Dealing with disappointment

We all experience disappointment some time or another. Maybe you are having a worse day than anticipated, maybe someone didn't meet your expectations, maybe a friend let you down or a promise was broken, it might be a huge disappointment or a small disappointment, but it still tries to steal our joy and cramp our style. Your heart feels like it's bleeding and you don't understand why people are so thoughtless, careless or selfish. You feel bad, because you are not sure if you are just overreacting or if it really is something that needs to be addressed. Point is, you just feel hurt and discouraged.

When we live in the Spirit, we can always be in a place of peace and joy. Once in my disappointment God gave me the following picture: my heart is made of clay and as disappointment comes it leaves imprints like footprints on my heart. Holes where it has trampled. At that moment we have a choice, we can allow the holes to harden and dry by harbouring the disappointment or we can choose to let the Spirit work through us, give it to Him and let the disappointment go before it even leaves an imprint on our day. God fills and moulds our hearts until there is no trace of disappointment left.

It's a fight, but it's a choice. We choose what gets us down and what drains us. We have the Spirit in us and if we choose to submit every situation to Him, He will restore our hearts. If we seek revenge, complain, scold or attack the other party, we only react on the impulses of the flesh and that can never bring healing to our hearts or give us the ability to forgive. I'm not saying that it's easy, it takes practice, but choosing to submit the situation to God and allow the Spirit to work through us, will always lead us into a place of peace and joy and enable us to respond in love.

God can never disappoint us. He is with us every moment and He catches us every time that we slip or fall. Choose Him and call on Him in every situation and do not allow the imprint to leave a mark on your heart. Allow your heart act like a sponge, every time when life squeezes the water out of you, allow the Spirit to immediately replenish you.

May our days never look the same again. May we live with open hearts, undisturbed by the challenges in our daily lives, untouched by the darts of the enemy. May we be fountains of peace, love and joy! 

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 ESV)

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God said what?!

So one day you find yourself happily doing your thing and God speaks. You think: “did I just hear correctly? You want me to do what?! You are giving me what?! Did He just say that?! Uhm.. well.. I didn’t ask for this, but it’s quite exciting..”

Maybe you are in that situation where God has told you a secret about yourself or about your future. You were super excited to hear His voice and excited because of what He said. Then you start sharing it with people and they start looking at you funny and questioning whether God could really tell you such a thing. Suddenly doubt creeps in and you become discouraged. “Can this really be? Was this really God or was it my imagination?”

I have spoken to a few people lately who seem to be facing this issue. God is a speaking God and He loves telling us things about ourselves and the amazing plans which He has for us. But more often than not, He only gives you one piece of the entire puzzle and you wonder: “how on earth is this going to fit into my life or how will this work out?” Just because He spoke to you today, doesn’t mean that it’s going to happen tomorrow. I have heard things spoken to me by God 5 years ago which still has not happened, but I know it’s in my future and I don’t have to doubt them.

So how do you deal with this word that you received from God? Maybe you are not even sure if it was God? My best advice would be to not share it with many people. Mention it to your closest friends and guard it in your heart. If God spoke this word then He will make it come to pass and He will walk this journey with you and lead you all the way. Ask Him to give you scripture to accompany His word.

“so shall My word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

God will always finish everything which He starts. You do not need to act on this word, unless He tells you to. Just relax and wait for His guidance. It might be months before He mentions anything again relating to the word. Put your focus on Jesus and follow Him. Don’t let the word distract you from what He has put in your hands at this moment. He will tell you the next step when the time is right.

“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” 1 Corinthians 13:11-12

Now you see only a part of the journey, but in the future you will see it fully. The worst thing that we can do is try to make something happen in our own strength before the time is right. This will only discourage us and be a struggle. Breaking the door down or slamming against it with your fists will not make the journey easier, rather wait until God opens the door for you and tells you to walk through it.

The journey that we are on is such an incredibly exciting one and Jesus is taking us from glory to glory in Him. Be ready to learn everything which He wants to teach you in the meantime to prepare you for the calling that He has for you. Faith is the evidence of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Heb 11:1). He is putting you in this situation to teach you, therefore open your heart and trust Him completely. He is the author and perfecter of our faith (Heb 12:2) and I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Phil 1:6) No one can walk this road for you, it's between you and God. He is for us and not against us. He delights in us and His plans are marvellous!

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matt 6:33

Photo credit: Mandy Lynne

Love, love, love!

Love, love, love, love, love, I cannot say it enough! It’s just so intensely on my heart today. To love is to live. I’m referring to all kinds of love, friendship, relationship, family and neighbourly love. To love people intensely is such an amazing experience. Yes, you can get hurt sometimes and sometimes you have to say goodbye, but you are still blessed to have loved. God has put something so amazing in each person on earth and if we can see each person through God’s eyes then we would only feel love for them.

