He Loves Me

Zephaniah 3:17 (NKJV)

The LORD your God in your midst,

the Mighty One, will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing.

When I woke up this morning I grabbed my phone and took it with me to the restroom, intending to play music while I washed up.

Coincidentally, the song next up in the que was I Feel You Moving by Bishop Paul S. Morton. As the song played I knew it was no coincidence that that particular song played first on this particular day.

I have been struggling and praying about my attitude toward a couple of people and I do need the Lord to move in me to help me love them.

The prophet Zephaniah said, "He will quiet my spirit with His love and rejoice over me with singing."

In my morning devotional, the author talked about a photo she received in which both her parents sat gazing lovingly at her.

This is how our Heavenly Father sees us. I am struggling in my attitude towards others, yet His love towards me is still alive and flourishing.

In all these things we're more than conquerors through Him who loved us... and loves us still.

The Journey to Maturity

Not too long ago I confessed to the Lord that I was having a hard time praying for growth because I know that entails some kind of a trial in order for development to occur. Who wants to spend their whole life going through trial after trial? Life is already hard enough.

Then, the other day I was playing a word game on my device and I sensed the Holy Spirit leading me and giving me insight regarding the next move. I had an aha-moment. The Lord was teaching me how to sense His leading by using this word game. If I become continually aware of His presence, He does not have to permit trials only, to teach me.

So often we are scurrying through life unaware of the Lord's presence that we miss His signals altogether. When I received the signal from the Holy Spirit, concerning the word I was looking for, all He showed me was the letter C. When I stopped to notice that letter, it was then that I saw the whole word... N-I-C-E.  He didn't show me the whole word till I stopped to acknowledge His signal. It is the same in life, when we stop scurrying and acknowledge His signal, He can reveal more of the picture.

If I continue to exercise and hone that gentle tug from the Holy Spirit, eventually it will become second nature. If I keep my eyes and ears attuned to Him all the time, life's lessons don't always have to come in the form of a trial.

It is true that the testing of our faith builds endurance, but I no longer have to dread praying for maturity. We can't stay babes forever and we don't have to dread the journey to maturity either.

Hebrews 5:14 (NKJV) Solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.