Today's Devotional Thought
April 17, 2013 by Wendy Foreman
See the Blessings
My husband has been teaching on spiritual warfare on Wednesday nights in our Bible study hour. We have talked about the areas that Satan will attack that can lead us to take our eyes off of Jesus and the work He has for us. An area that we have talked about was the body. If our bodies are weak with some sort of sickness or if a trauma has happened, we can become very distracted. We oftentimes will focus on what is wrong with or in our bodies and we will not focus on the Lord. For instance, let's say that something has happened and because of that we are not able to do the things that we want to: go to work, clean around the house, do laundry, go out and enjoy a beautiful day or perhaps even take care of our families the way we would like. We begin to get so discouraged and frustrated and now all we can focus on is what we cannot do.
Satan has won his battle right here because we have been, what I will call, rendered ineffective for Christ. Our focus is not on what God would have us to do for Him, but rather it is on our situation. We are not thinking about how that this "being still" will allow us to be in His word more, spend more concentrated time in prayer, read an interesting book or send a note to someone we haven't spoken to in a while. We can minister from where we are in spite of our situation.
I was reminded today that God works in all things and we need to get our eyes off our circumstances and onto God. I had a sweet friend send me an email telling me "God evidently knew that you needed to take time for yourself and to rest and we both know that God doesn't make mistakes. He may not have allowed what happened to you to happen but he will use it to put you on the side lines for a while." This email came because I fell on Sunday at my son's baseball game and ended up in the emergency room where I was told I had a severe sprain, possible chipped bone and that I was to wear one of those ugly shoes and be on crutches for a while. I had to elevate my foot, ice and take ibuprofen.
I don't do still well.
(And, I really don't do ugly shoes...hahaha!).
I am a person who likes to go and do. I am side lined and truth be told, I am struggling. Satan has been working overtime with me and I am battling Him. I needed that reminder from my sweet friend today and it made me stop in my tracks (or in my crutches) and realize that this time is perhaps a wonderful gift. A time to be still and take in all that is around me. The love of my church family who are spoiling me and my family with food, the love of my BFF who has brought me chocolates and a candle (I love them both and the candle smells like the beach...we were supposed to go there this week but can't now) and my dear sweet husband who has helped me so much the last few days to get around and to take care of me.
Yes, it is a bummer when we are down and out, but like my friend told me, sometimes God knows what we need and in a busy {very busy season of my life} perhaps God knew that I needed to be still and appreciate all that He has blessed me with.
Are you in a period of life where you are struggling with a physical situation that has you distracted and focusing on the wrong thing? May I challenge you today to stop and write down 5 things that you see in your life that God has blessed you with? Is it family to help you? Friends to spoil you? Maybe it is a good neighbor who checks in on you. I am quite certain as you stop and ask God to show you, you will be surprised at the blessings that are all around you. May you be blessed today as your focus is on Jesus and not your circumstances.
December