Lean on Him

Psalm 91:2 I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust."

Life is hard, period. No matter who you are, there are, or have been, some tough times. It's hard because we live in a fallen world with fellow sinners. There are storms that come and things that are out of our control. In fact, as I tell my kids, the only thing we can control are our reactions to people and situations that are out of our control! And I for one, don't do that very well.

So, what shall we do then? Shall we run and hide? Shall we lash back in out of control emotion? Or cower helplessly because of it all?

I suggest we run to the one who is in control. Our God!

He is a refuge. His word says He will hide you under His wing. He will protect and give rest.

He is a fortress, a strong tower. A place to go in time of need.

He can be trusted. His word is true and He will fulfill all His promises.

I know for me, He has been a refuge in times of trouble, a fortress and a trusted Father who has never left me nor forsaken me.

It makes me think of this song that we sing in church:

I will bless the Lord forever,
And I will trust Him at all times.
He has delivered me from all things,
And He has set my feet upon the Rock.

I will not be moved, and I'll say of the Lord:
You are my Shield, my Strength, my Portion, Deliverer,
My Shelter, Strong Tower, my very present help in time of need.

Whom have I in Heaven but you.
There's no one I desire beside You.

You have made me glad, and I'll say of the Lord:
You are my Shield, my Strength, my Portion, Deliverer,
My Shelter, Strong Tower, my very present help in time of need.

My very present help in time of need.

My very present help in time of need.

Soul Control

In chapter 9 of Let. It. Go., Karen Ehman discusses 5 forms of control we exert to get our way. They are, outright action, subtle mood swings, guilt-laying trips, cloaked concern, and pulling the God Card.

Honestly, I think I use each of these in different situations. But, if I were to pick one that I use most often, I would say subtle (or not so subtle) mood swings. I am the queen of 'fine' in a tight lipped way, or 'oh, I just don't feel well'. Sometimes I will just swing all over with my moods. I can get real pouty real quick!

Thankfully, I don't have to stay trapped in this forever. God is working on me, ever so slowly. I have been searching His word and trying to stay honest about how I am feeling. I also have a dear friend who I know I can trust to keep me accountable. We have an agreement that we will just ask one another if we feel the vibe coming off the other person. "Did I do something wrong? Is there something we need to discuss?" I have found that this accountability has helped me to be more forthright in other relationships.

Now, I still have a long way to go, but God is working. I am learning to stay in His word, to take my hurt feelings to Him, to trust His timing and to stay out of the horrid comparison trap! I am learning that I need to release the reins and give God sole control over my life.

Lord,
I pray that I will put my hope and trust in You and that I will relinquish the reins of my life. I pray that You will continue the good work You have begun in me. Help me to be upfront and honest about my wants and needs and how I feel, in a loving way. Help me to recognize when I am trying to control a situation and help me to pause and think before I act or pout.