How does it apply to my life?

“Love is patient.”  I Corinthians 13:4a

(I don’t know about you, but I need to meditate on these 3 words for at least a week!)

The Greek word for patient is makrothumeo. It means “slow to anger”.

“Being slow to anger does not mean that one does not care, but rather that he has his emotions under control.” (Detzler)

Patience is a fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22)

According to Vine’s Bible Dictionary, “Patience is that quality of self-restraint in the face of provocation which does not hastily retaliate.”

Webster defines patience as “enduring … trouble with composure and without complaining; refusing to be provoked …”

Note: I wrote this post about a year ago, but I find myself once again needing His strength and His grace to do the very thing He has asked me to do – love those God has put in my path – and show them God’s unconditional love.

With Love, 

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This is My Journey Unscripted.

Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog 

Christian

How To Relieve Stress AND Boost Your Mental And Physical Health

Cindy Dawson

Did you know that LAUGHTER has emotional and physical health benefits? It relieves stress, improves your mood, eases anxiety, and more!

I tend to be very serious and analytical, but I am learning more and more how important it is to laugh every day. At the end, I will share some of the sources I go to when I need to laugh. 

First, check out these research findings from Harvard Medical School and HealthGuide.Org.

Physical Health Benefits of Laughter:

  • Boosts immunity
  • Lowers stress hormones
  • Decreases pain
  • Relaxes your muscles
  • Prevents heart disease

Mental Health Benefits of Laughter:

  • Adds joy and zest to life
  • Eases anxiety and tension
  • Relieves stress
  • Improves mood
  • Strengthens resilience

The Bible says, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine” Proverbs 17:22 KJV

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24 

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, …” Galatians 5:22

“Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them’.” Psalm 126:2

Laugh a Little!   

  • If you’re a teacher, like me, or a parent, you will laugh out loud at Elementary School Principal Gerry Brooks. Click here to visit his YouTube channel. 
  • You can laugh while you learn God’s Word with Bible Teacher Beth Moore. This is one of my favorites. 

I pray that your day be filled with laughter and joy.

With Love,

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

Promises That Will Encourage You To Keep Praying for Someone You Love

Cindy Dawson

Is your heart heavy because someone you love rejects Jesus as Savior? Perhaps he(she) calls himself an atheist. Or maybe, he just refuses to search for Truth and instead stands stubbornly in the darkness, clinging to “intellectual” arguments that support his atheistic beliefs.

If you’ve been praying for someone for a long time, don’t give up now. Be encouraged and strengthened by the promises of God.

Galatians 6:9 (NIV) says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” 

For a long time, I have been praying faithfully everyday that Jay would accept Jesus as Savior. Becoming weary, my prayers have been reduced to “God please help Jay. I don’t know how to pray for him. I don’t even know where he is. You know, Lord.” That is the prayer of someone who is weary in prayer.

After searching God’s Word for encouragement, I was not disappointed. This is what I learned. It is not meant to be a “formula” for prayer, but rather, an encouragement that you are praying according to God’s will and being led by the Holy Spirit. So don’t give up!

Following Paul’s example, simply pray that he will be saved. “Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.” Romans 10:1 NIV

Pray that the Lord will send Christian workers into his life. God uses people to accomplish his will.“What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.” 1 Corinthians 3:5-6 NIV

Pray that God will give him spiritual understanding and that the Lord will lead him to repentance. ” … in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” 2 Timothy 2:25-26 NIV

Pray that God will open his heart.  “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul” Acts 16:14 NIV

Pray that God will give him spiritual sight and make His light shine in his heart, as He did yours.

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” 2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6

Continue to pray with perseverance. God has called you to pray for this person. As you pray, remember to thank God for His love, mercy, kindness, and faithfulness. 

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving” Colossians 4:2 NIV

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” Luke 18:1 NIV

Pray with the knowledge that his salvation is God’s will.  

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”  2 Peter 3:9 NIV

(Where did we get the idea that God should be on our time table?) 

Therefor pray, “your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” Matthew 6:10 NIV

Pray with confidence, remembering that our God is a God of mercy, love and faithfulness.

“The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].” James 5:16 AMP

 Your prayer for someone’s salvation is most definitely a spiritual battle. Do not listen to the devil’s lies. Of course Satan will try to discourage you and make you give up. Instead, obey God’s Word and keep praying.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:10-12 NIV

From this study, here is what I have learned: God hears my prayers. It’s not that He isn’t answering them or that He doesn’t hear me. (The devil will try to tell us that!)

