heART JOURNEYS is part of MY ART SISTERS art club.
Lord, Please give me a new level of self-belief to meet the challenge.
Have you ever experienced that feeling where you "can't handle one more thing"? One more challenge, one more person to help, one more ..... (fill in the blank). Yes, I am sure you have. We ALL have.
1 Corinthians 10:13 we read...
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” King James Version (KJV)
Often I hear people quote this scripture by saying...."God will not give us more than we can bear", and they stop. I think the power is in the rest of the scripture...."but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." We will not be given more than we can handle...without His help.
As time gets closer to the Savior's return, the question is not who will win the final battle, but where will we stand ?! We already know who is going to win.
Thinking about this, I had another thought come to my head.
As one's challenges become greater, so does the opportunity increase to ask for the NOT ONLY the abilities within ourself to increase, but the believe level we have of ourself to do ________ to increase.
Lately I have felt so overwhelmed by all the need around me. Just the thought of it stresses me out. So often my cup feels like there is not enough to give to everyone and everything that needs something....and I truly want to help, but there is only so much that I can do. I know that God strengthens me, yet I was feeling that I lacked something....time, knowledge, abilities, etc.
Thinking on this, my mind opened up to a new outlook on my challenges. These challenges are actually blessings that give ME increase, (which previously I had not been seeing them as such). My challenges give me more opportunities to ASK not only for the extra _______ (strength, patience, knowledge, etc.) that I need. But also that the level of my belief in MYSELF IN DOING THE TASK, BE INCREASED. Or, another way of saying it, to INCREASE MY FAITH THAT I CAN DO THE TASK...AS WELL AS AN INCREASE IN WHAT I NEED FOR THE TASK.
I realized that I was lacking faith in myself to be able to handle more....I didn't really see that before.
Previously, I felt that I was to take the strength and abilities that I had (that He has given me), and then ask the Lord to help me with the task. Not once did my mind realize that I am actually asking for my inner strength....MY FAITH that I could do the task to INCREASE. I knew that I could ask for my strength to increase....but never did I think that I should ask for my willingness, my belief in myself to manage the task....TO INCREASE.
As I write this, I realize that this was my AH-HA moment. And when these impressions come from the Spirit, they are hard to put in words. It is hard to express and translate such a beautiful feeling....an awakening of the mind to another person. Only the Spirit can do that.
Let me leave you with this thought provoking quote....
In any given moment we have. two options: to step forward into growth, or step back into safety." Abraham Maslow
Have a BEAUTIFUL WEEK, MY FRIEND.
