Focusing on God's Goodness

This week I was dealing with a stressful situation.  Phone calls, emails, and lots of time spent on it - but no solution.  I was facing a deadline, and feeling the pressure of needing answers.  That night laying in bed, I told the Lord I really needed a deadline breakthrough and the next morning I had it!  I was able to speak to the right person, and I had the way forward that I needed.  It was SUCH a relief!  I was so grateful God helped me sort it out!

In the midst of times like that, it's easy to be frustrated and worry.  I try not to worry, but it's hard.  A helpful tool for me is something that the Lord spoke to me over and over again while walking our unexpected journey.  It's very simple - being thankful.  Whatever I'm facing, whatever I'm walking through, no matter how hard it is - choosing to express gratitude and be thankful in spite of the circumstances is so important.

Now, having said that, it's easier said than done!!  My tendency is definitely to lean into worry.  I have to catch myself, and make a conscious effort to not let worry overtake my thoughts.  A big help to me when this happens is to start thanking the Lord for all the previous answers to prayer!  There are so many.  When I remind myself of how God has met me time and time again, it builds faith to help me in whatever new thing I'm facing that is challenging.

It all boils down to what I focus on.  That night as I poured out my heart to the Lord, I asked him to help me with my thoughts - to help me not dwell on the stressful situation.  It's really important for me to "talk things out with the Lord."  He knows what all I'm thinking anyways - and as I talk it through with Him, it transfers the burden to Him.  When I woke up the next morning, I was still very aware that I needed a big answer, a solution, but the heaviness of it was gone.

And then He helped bring the breakthrough!  I'm so thankful.

"Trust in Him at all time, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge."  Psalm 62:8

"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.  Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul."  Psalm143:8 

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

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."  Philippians 4:6,7

Jesus showed us the example of this.  When he was heavy hearted about something, He withdrew and spent time with the Father.  As I share my worries with the Lord, "with thanksgiving" as the verse above says - it puts the matters in God's hands.  I'm so grateful for how He intervened to help me!

I enjoy watching home renovation/restoration/decorating programs.  It's such fun to watch old, worn out homes turned into beautifully updated living spaces.  One of my favorites is Home Town.  It's filmed in the small town of Laurel, Mississippi.  The couple who renovate the homes, Ben & Erin, say that they hope there will come a time when every old home in the city will be renovated so that it can live on.  What a wonderful goal. 

I was watching an episode recently where they took a really old, worn down, dilapidated home and turned it into a gorgeous masterpiece.  The transformation was remarkable - jaw dropping in the transformation, almost unbelievable.

As I was watching the program, I had the thought come to my mind - that's what God does to us, especially in how he renews our mind.  We are bombarded with tragic, hopeless stories every day in the news.  And often we see sad situations around us where we live.  It's easy to be robbed of hope and joy.  So many needs.  So many difficult problems.  So many hurting people.  So many things that seem impossible to remedy.  It can be overwhelming.

It's really important to ask God to renew our minds so that we can see HIM in the midst of all the needs.  He understands the pressure of the world around us robbing us of our joy, our hope, our faith.  But when we invite Him to come in and cleanse our minds, our spirits - it gives us a fresh start.  It's entirely possible for us to become so distracted by the things around us that we lose sight of His presence in us and with us.  We lose sight of the "hope and future" that He has for us.  We miss how He wants to use us as His instrument in the situations we are so concerned about.

These last few years as I battled cancer and cared for Floyd, I had to be carefully on guard that I didn't lose sight of who God was in my midst, how He wanted to help me with all I faced.  A protection for me was to regularly ask God to cleanse and renew my mind.  It was an important  protection for me to keep from being overwhelmed with all I faced.

Honestly, I don't think I could have made it without the Lord frequently renewing my mind!  Everything was so difficult, so heavy, so many needs and problems.  Some days it felt like I was carrying the weight of the world on my frail shoulders.  But every time I came to the Lord and asked him to lift the weights and renew my mind - it felt like I had a new beginning.  His light came shining through the darkness of everything I faced.

I am so grateful for His renewing power in my mind that helps me see clearly who He is in the midst of the problems I face.  I couldn't make it without Him!

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."  Romans 12:2

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."  Philippians 4:8

That verse is such powerful instruction!!  If we truly focused our minds and hearts on that list - our lives would be so different.

"So we do not lose heart.  Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day."  2 Corinthians 4:16 

"They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."  Isaiah 40:31

"To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace."  Romans 8:6

We can't renew our minds in our own strength and power.  Only God can do it.  And He longs to do that for us if we but ask!  He freely gives His renewing grace and power.  How wonderfully faithful He is.