Balancing Commitment & Trust

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Welcome to another Faith Friday! 

I've bee trying to make a habit of reading the bible every morning. I managed 4 out of 5 mornings, so overall not too bad. I'm currently trying to get through Proverbs. It doesn't read like a story and I think that's why I'm having trouble getting through it. Having said that I have come across some gems through my reading. One such verse that stood out was this one: 

Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed.

                                                                                    Proverbs 16:3

I have a Tyndale Application Study Bible so I looked up the notes for this verse and here is what I found. (I sort of paraphrased what they said.)

There are different ways of failing to commit to the Lord. Some people commit their work only superficially. They say they are working for the Lord but they're really doing it for themselves. Others give God temporary control and when things start to go wrong they take back that control. Still others commit a task fully to God but they put no effort in and wonder why they weren't successful. The key is to find a balance: trusting God as if everything depended on him while working as though everything depended on us. 

I don't know about you, but I TRY to hand over the reigns of control, but always end up taking over. My husband says I'm like a bull in a china shop. (I admit, it's taken me years to try to take that the wrong way... I usually only hear the bull part and rant on how I'm not a bull.) The point is, I get a idea in my head and I run with it and I don't really take the time to think it through. I do the same thing with God. Life gets overwhelming and instead of taking all that stress to God, I try to make my life work without Him. 

While gathering info for this post I came across another verse that goes hand in hand with committing to the Lord:

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

But it's hard to trust God sometimes...isn't it? There's the one side of me that knows God can do anything. God loves me. God has a plan. But there's that doubtful side, the one that thinks I'm not good enough for God, why should he care about me? How can God love me? Sure, he has a plan, but I just want to know what it is or WHY something is the way it is. 


I've posted before about my challenges when I try to get closer to God...there's always something that gets in the way. Have you ever noticed when you are on track that life feels easier? Not that the challenges you face are gone, but they seem easier to handle. 

I don't know about you, but I'm trying harder to trust God. I KNOW He is faithful and I want to be faithful too! 


I'm trusting in God. He has a plan for my life and He has a plan for your life too! Join me in trying to have a little more faith this week. I have no doubt we'll all be surprised. 

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Ever Feel Like You're Being Attacked Spiritually?

Welcome to Faith Friday!

Do you ever feel like you're being attacked? Like every time you try to do something, it always seems to go wrong? Or maybe, like me, you try to start reading the bible or pray on a regular basis and a million things get in your way.

Yesterday, I decided that the kids wanting to go outside wasn't going to stop me from reading the bible. I'm trying to get through Proverbs. So, I get my cup of coffee, grab my bible and sit on the front step. Every two minutes one of the kids wanted my attention. Usually, when I go outside they ignore me because they're too busy playing. Then my daughter knocks over my coffee mug and breaks it - yep, my favorite mug that I've been drinking out of everyday for the last year - sigh. This morning, I tried again but the kids kept fighting.

I've also started reading at night before bed, it's a Christian book called Crazy Love. It's a great book, but really makes you think deeply. Every time I read something of value I get really sleepy. Same thing happens from time to time when reading the bible. I get this overwhelming feeling of drowsiness. It's ridiculous if you ask me.

I'm the kind of person who can read a book in a couple hours or a couple of days depending on the size of book. Yet, here I am, I can barely get through a couple of pages. So, I started thinking about the why. Why do I get sleepy and why do I get interrupted by a million obstacles? Well, you may think I'm nuts, but I have an idea why. The more I try to strengthen my faith, the more obstacles I face. What better opportunity for the devil or evil (or whatever you want to call it) to try and break me down? I don't know about you, but it makes sense doesn't it? What better opportunity to make us stumble and fall?

In John 16:33, Jesus says: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

What do you do to get over your obstacles? How do you manage reading the bible during your day?