Do you ever use your busy schedule as a reason to not take some quiet time for yourself? Guilty. This morning started with a meeting at 8 a.m., so I used it as an excuse to not get up earlier to have my quiet time with God. But then as I pulled into the work parking lot, I could feel myself longing for those 20 minutes of time. So I made time. Right there in my car. It was exactly the way I needed to start my day, and the Starbucks didn't hurt.
As I mentioned last week, I would be starting the Naptime Diaries ABIDE journal this week. Everyday of this eight week journey, I will post a verse and what I've taken away for that day. I'm interested to see how my faith changes during this time.
I have been so keen on finding my purpose lately. Struggling to understand if I am where I should be. I got the humbling reminder I needed this morning. It's not about me and my purpose. It's about God and his purpose. If I would take the time to "Abide and stand in HIS love," I would not feel so unsure.
"Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself." 1 Corinthians 6:19
As a grandchild of a preacher, it's instilled in you from the time you exit the womb - you are going to church. But recently it's been difficult to find a place that works for the fiance & I. It's difficult to find a church that meets the needs of young professionals. It's a minority that gets lost in the shuffle of parents, teens & elders. Somewhere in the shuffle it's the last on the priority list of most churches, in my experience, but it's the group that's seeking the most answers.
I dislike how people choose to take parts of the bible literally and parts of it metaphorically. To be honest, I don't entirely care what the bible says. I care more about how Jesus lived. How he showed compassion, grace and understanding to everyone.
Maybe that's the struggle. Finding a church that won't condemn, won't ask me to be submissive to my husband, or suggest that I should stop "drinking", etc. I will stand by my husband, not under him. I will have a glass of wine if I want to. I know that makes me no less of a Christian. I will make mistakes & I will ask for forgiveness. But I know I am loved no less than I was before my sins.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:7-8
I do my devotional almost every day. I've come to terms that this may be my church for now. I've been doing the Jesus Calling devotional for years, but I'm excited to start a new one. Naptime Diaries recently came out with an ABIDE Journal. I just ordered mine - and I look forward to starting this 8 week study that will force me to dig deeper.
You know how sometimes a quote stops you in your tracks? Or a story? Something that makes you think, this was put here for me to see - there's a purpose to it's placement. That happened to me this morning during my morning devotional. I was reading my Jesus Calling passage, when a sentence made me stop.
The only remedy is to switch your focus from the problem to My Presence. - Jesus Calling
I am certainly one of the easily distracted, and I can never say no if someone asks me to do something. (I am working on it). Maybe I do have the "fear of missing out" - I think it's more of a "fear of missing an opportunity." But I tend to attempt to solve my problems for myself, it doesn't usually work out so well. In the busyness that fills my life, I lost sight of his presence. The one that has the greater & ultimate plan. I have to remember to let him take the lead. Because he has far greater plans for me, than I have for myself. So this week I will attempt to be more focused on his presence & not my personal convictions.
How do you stay focused on your faith during the week?
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