Watchfulness

I don't like to seek out the bad in others and prefer to see only the good but there are appropriate times to be cautious and watchful.  This proverb highlights this concept.
Proverbs 4:14-18
(KJV)

14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Bitterness Briar Patch

Romans 13:13-14

13 Let us behave properly as in the day ..... not in strife and jealousy.
14 but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ!

Each day it is important for me to live my life in love not in strife.  Strife and bitterness are like being stuck in a briar patch.  No matter which way I try to get out, I only get more ensnared.  The only way out is for me to put on Christ.  He knows the way out of this mess.

Thank you Lord for being there for me.  For showing me there is light at the end of the tunnel.  You are restoring my spirit daily and I thank you for showing me mercy even when I deserve none. 

Peace

Romans 15:13

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Amen!

Nuf Said!

I am thankful that I have a job!

1 Timothy 6:6
Godliness with contentment is great gain.

Oh to be content!  What is contentment?  Contentment is a state or feeling of well-being. It is a state of peace despite the situations surrounding you. Hating your job and being miserable and stressed out on a daily basis are opposites of contentment but how do you find contentment?

Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not to your own understanding

6 in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.

Even when I don't know the answers, I know the Lord does.  If I trust in Him, believe His word he will not fail in His promises to me.

Thank you Lord for your Word and your promises to me.  I pray you will lead me to contentment in my job and in every area of my life. 

Does gossip expose our nakedness?

I am not sure what actually happened in Noah's tent that night but whatever it was, Ham should not have
responded to it the way he did. Because of it his lineage was forever cursed.  It appears to me that his main
sin was to run outside and tell his brothers (gossip) about their father.

Genesis 9:22

Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.

Verse 23 goes on to say that Ham's brothers walked in backwards and covered their father's nakedness.

For me the brothers represent how I should respond to gossip.  Gossip exposes weakness, shame, embarrasment, personal problems, and breeds an environment which is built on resentment and mistrust. To cover a person's shame when another is exposing it is the way I need to respond to gossip.

Father in Heaven, I pray that You will build up in me the ability to say the right thing when confronted with
gossip so others will be built up not torn down by my words.  I recognize that I have failed You in this area
by participating in gossip.  I ask that You will forgive me and lead me in the way that I should go.

Today is My Day Off!

 I love my days off and consider them my time to relax and decompress from a stressful work week.  However, hovering over my head is the fact that I have to go back tomorrow.  I actually experience dread at the thought.  It is as if I can't enjoy my days off because I have to mentally prepare for the week ahead.  My typical preparation is to harden my heart as a coping mechanism but all that has done is create bitterness and heaviness in my soul.  I know I have to turn this over to the Lord and trust in Him to restore my soul.

Psalm 23:3 
He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

Thank you Father for leading me in the way that I should go.  I am placing my trust in you.

Patience

I am not as patient nor as tuned into the Lord as David was. I wish it were true that I waited patiently for the Lord to help me but it was really that the Lord was the patient one.  He was quietly knocking on my heart's door offering His help.  He knew my need before I did and has been there gently leading me to solid ground.

Psalm 40:1-3

1 I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.

2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.

3 He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.

Hope!

Hope! I had just about given up all hope that my workplace could be a good environment for me. I felt like Job.

Job 17:15

Where then is my hope? Can anyone find it?

But the Lord is showing me once again that He is in control. 

Proverbs 3:5:
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

All I have to do is trust in Him and believe His word.

Psalm 119:49
Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope

Learning to Focus

One of the areas I realized I have been failing lately is that I have been focusing on the wrong things.  I have only been noticing the bad things that are happening around me instead of where the Bible tells me to aim my focus.

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Renewed Spirit

My attitude toward my job has gotten miserably rotten over the last couple of years.  On-the-job tension has reached stratospheric levels. 

My spirit has been beaten down and trampled.  Telling myself "I love my job" doesn't help when I know I have to go back in day after day to experience even more tearing down of my soul.

The Lord has shown me that I cannot change the way management does their job but I can work on my own attitude.  I know I cannot do this without His leading and today He has planted this seed in my heart.

Psalm 51:10:
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

I Love My Job - I Love My Job

As I get up and get ready for work each morning, I am finding it more and more difficult to have a good attitude about my workplace. 

I tell myself, "I love  my job" over and over each day but even that affirmation rings hollow as the tension continues to increase day to day. 

The continual stress has created a downward spiral in my health and my attitude that I believe is God's wake-up call bringing me back to reliance on Him.

He has gently reminded me of His
presence by giving me scriptures to meditate on during my workday.  These scriptures have been so helpful that I would like to share them with you.