The Bible says that God is love and therefore loving is probably the greatest thing you can do. It is not always easy and sometimes it doesn’t come naturally, but if we get God’s perspective on someone our love for them will grow in our hearts, because God looks down on us with love.

“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as He is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:16-19

Sometimes I feel as if I want to explode with love and the more time I spend with God, the more I feel loved and the more I love. God increases our capacity to love. Loving people didn’t come naturally to me before I met Jesus. I loved my friends and family, but that’s about where it stopped. I even kept my friends at a certain distance, because I felt that I was a private person and I also saw emotions as a sort of weakness. Now I can confidently say that my strength lies in my ability to love. Not with my own love, because my own love expects a return and runs dry, but with God’s love, the love which loves unconditionally without expecting returns. There is a difference between the love of God and the love of this world. Our minds cannot understand the love of God, but our hearts cannot deny it. We are drawn like a moth to a flame. When you are consumed with God’s love there is no space for jealousy, bitterness, unforgiveness, envy and strife. God’s love knows no bounds, it never ends and as the Bible says: “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”  1 Peter 4:8 Love covers everything, it wipes the slate clean, it builds up and encourage.

That is what Jesus did for us on the cross. He died for us, because He loved us. He covered us with His love and in that separated us from sin and death and gave us life. If we struggle with negative or destructive thoughts against other people, we should not ask God to remove the thoughts, but ask Him to increase our capacity to love. He is the only one who can fill you with pure love. If you have not yet felt His pure love running through your veins, I ask you to sit with Him and ask Him to fill you with his love. Ask Him for an experience of His love. Ask Him every day until you meet Him in that place of pure love and joy. God delights in us and His desire and love is for us. Don’t settle for anything less.

“and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:5

“so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:17-21

Amazing song: Be my love

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Having the upper hand!

We want to live every day knowing that we have the upper hand over our circumstances. We can always have the upper hand, because we have the Spirit of God living inside of us. As per the scripture below, David knew that God would rescue him, because God delights in David. David knew who he was and therefore he could claim the promises of God. He had the upper hand.

“He sent from on high, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
He rescued me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out into a broad place;
He rescued me, because He delighted in me.” Psalm 18:16-19

The same can be said for us as we are children of God and He delights in us. I think we can often forget that He delights in us and we forget that He is always ready to support and guide us. We might not always know what He is doing, but He will “send from on high” and He will “bring me into a broad place” at the appointed time. David was confident, because he knew who God is and His character. He knew that God is the type of friend who always has your back in the battle.

The more we get to know God, the more confident we become and we build a foundation of trust on Him and His word. I think that we sometimes forget that the journey should be a joyous one, even though we walk through deep water sometimes, He will always carry us through. We do not have to doubt Him! The Bible says: “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:37

We are more than conquerors because of what Jesus has done, not because of what we are doing. The victory is ours before we even lift a finger. It is not what we are doing, but what Jesus has done and we have to live in the truth and the reality of who we are now. The only thing that we can do is be willing, humble and listen to God’s voice. He desires a relationship, He wants to spend time with you, have fun with you and laugh with you. Be sensitive to His whispers and give Him your undivided attention when you feel Him tugging at your heart. You are one word away from the solution to whatever you are facing at the moment. Do not miss out. He will give you the strength to face every day with peace, love and heaps of joy. You have the upper hand!

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Take heart!

When I was asking God what to write about today, He gave me a picture of someone walking up a mountain who is reaching a point of discouragement because of the difficulty of the journey. I felt Him say (paraphrasing): “Look back at how far you have come and how faithful I’ve been. Do not look at what you don’t know (the rest of the journey and the fear of the unknown), but look back at what you do know and what I have already shown you. That is what you are putting your faith in.”

We are always on the journey of life and maybe today you are in the middle of a steep slope where the road ahead is uncertain and this has made you discouraged and fearful. Do not think of all the experience which you lack and all the elements that you are uncertain about, but look back in time, because if God is moving you forward, then He has given you examples in your life to encourage you to continue walking. Maybe it’s a family member who has radically changed since meeting God and who inspires you? Maybe it’s a friend’s support or maybe God gave you a dream, vision or prophetic word for your future? If you cannot see these examples, ask Him to open your eyes to see His footprints in your journey and you will be amazed at how He has brought you to the point at which you are now.

Think of the moment that David stood in front of Goliath. That was a steep slope that no man in Israel wanted to climb, but David, still a youth and inexperienced in battle was willing to take on the giant. Why? Because he looked back and he remembered what God can do and who God is and that this steep slope was no match for him, because God was with him.

“And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!” 1 Samuel 17:32-37

So let your hearts not fail because of this steep slope, but look back, remember, take courage and walk with endurance the path set before you. The victory is already won in Jesus. Believe it and receive it. This slope is no match for you and Jesus.

“I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Awesome song: Mighty fortress

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Love or fear?

