I have not been entirely sporadic in my posting of my verses. Still I am behind in my reading at youversion.com. I read every day, but some days, I am reading my devotionals at Proverbs 31 Ministries so these scriptures may take a center in my study at a later time. If I do not focus on a verse for the day, that is not to mean that I have no intention of reading. Studying His word is very important to me and a place where I feel I am lacking.
There really are so many things I want to work on. My spiritual side (well actually my relationship with God puts it more accurately) is the most important.
So back to my verse. Today I focused on Galatians 5:16
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. --Galations 4:16
Joyce Meyer delves into that more in the devotional that joins this verse:
Relying on God
I believe every time we feel frustration, it means we've really stopped relying on God. That might sound like a bold statement to you, but think about it: God's given you and me His Holy Spirit and His grace to help us walk through anything that comes our way. Frustration hits when we stop depending on Him and try to make something happen our own way.
Understanding this really helped me. Every time I became frustrated, I reminded myself that what I was really doing was trying to take the place of the Holy Spirit. I was trying to be Holy Spirit Junior!
Do you struggle with an independent spirit? When you refuse to depend on God, in essence, you're saying, "Okay, God, I appreciate that You're around, but watch me do this." Depending on God for everything may be difficult, but it's the key to the victory we need every single day of our lives.
When God saved us, He didn't help us and then say, "Ok, that's it. You're on your own now!" He's eternally saved us, which means if we depend on Him, He will guide us and help us.
Galations 5:16 urges us to "walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit...then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh".... Notice that it doesn't say "conquer the flesh independently...then you will certainly not gratify the desires of the flesh." No, it says to live in the Holy Spirit.
Choose to stop living independently, and rely on the Holy Spirit. I promise you won't regret it!
Prayer Starter: God, You are all I need. Help me not to trust in myself, but to put my trust in You and to rely only on You.
I don't know if I am focusing more on what I need to do and less on God and asking Him to be my strength. I think in a way I do. I do not like to give up the reins. This isn't because I don't want to give control of my life over to God. I think that I tend to try to pretend that all is well. I do get frustrated though. There are things that I truly desire and that I am just not sure if I can do on my own. I know that I need His strength and that I will do God's will and be all He has created me to be in His time, but am I hindering God? Can you hinder God? I know I don't want to hinder God. I certainly do not want to get in His way, but my own actions could be doing just that.
Here is what I am working on right now.
I am still having my snotty issues and my irritation when I drive. It is truly amazing how many horrid drivers one can come in contact with in a few short blocks when one is asking God to change them when on the road. I can say that I am continually asking for His forgiveness, and I am trying. Yesterday I continually sang His praises when I realized I was just getting too grumpy. At times I was kind of screaming out "Hallelujah," but I must say that it really did help. I know that I am not evil because I get a little impatient or offended by bad and selfish drivers on the road, but it definitely takes me away from peace. I want peace.
I am also trying to catch myself when I speak negative things to myself. I am really my own worst enemy there. I continually bash myself or allow myself to get in a gloomy funk where I say that no one wants me to do any more than I already am. That I will not be given opportunity. But the fact is that God is more powerful than any man on this earth. And if God wants me to advance and God wants me to move...I WILL MOVE. If God wants me to learn a lesson where I am right now...I WANT TO LEARN THAT LESSON. I want to be what He has designed me to be. I just hope and pray that I can figure it out. I don't want to get my desires in the way of His plan and purpose for my life.
The nice thing about prepping for the year ahead, my year of change, is that I have plenty of time and a mighty God.
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