My “assignment” to pray for Jay has not ended. The battle is not over. In fact, I am in the heat of the battle. I will keep praying.

When I am praying God’s will, I know He is working even though I haven’t seen the final result yet.

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 NIV

God’s Word encourages me and strengthens my faith! It will do the same for you.

With Love,

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

You Are an Overcomer

Cindy Dawson

Are you struggling? Are you overwhelmed? Ready to give up? God says you are “more than a conquerer“! Whatever you are going through – Be encouraged! God is with you!

Wherever you are, whatever you are going through, remember that He “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us …” Ephesians 3:20 

I want to share with you Mandisa’s song, Overcomer. Mandisa auditioned for American Idol in 2006. Idol judge Simon Cowell made several comments about Mandisa’s weight after her successful audition. He first quipped, “Do we have a bigger stage this year?”

When Mandisa presented herself to the judges prior to the final cut-down to the season’s 24 semi-finalists, she told Cowell: “What I want to say to you is that, yes, you hurt me and I cried and it was painful, it really was. But I want you to know that I’ve forgiven you and that you don’t need someone to apologize in order to forgive somebody. I figure that if Jesus could die so that all of my wrongs could be forgiven, I can certainly extend that same grace to you.” Cowell told Mandisa that he was “humbled” and apologized to her immediately.

Mandisa was eliminated from the top 9 American Idol finalists even though she had never landed in the lowest three. However, she went on to be nominated for a Grammy for Best Contemporary Christian Album five times. She won the Grammy in 2014 for the album Overcomer.

Mandisa – Overcomer

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up …” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

 “… everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4

” … in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

With Love,

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

The Care Giver

Cindy Dawson

The first 11 days I was running on adrenalin. I arrived in town the night before he came home from a 6-day hospital stay resulting from complications of a severe bout with the flu. Extreme coughing had broken a vertebra in his back and caused a huge hematoma that resulted in a 40% blood loss. All this left him too weak to even stand up. It’s amazing how sick a person can be and still be released from the hospital!

Sleeping on a couch right outside of his bedroom, I heard every cough, every stir, every sound he made. I feared that we could lose him. He was very, very ill. For almost 2 weeks, a heightened seriousness griped my mind that I could not allay. I could not quell the adrenalin rush. I was afraid. 

I have always had my dad on a pedestal, the man in a suit who always knew what to do, the smartest man in the world. It was a new experience for me to see him in so much pain, vulnerable, and needing 24/7 care. 

It’s been an honor to be caregiver to my 83 year-old dad. It’s been a privilege to take care of him. After all, he took care of me my whole life! He has given me some of my best memories … catching my first fish … getting a hole in one … rocking me when I was broken-hearted … and teaching me about life and the things that are important, like honesty, integrity, and truth.

I put myself in his place. How would I feel if I was dealing with these health issues? How would I feel if suddenly I became dependent on another person in order to live in my own home?

What would it be like to depend on another person for everything? (to go to the bathroom, find things I need, prepare my food, make sure I got the correct medication at the right time, get a blanket when I’m cold, get me a drink, or monitor my blood pressure)

Would I be stressed out? Would I feel frustrated? Would I be depressed? How would I feel if I knew my care giver’s life was being disrupted because of my illness? 

Would I be angry because my life had been turned upside down? Would I be grumpy and irritable if I was in pain? How would my health problems affect me emotionally? These are the questions that motivated me to do the best I possibly could – to be loving, kind, and patient.

It’s hard to be those things when you’re sleep-deprived and feeling so much responsibility on your shoulders. Sometimes it was hard to be focused because I was so tired. But I had to get it right. I administered his medication and recorded the times in my computer along with blood pressure readings and notes.

One day ran into another. I just kept going. But after 3 weeks, he was much better and well enough to be alone at night with only wellness checks during the day. I returned home, 450 miles away.

This experience taught me something. The most important thing needed by a caregiver is the empathy that flows from love and respect for the one receiving your care. Caregiving is a gift of love. To me, there is no better reward than knowing I have had the opportunity to give it to someone I love.

PS: On January 7, I celebrated Christmas with my 3 adult children, their spouses, and my 3 grandchildren. It was a very special Christmas, indeed. All the decorations were still up, we exchanged presents, and I was deeply moved by the sweetness of all the love shown to me. I am exceedingly thankful for the blessings God has showered upon me. 

