When Circumstances Change

This entry is a Nugget indeed! I enjoyed re-reading it. Have you ever thought about journaling? As I am going through my old journals, I am astounded at the things God has shown me, and they would’ve been lost in my cob-webbed mind if I didn’t write them down. If you have never made a journal, now is a good time to start, don’t you think? I just use a Mead composition Binder. Date each page and then write. Don’t worry about sounding silly. That's just our stupid pride trying to ruin it for us, so we don’t do something great for God.

Thanks for joining me with “When Circumstances Change”.

Journal Entry September 22, 2007

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.

Matt 6 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matt%206;&version=31;

When a verse says heart, it can be referring to the mind. So, I can take this to say that where my mind is, what I concentrate on, that is where my treasure is.

God says my eyes are dim when they take in the scene before me, and can’t see what is right there in front of my face. It’s the desires of my heart, those that are contrary to His guidance, that are blinding me to see and hear God’s voice.. When that happens, God steps in to help my mind see His truth.

Have you ever searched for an item in the house, found it, only to discover that you needed to find another? After an aggravated search, you end up finding it right in front of your nose, and in the same spot you found the other item. Doesn’t it boggle your mind that you never even noticed it the first time?

This is because our mind is only searching for the one thing. It disregards most everything else. I discovered while going through some painful circumstances that my mind couldn’t see what God wanted me to know until…

My circumstances created a different thought process. It opened a closed mind to new things.

Do you know how many times I wish I could’ve avoided going through painful circumstances? It doesn’t take a brainy psychologist to realize we don't work that way, does it?
How many times have you heard, “If only I had listened, but nooo, I had to learn the hard way!”

An open mind to the things of God is received by the Holy Spirits training. That training, (yes you guessed it) it’s the school of life. The Bible is full of stories about people and their schooling. It shows us that it’s God who orchestrates change within us and the lives of others like, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Jacob, Peter and Paul to name a few.

Journal Entry September 23, 2007

Sometimes traveling to a new place leads to great transformation.

What a profound statement. I’m marveling at what kind of transformation to expect. I know God is doing something; I’m just not sure what yet.

We were on our way back from Chowchilla, Ca. and stopped for refreshments at Starbucks. It was there, sitting outside, that He told us, “I am changing your circumstances. This change, including direction will lead you to a new place of great transformation within the heart and mind.”

It’s been two years and He still isn’t finished. We had no idea what laid ahead of us. If you have been following my writing, then you already have an idea where we were heading and what we were going to be facing. There is one more little jotting I did (just 3 bullets). I’ll post it because it shows a bit more of what the Holy Spirit was showing me.

• A time of testing – Job
• Something big is planned and we have to go through this before it happens
• Lessons are being taught

“Sometimes God calms the storm; sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child.”

I am pleased if what God has shown me, becomes a guiding light and an encouragement to you. For those of you who are entering into or going through painful circumstances, I understand and have walked a hard mile in those shoes. For me, I felt alone, mostly because I didn’t comprehend how He worked. I couldn’t spiritually grasp what He was doing when I saw my loved ones hurting, the things I owned being stripped from us and my whole identity being challenged due to loss of relationships, credit, jobs and health.

But I discovered something that I want to share. God is good all the time. Lean into Him during painful times. Get closer and cozier. Really get to know Him; for He is a delight to our mind and a comfort to our hearts.

And…when you find someone who is willing to walk with you, to pray with you, to encourage you; receive from it and don’t lose it. If you happen to find someone who’s relationship with God is powerful and mature…take the time to be nourished from the fruit they bear… shake the fruit from their tree and gleam as much as you can.

Psalm 34:8
Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalms%2034;&version=31;

Love and hugs,