My hope is in the Lord...
He who gives me the power to do anything I need to in this world; and the joy and contentment of fullfilling His path for my life.
I've been learning lately, as I am blessed with the abundant choices between many different possibilities and opportunities, that something will seem very hard and impossible to accomplish if it was merely my idea. If it is God's idea then "My yoke is easy, and My burden is light" as He says in Matthew 11:30. It's easy because He's carrying it with us!
The common misconception of the verse, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" is that He'll help you do ANYTHING you set your heart to. That just isn't so, He'll help you do what is best for you and what He had planned for you to do in your life to complete your joy, happiness and strength in Him. Veering off His path for you and expecting to "do all things" just isn't gonna happen.
Here's some passages from the Bible I really found to draw me back to the truth and revealed to me HOPE of joy and contentment when I turn to Him and start focusing on doing what God has planned.
Psalm 32
Of David. A maskil.[a]
1 Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the one
whose sin the LORD does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
..... I put this Psalm in here because I identify with David here, I was keeping things as "hidden" and "pet sins" that I didn't want to give up to Him because I thought I would feel deprived. Well, turns out I was sapping my own joy and energy by hanging onto them....
4 For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.[b]
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD.” And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
7 You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.
10 Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the LORD’s unfailing love
surrounds the one who trusts in him.
11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!
.... My dad read this next passage to me this morning, I think it is a beautiful reminder of how selfless Jesus is and was on our behalf. He laid down voluntarily on the cross so that we could be freed from ALL our sins (even the hidden ones) and live in His power and joy the rest of our lives.
through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
~ Blessings and hope to ya'll,
Ruthie xoxo
He who gives me the power to do anything I need to in this world; and the joy and contentment of fullfilling His path for my life.
I've been learning lately, as I am blessed with the abundant choices between many different possibilities and opportunities, that something will seem very hard and impossible to accomplish if it was merely my idea. If it is God's idea then "My yoke is easy, and My burden is light" as He says in Matthew 11:30. It's easy because He's carrying it with us!
The common misconception of the verse, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" is that He'll help you do ANYTHING you set your heart to. That just isn't so, He'll help you do what is best for you and what He had planned for you to do in your life to complete your joy, happiness and strength in Him. Veering off His path for you and expecting to "do all things" just isn't gonna happen.
Here's some passages from the Bible I really found to draw me back to the truth and revealed to me HOPE of joy and contentment when I turn to Him and start focusing on doing what God has planned.
Psalm 32
Of David. A maskil.[a]
1 Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the one
whose sin the LORD does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
..... I put this Psalm in here because I identify with David here, I was keeping things as "hidden" and "pet sins" that I didn't want to give up to Him because I thought I would feel deprived. Well, turns out I was sapping my own joy and energy by hanging onto them....
4 For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.[b]
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD.” And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
7 You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.
10 Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the LORD’s unfailing love
surrounds the one who trusts in him.
11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!
.... My dad read this next passage to me this morning, I think it is a beautiful reminder of how selfless Jesus is and was on our behalf. He laid down voluntarily on the cross so that we could be freed from ALL our sins (even the hidden ones) and live in His power and joy the rest of our lives.
Romans 15
1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”[a] 4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that:through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
~ Blessings and hope to ya'll,
Ruthie xoxo
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