REST, PEACE and UNEXPECTED CIRCUMSTANCES

Psalm 91: 11-12 "For he will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands; so that you will not strike your foot against a stone."

Well this is GOOD news!  In all the mishaps, trials and struggles we have been having in our family lately, this Word is such an encouragement!  For though it is easy to see the things that go "wrong" in our lives, sometimes we fail to see how much we are being protected from.  You've heard the old saying "when it rains, it pours", and there seems to be some truth to that....that is how we have felt lately, one struggle or unexpected circumstance after another.  But ya know what..... we seem to have an easy tendency to focus on the "raining" down of difficult things in our lives, when we can and should change our perspective to see the "raining" down of God's hand in our lives.  Our perspective should not be one of concentrating on the negative things around us or all the ways we are feeling attack, but instead, on the protective hand of God.

If you've been following my posts, its been obvious that God has been trying to speak to me a lot lately about PEACE and PEACE in His PRESENCE, REST and a need to slow down and take time with Him and my family on a regular basis.  Also, as i am studying through the book of Mark, this week's emphasis for me was the verses where Jesus says, "LISTEN!......"(Mark 4:3), "He who has ears, let  him HEAR...." (Mark 4:9), "If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear. Consider carefully what you hear," (Mark 4:23-24).  God is trying to speak to me and though i hear what He is saying i'm finding it difficult to apply what He's trying to teach me.

Why is it so hard for me to slow down, to rest, to find peace, to remain peaceful in His Presence?  Perhaps it's the face pace of this(my) world, 6 kids, home schooling, soccer, soccer, soccer, my type A personality, so many things of this world vying for our attention.  Whatever it is for you or for me, it's the thorns Mark 4 talks about that are constantly trying to choke out the Word of God and the fruit of the Spirit from out lives.

Lord, help me to not just hear but LISTEN and APPLY what you are trying to teach me.  Help my heart to be tender, responsive and willing.  Help me learn the lesson now or soon, instead of continuing to resist and fight the lesson, which then only takes more time and more lessons.  Thank you for caring enough about me to keep on teaching me, sometimes the same lesson over and over again.  I want to REST in you today, to TRUST the plan you have for my life and this day, AND to have PEACE in the storms and while scaling the treacherous mountains!