Family of God: Re: [Awake4HisReturn] Stillness: A New `Frame' of Mind

I am learning,
There are many times we get in gods way trying to get ahead of him.

On Sat Apr 9th, 2011 7:40 AM CDT Shelley Cartwright wrote:

>omg i know i want everything done right away lol patience is a virtue huh?
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>________________________________
>From: Wanda Ward <angelina56p47@yahoo.com>
>To: awake4hisreturn@yahoogroups.com
>Sent: Fri, April 8, 2011 7:32:04 AM
>Subject: Re: [Awake4HisReturn] Stillness: A New `Frame' of Mind
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>I find myself being too impatient i want to have everything done yesterday. Have
>asked god to help me there.
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>On Fri Apr 8th, 2011 7:15 AM CDT Michael J. Knight wrote:
>
>>
>>Stillness: A New `Frame' of Mind
>>
>>
>>"Be still, and know that I am God ..." (Psalm 46:10a).
>>
>>
>>When it comes to my relationship with God, if I am not in tune with Him,
>>I tend to put up a fight. I like to defend my position, or I want to run
>>ahead of Him without His permission, or I would rather go kicking and
>>screaming into the next level of faith instead of letting go, as God had
>>intended for me all along. Whatever the case, I am a flurry of movement,
>>whether bodily or verbally.
>>
>>Stillness isn't something I naturally relate to. It is something I must
>>consciously – with the help of Jesus-- work at. Just drinking in
>>God's presence or waiting for Him to speak to me or even do things in me
>>is difficult. It's not that I am ADHD. It's just that there are times
>>when seemingly doing nothing (i.e., "being still" as I often wrongly
>>understand it) makes me uncomfortably aware of just how empty I am and
>>how impatient I can truly be.
>>
>>But God, who is rich in mercy and ever mindful of my personality flaws,
>>has a way of working into me the things that I cannot naturally
>>understand myself. And so I will share an illustration with you about
>>God's gentleness that I hope will inspire you toward abiding in Him.
>>
>>The Journal Entry
>>
>>Praying for direction is something I do often. I want to know what God
>>wants me to DO, because if I know what God wants me to DO, then I can
>>plan. I have a goal, and with that goal, I have a sense of being in
>>control of my destiny. I am secure in the knowledge of what is clearly
>>expected of me.
>>
>>Early last year, I spent a block of time seeking God for the next steps
>>of my life, with the hopes of learning more specifics about my career
>>path, my marital status, and any exciting adventures that God might have
>>for me. Part of the message that I received from God was Psalm 46:10,
>>but it didn't really sink in. Though I wrote it down as part of my
>>journal entry that January day, the message left but a whisper in my
>>spiritual consciousness. I took it more as an afterthought than as the
>>still, small voice of God. Yet, this was exactly the message God had for
>>me that year. I just didn't know it yet. Not until God, in His
>>creativity repeatedly showed me. And the first avenue He used was art.
>>
>>A Creative God Moment
>>
>>I love art shows. I love the beauty and the originality of the different
>>art media – pottery, paintings, crafts, and metal work. It inspires
>>the artist in me. So when I heard about an art show in a neighboring
>>city, I gladly headed out the door with my friend, David, to enjoy a
>>wonderful outdoor feast for the senses.
>>
>>We were about halfway through the exhibits when David saw some artwork
>>that caught his eye. I resisted the urge to move on ahead and followed
>>him instead to peruse the small display of paintings. These
>>garden-inspired paintings were on glass. Each painted glass panel was
>>encased in a wooden frame, and inscribed on each wooden frame was a
>>Scripture verse.
>>
>>I liked the concept, so I too joined in rummaging through the bins to
>>find the painting that had the particular Scripture verse that I felt
>>best spoke to me. I had always loved Jeremiah 29:11 and often quoted it
>>over my life and the lives of others. Just to refresh your memory, it is
>>the verse that begins "I know the plans I have for you, declares the
>>Lord". I always loved that verse because it portrays the active role God
>>has in our lives. It was reassuring to know I wasn't going to fly blind
>>through life because God had a master plan for me that was good and
>>hope-giving and prospering.
>>
>>When I found the painting with the verse I wanted, I decided I didn't
>>like the color scheme at all. I disappointedly returned it to the bin. I
>>wasn't about to buy an ugly painting, no matter what the message. I
>>noticed that David was contemplating a painting with more vibrant colors
>>of red and yellow flowers. That's more my style, I thought, secretly
>>hoping that David wouldn't buy that one. My wish came true. David found
>>a more subdued picture that he liked better. Here was my chance. I
>>picked up the discarded picture and carefully read the verse. I bet you
>>can guess what it said: "Be still and know that I am God."
>>
>>Because I am prone to spiritual cluelessness, I didn't recall my January
>>journal entry. I bought that painting because it was pretty, took it
>>home, and decided to nail it on my wall above the TV because that is
>>where it looked best -- nothing really spiritual about it to me.
>>
>>Message Received
>>
>>Fast forward a couple of months. During the night of the worship
>>service, the worship leader had everyone, including the choir, sit down
>>and wait on the Lord to speak to our hearts. I was actually in the right
>>attitude to listen, so I closed my eyes and waited for Him to speak.
>>
>>And did He speak! His message to me was… well, by now you can
>>probably guess. The third time must be the charm, as they say, because I
>>finally started to get it. I began to understand that God was calling me
>>away from performance, away from what I was most comfortable with:
>>doing. I was a human being for a reason. If I were truly meant to do,
>>do, do, then I would be called a human doing, wouldn't I?
>>
>>Instead of feeling empty or lacking inside or upset that God was holding
>>me back from something; I simply felt God's peace, something I
>>desperately needed. I wasn't chafing in God's presence. I didn't feel
>>the need to do anything except exist in His presence. I felt His
>>acceptance and wholeness. It was truly amazing.
>>
>>I still have that picture hung where I can see it the moment I close my
>>eyes at night and the moment my eyes open in the morning. It is a
>>constant and visible reminder that I don't need to do anything for God.
>>He has done it all for me. I can simply be in His presence, knowing that
>>He has my back, knowing that He will accomplish all that He wishes in
>>His time and His way.
>>
>>Remember
>>Only one life, will soon be past,
>>Only what is done, for Christ will last.
>>
>>The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the
>>communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. (2 Corinthians
>>13:14)
>>
>>Love & Prayers,
>>
>>Michael J. Knight.
>>
>>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/A-C-T-S/
>><http://groups.yahoo.com/group/A-C-T-S/>
>>
>>What we are is God's gift to us. What we become is our gift to God.
>>
>>
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