I was busy reading a book yesterday and the author commented that “all our actions come from one of two basic emotions – fear or love.” Wow, I couldn't agree more and I haven't thought about it in this way before. I started thinking of the motive behind why I do the things I do. Out of love or fear?

I started thinking about the kind of life that I want to live with God, at the office, at home and in relationships. A life of love or fear? Why do I stay at my current job? Because I am passionate or because I fear that I won't have enough money if I  do something which I am passionate about? Why do I spend time with certain people? Because I love them, care for them or because I'm too scared to be alone?

We can all recognise love and passion in our lives and it brings joy, freedom and life. God is the ultimate example of love. He is love and love is everywhere where His Spirit and presence are on earth. We can all also recognise fear in our lives and it breeds anxiety, stress, shame, doubt and limits us. Lies breed fear. When we are close to breakthrough or a new adventure in our lives, fear can step in and limit us. Breaking limits and overcoming fear takes courage and if we want a life that goes beyond the normal, fear will always try and takes us down first. We have a choice, life is a choice, God created choice not robots.

Fear does not help anyone, fear does not set us free, but it keeps us in bondage. How do we overcome fear? If God is asking you to take a new step, then you need to learn to trust Him, to have faith. God will give you everything you need to overcome your fear, but it starts with you and it starts with faith. The Bible says that even when we are faithless, God is faithful. When you are faithless, take your faithlessness to Him. Ask Him for the faith you need. The Bible says that He is the author and perfecter of our faith. He starts and perfects our faith. The Bible says that faith comes from hearing the Word. Read your Bible and find out what it says about you and about God and about who you are, because you have put your faith in Jesus. It empowers you, it makes your courage grow and it catapults you to new heights.

Lay your fears down at His feet. Let Him carry your burdens, you are not alone. Tell Him that you are putting your faith in Him today and read the word of God so that you can know Who you now are in Jesus. Start reading 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 and start to see that you are a new creation. Read Romans 8 and learn about life in the Spirit, that you are heirs with Christ and God’s everlasting love for you. God is for you, not against you. He loves you and He’s calling you to greater things. Do not let fear of the unknown hold you back. What kind of life do you want to live? Cling to the things of love, cut loose the bonds of fear and start living the life you always dreamed of.

“looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

“if we are faithless, He remains faithful— for He cannot deny himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13

Song: Jesus Culture – Holy Spirit(AMAZING!!) 

Picture credit: Julia Stotlar 

Letting go...

I like being in control. I’m a natural leader and I like managing situations. As a manger I manage people, clients and difficult situations every day and I often have to take control of situations to manage difficult problems. So managing and controlling became natural to me and I’m sure this spills over into my personal life. I always have to be aware of this and I can often put pressure on myself to manage all areas of my life perfectly.

God gives us tasks or puts us in situations beyond our control, because He knows that with Him we can do far more than on our own. God puts us in these situations because He knows that it is not humanly possible to cope on our own and that we have to hold on to Him. He does this so that at the end of the task or journey, when we obtain the victory, we can say “All the glory to God! There is no way that I could have done this on my own.” We say this not with false humility, but because we know how many times God had to carry us through. He is interested in His glory and making His name famous. He is God, is He not? And we have the privilege to be used in the process.

The problem comes in when He gives us a difficult situation or a large task and we start off trusting Him and it’s all going well and then one day we get busy, tired or stressed. We realise that we have lost some focus and even though the situation was perfectly fine in God’s hands, we start thinking that we have to DO something. Instead of receiving grace and leaving the task with God, we feel the need to jump in, manage and control, but it’s a lost case, because we can never cope with it all on our own. The task or situation wasn’t given to us to cope with on our own in the first place. It is a “you and God” team effort with God doing the directing and you following the lead. As soon as we take control we become overwhelmed and fear, doubt and anxiety takes over our lives. We start to feel inadequate, because the task is overwhelming and the lies start to tell us that we are unworthy, useless and failures.

Let’s look at the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. If you read the story you will realise that Jesus knew that Lazarus was ill and He chose to wait for Him to die, instead of going immediately to heal Him. After hearing of his death, Jesus returns to the tomb where Lazarus has been buried for 4 days and “Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that You always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that You sent me.” When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”” John 11:40-44

Jesus waited for Lazarus to die and made the situation humanly impossible to save. It was hopeless as Lazarus has been dead for 4 days. He knew that God wanted to reveal His glory and He thus raised Lazarus from the dead revealing God's glory.

God is the only one who can raise impossible situations or tasks from the dead. He is the one that saves. “But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in (your) weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

God is committed to His plan, He will never ask us to do it alone and He always finishes that which He started. Let’s hand over our tasks, situations, fears and doubts to God today. He can do the impossible and give us the strength and courage to walk and finish the journey.

Song: Jesus Culture with Martin Smith - Show Me Your Glory / Majesty   (I love the words “Majesty, Your grace has found me just as I am, empty handed, but alive in your hands.”)

Photo credit: favim