Drops of Sunshine - Daily Bread

The things that seem complex and challenging can zap so much of our mental energy only for the end result to make us say, "That's it?". There are no complexities involved with salvation. The gift of salvation really is as simple as acceptance. No strings. It was already paid for. It's the work we put in that helps out faith grow. Either it will flourish or it will wither away. It's up to us.

For some people, it's daunting to think about our future as being predetermined. Instead of dwelling on things that are out of our control, we should instead focus on how it illustrates the love and the patience God has toward us. God is omniscient and knows what choices, right or wrong, we will make. He knows what it is he planned for us, even if we sometimes don't walk in agreement with it. Yet, it's worth giving him the praise because it means that every challenge I face or obstacle that arises can't possibly be impossible.  Because he already has the solution. All I have to do is ask him to help me.

In our current generation, there is an absurd amount of fraud. Scam texts, emails, phone calls galore. And don't mention AI to anyone. When you are surrounded by things that are not genuine, you begin to realize that you took for granted what's real and what's true. Don't waste energy on "playing church". Be sincere about your faith and allow your trust in God to build even stronger with each new day.  

 I Thessalonians 5:17 says we should pray without ceasing. I grew up wondering how I could achieve that when there were so many other responsibilities that would often monopolize my thoughts. How was I supposed to pray all the time? As I got older, I came to think more about the many things there were to pray about. Furthermore, I began to think about the many ways I could converse with God throughout my day. Just as I make an effort to spend time with my family and friends, I have to make that same effort to spend quality time with God. 

I've encountered people that are so ecstatic about their good fortune that they forget about God. I've also encountered others who are so despondent that they forget about God. What both remind me of is the importance of incorporating an attitude of gratitude toward God daily. If it's not conditional and it's a part of my lifestyle, then it really does become a simple thing to do each day that enriches my daily living.  Just like my daily ADL's, my day can't really start until I spend just a moment expressing my thanks to God.

God will not set you up for failure. Instead, we have to learn to trust that he has given us the exact skills needed for each test we face. Is there anything better than an open book quiz? If I'm struggling, all I have to do is ask God for help.

It gets easier to exude confidence when you've learned to trust. Rather than wallow in fear and worry, you are instead able to rest in the comfort of knowing that God's taking care of you. I equate it to a visit to the grocery store and swiping your card. Either you are confidently certain you have funds to cover the transaction or you're desperately hoping there is just enough to work for this one transaction. Our goal with our faith is to become confidently certain.

We desire the best for the people we love. As does God for us. Rather than cling to the things that trouble you, talk it with God and release it into his care. He already knows the perfect solution for the problem. He's waiting for us to loosen our grip so he can show us how simple it really is just to trust him.

Letting go of our troubles and relying on someone else to handle it is not easy. Yet, life teaches us the importance of letting go when we do trust someone else to tackle it. If I were to hand you a Rubik's cube and ask you to solve it for me, it'd be a little challenging for you to do so if I don't let it go, right? That's exactly what God wants us to do with those woes and worries. Let them go.

We should develop the practice of not only asking God to guide our footsteps, but our speech as well. The saying "loose lips sink ships" didn't come from nowhere. Rather than rely on our own thinking and attempt to piece together solutions, put that reliance on God.

I once always associated the word sober with drunkenness. If someone mentioned the word, they were clearly talking to people that drank too much. But as I grew, I've come to realize the significance of sobriety in all areas of living. If I do not have a sober mind, then I have no focus and no direction. My thoughts and judgement are cloudy. I don't always make the best decisions in that state. So praying for God to direct my footsteps each day is even more essential.

Occasionally a season will roll through at work that is very busy. There would be times when it would seem like just as a I checked one thing off the to do list, twenty others were added. I remembered telling myself one day that I refused to give in to the feeling of being overwhelmed. With my spiritual walk, that is the same mind I need to cling to. When things get hard, and seem impossible to bear, I have to remember that I can cast those worries on God because he can care for me greater than I can.

I was talking with some friends lately about how easily our thoughts get muddled when our bodies are lacking something. Most people can connect to that with hunger. That's why "hangry" became a fake word. Some people's thoughts and emotions become out of control when they haven't eaten. Even our bodies show us the negative aspects of a disruption to clear thinking. Just as we quickly grab a bite to eat to quell hunger, we have to learn the recognize the same signs in our spirit when we begin showing signs of malnourishment.

Growing up in church, I'd often hear scriptures like 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (pray without ceasing, KJV) quoted. I would often wonder how I could do that when there were so many other things to do. School, studying, homework, etc. Should I not be doing those things and instead be at home praying 24/7? As I grew, both physically and spiritually, I began to understand that when I embrace this faith as a part of my lifestyle, then it becomes natural to have Christ on my mind in all things. Whether I'm bowling, mall strolling with friends, or watching a movie, something clicks and shifts my mind to heavenly things. Therein is the peace that I should desire every moment.

  When someone we once knew like a book began to act differently, others would say they were acting brand new. The truth is, once we accept Christ in our lives, there should be a change. You should seem brand new. The things you used to do and the way you used to think become a part of your past as even your desire for those things has faded. This is something that can happen every day when Christianity becomes your lifestyle, not just something you pay lip service to. 

 There is a saying that seeing is believing. Yet, we believe in so many things we do not actually see with our natural eyes. Often, the evidence is in a feeling. We feel the wind and can sometimes hear it whistling when it gets intense. That's the proof that we have that it exist. Believing in a God we can't physically see for things that have yet to manifest may seem insane to unbelievers. But that's our hope. We can trust that although we've not seen what we believe, we will reap the benefits if we continue to build our trust and hope in nothing less than Christ himself.

Yes, waiting requires a great deal of patience. When you go to a restaurant and place an order, it's not typical for that meal to instantly arrive and be placed before you. There's a period of waiting. And if we truly send up prayers and wait on God's answer, we can do so with an expectation that it is coming.

Knowing that my faith requires some confidence, I can pray each day for it to be all the stronger while waiting for the answers to my prayers. And it requires a large measure of confidence to wait on things you've not yet seen. Yet, that is exactly why we need confidence in Christ. I may not see the things I've long prayed for yet, but I trust him to be a deliverer who has never failed. 

Some people tend to shy away from confidence because they twist it with pride. The truth is that confidence is an unshakeable trust. Certainty. So when it comes to our faith, it's confidence we need to be in possession of. A deeply rooted and unshakeable trust that assures us that God will never fail.

Often when you begin a search, you have something in mind. Whether it is a new home or a new car, or whatever. You know may not know exactly what you want, but you have a pretty good idea of what you don't want. The same attitude of expectation is one we should carry in our spirit walk. If we trust God enough to take our cares to, then trust him enough to provide the answer.

We can trust that the creator knows why he created his creation and what the purpose is. So if we find ourselves feeling uncertain about what path we should take, start by talking to God about it.

 I find it completely amazing and affirming to know that God is concerned about me. So much so, that even when others plot and plan evil toward me, I can confidently know that God's plan will always be far superior. It will always be for my God. That's why I need to trust him and rely on him every single moment.

 I have a coworker that says she can't move forward with any plan unless she has a Plan B. While that may work well for things we encounter in our professional lives, we should have a different philosophy with our spirit lives. Instead of pouring energy into "what if", know that there is no plan that catches God by surprise. He desires good for each of us and that should encourage us to also seek the same for ourselves.