I feel like the Lord is leading me through a tough season right now. My boys are young, and I need to be consistent in spending quantity and quality time with them. I have a lot of work responsibilities, and Brandi has been very patient with me and understanding of the sacrifices in time, but I can't take that for granted. I have several new research projects, and I am working on a few other proposals, but the pressure to publish papers is greater than ever. And on top of all of that, I am serving in leadership with my church.
Yesterday, I felt really stressed at work. Last night, after having dinner with my family and going for a walk, I heard a song on the radio that repeated the phrase, "I will stand my ground." I felt like the Lord was helping me see that, in the middle of competing pressures of life, as disciples of Christ, we must persevere. I think this is communicated in Luke 9:23-24.
23 Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.
We face death all day long, but we will overcome. We must persevere; we must remain faithful. Consider it pure joy. This is how we grow.
Heavenly Father, I still haven't actualized the joy part, but I think I can see that you are trying to help me grow in maturity to be joyful in all circumstances and to deliver me from my immaturity of whining about life's difficulties. Lord, may your peace and joy attend my way, and may the death of my flesh reveal your Spirit within me. Lord, I believe you for the victory over sin and death, and I trust that you will give me the strength to persevere. Holy Spirit, anoint me with your presence, authority, and power, and may I be an agent of the Kingdom. I love you, and I pray in the name of Jesus.
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