Scriptures for Meditation

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

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“Treat men exactly as you would like them to treat you.” Luke 6:31 Phillips

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“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” Matthew 25:34-40 NIV

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 “In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:30-37 NIV

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With Love,

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Photo by Sara Kurfeß on Unsplash

Bible, Christian, women

What’s In Your Heart?

Cindy Dawson

Over the last few months, I’ve thought a lot about what I look at and listen to. For example, television, music, news, talk shows, Facebook, etc. How does it all affect me? How does it influence my thinking and my attitudes?

 The Bible says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23 NIV

What does that mean exactly? I decided to dig in.

A wellspring is the source of a spring or abundant supply. OK. Above all else, I should guard my heart because it is a spring of abundant supply of something called “life”. Hmmm. I still didn’t get it, so I dug in more. I found some clues.

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” NLT

So, how well I guard my heart determines the course of my life. Well, that’s certainly been true enough (and sometimes in a bad way).

“. . .  out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45

My mouth reveals what’s in my heart. Can’t argue with that, either.

“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

Sometimes we think God only looks at our actions, but what he really examines is our heart. Well, that’s certainly something we should think about! That tells me that no matter how many good works I perform, He is still going to look at my heart.

“. . .  the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.” (1 Chronicles 28: 9

He knows me better than I know myself.

If I’m to guard my heart, I must be careful what I allow to influence me. After years of being a “news junkie”, I rarely even look at the news anymore. Honestly, it doesn’t do anything positive for my attitude. However, I’ve learned that the more I listen to and sing Christian music, the closer I feel to God.

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” Psalm 100:4

“Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life. I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.” Psalm 146: 1-2

My heart is the spring that nourishes my life. Is that spring sparkling clean or is it  polluted by  the things of this world? Well, I guess that depends on how well I guard my heart.

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

Eliminate Stress

Cindy Dawson

1. Pray

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”              Philippians 4: 6 & 7

2.  Memorize God’s Word

Psalm 91: “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.” (verses 1 & 2)

If you make the Most High your dwelling … then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;

They will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. (verses 9-12)

‘Because he loves me,’ says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.’ (verse 14)

3. Praise God

Today, we are blessed to have access to so many beautiful songs of praise to our God. I play Christian music through Pandora every day. It puts my focus on the Lord and gives me peace. Try some of these stations on Pandora:

The Hymn (O What Mercy) Radio

Bill and Gloria Gaither

Christian Contemporary Radio

Hillsong United Radio

Hymns 4 Worship Radio

Laura Story Radio

Phillips Craig & Dean

Praise & Worship Medley Radio

Sandy Patty Radio

Selah Radio

Today’s Christian Hits Radio

Kari Jobe Radio

Laura Story Radio

Hymns on Piano Radio

Country Hymns Radio

With Love,

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

Distractions

Cindy Dawson

Is something distracting you from your purpose? The devil is very crafty. The Scripture is clear about this. 

“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:3

The Greek word for cunning here is panourgia. It means trickery, craftiness. Crafty means skillful in evil schemes. When Satan attacks, it won’t be obvious. It may take days or weeks before you realize that you are caught up in something that is a result of Satan’s crafty scheme to lead you away from “your sincere and pure devotion to Christ”. I’m not talking about leading you into sin. I’m talking about distracting you from God’s purpose for your life – your ministry, your calling, your gift.

One way Satan does this is by getting you overly involved in something that is taking you away from what God wants you to do. The devil knows how to distract you from your purpose. He knows this distraction must appear to be a good thing. Today the Lord brought this Scripture to my remembrance:

“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” Philippians 4:8

The Apostle Paul wrote the letter to the church in Philippi while he was in prison in Rome. It would have been easy for the Philippians to be so worried about Paul that they were distracted from God’s purpose, but Paul talks to them about joy and peace. He tells them to dwell on good things, not bad things.

When I start to question my purpose and my relationship with the Lord, I know it is coming from Satan, the Father of Lies, the Deceiver. God is faithful and He will use His Word to guide you, and me.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:105

With Love, Cindy

This is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you know Jesus?

If you have never asked Jesus to be your Savior, you can do it now. He loves you more than you can comprehend, and it will change your life forever.

“IF YOU CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH, ‘JESUS IS LORD,’ AND BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, YOU WILL BE SAVED. FOR IT IS WITH YOUR HEART THAT YOU BELIEVE AND ARE JUSTIFIED, AND IT IS WITH YOUR MOUTH THAT YOU CONFESS AND ARE SAVED. AS THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, ANYONE WHO TRUSTS IN HIM WILL NEVER BE PUT TO SHAME.”   ROMANS 10:9-11

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