I Don't FEEL Like it!
"Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before"
Daniel 6:10
"Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress."
- 1 Timothy 4:15
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
-Matthew 6:33
Well another year is in the books for the fireworks stand. It was a different year. Nothing was typical of years before. We felt disorganized , stressed, and kind of out of touch with what was going on. Very busy, but somehow distracted. Well the good news is the fireworks season is over, and we are back home. Things are returning to normal and everything worked out fine. Those uneasy feelings did not preface a disaster on the way.
Feelings get in the way of alot of things. We are very emotional beings. God created us that way and yet it was not His desire for feelings to rule us. I know for the past 6 months to a year I've been wanting a lot of sweet and salty foods. Feeling like I deserve them since I had to give up gluten. Rewarding myself so to speak. But if I had ignored those feelings and remembered what my purpose was, I would have realized that all those foods were going to do was let me gain back 10 to 15 pounds that I had lost previously. I let my feelings and what I wanted override what I knew what was best for me. I think that was a big part of what was going on in the fireworks stand. I let my feelings take over, became stressed. and gave up my time with God for the most part. I just survived. Well all that got me was more stress, and more of a feeling of disconnection.
It seems that time and time again God is telling me relationships take time. He says, " I'm your must import relationship give me your time." And yet time and time again I let my feelings and my other "stuff" override what I know is the right thing to do, the thing that is most beneficial for me. I've read a couple of articles recently about this problem in regard to worship. The author was talking about worship as a spectator sport these days. For example, when we go to church we feel like we should be entertained. I know I'm as guilty of this as anybody. We want the sermon to speak to us, we want the worship leader to inspire us, and we want the band to perform for us. But I'm not sure that's really worship and I'm not sure that's what God has in mind for us. Worship is more about doing for God rather than doing for myself. So, if I'm expecting a performance by the band rather than participating in the praise and worship music, I become a spectator. I may feel good and it may be cool, but I am NOT personally worshipping my Savior. Unless I am an active participant, reading the Bible, praying daily, using my mouth to worship, and listening to what God is trying to speak to me rather than critiquing someone's sermon, I lose that deep and abiding close relationship with God. It doesn't usually last very long because that relationship and that closeness is so important to me I miss it when it's gone. And yet I continue to do it over and over and over again.
I guess that's no surprise. We have based our entire society on feelings. We have a nation of extremely obese people because we feel like eating french fries, corn chips, high fat foods, and sugar. It feels good. We're in an unbelievable amount of debt as individuals and a nation because it feels good to have what we want when we want it -----right now. Our families are broken and spread everywhere because it feels good to be with whomever we feel like at that time rather than work at preserving our marriages. Our education system is struggling because kids don't feel like listening and participating, parents don't feel like supporting teachers, and teachers don't feel like fighting the battles. We face almost everything in our society on our feelings, and it's the same way in our relationship with God. Many times I don't feel like going straight to my Bible when I get up in the morning. I want to watch TV, sleep in, play on my iPad, or just drink a cup of coffee. Sometimes that's what I do. But those temporary good feelings about pampering myself are quickly overridden by the damage it does to the relationship I have with God. If I spend my time in the morning being with Him, praying, listening to His direction, and asking for His help for the day then it seems that I automatically go to Him more often during the day talk to him. I think of Him more frequently during the day. But if I don't start my day out like that, He's not really on my mind and I begin thinking about other things. Basically what I've done is given the Evil One an opportunity to open the door. I'm not thinking about God as often during the day because I didn't start it with Him... and sometimes those days can turn into weeks, months, even years of a broken relationship because it wasn't something we felt like doing.
The story of Daniel is a great one to relate here. The people had been commanded to pray to no one but the king. There was only a minor punishment for disobedience.....being thrown into the lion's den. Whoa! I am certain, in his deepest self, Daniel was feeling scared and uncertain. But he didn't let those feelings control his behavior. He continued to pray daily, as he had always done, and did face the consequences. We know the rest of the story, and God was faithful, as He always is.
Charles Stanley is probably my favorite "media" pastor. I have yet to read something he has written that I did not learn from. In regard to Daniel, Dr. Stanley writes:
"The strength of Daniel's character came from his time alone with God; he remained steadfast because he was consistent in praying to God and obeying His commands. His eyes were not on his foes or on the ravenous lions. He did not worry about pandering to the governors and satraps, or trying to gain political points with the king. Rather, Daniel's complete attention was on God. He knew that he could not go wrong as long as he was honoring God, because his Lord would defend him."
God created us with feelings. He sent His Son to be on earth so that he would experience those feelings as man does. He knows how we feel. But he also knows what it takes. If I don't spend any time with my husband, before we know it we are are meeting in the hallway and grunting at each other for days at a time. This becomes a habit, and we lose touch with each other. If I don't spend time with my grandchildren they get out of the habit of spending time with me. They eventually become not all that excited about seeing me at all. Relationships take time whether we feel like it or not.
So I think that's part of a big part of what was wrong with me at the fireworks stand. I let my feelings and my busyness get in the way of the one true thing that's the most important to me. Even after having a very high spiritual experience a few weeks ago, I let it drop. Sometimes that happens more often than we know. We go from a high with God to an extreme low with God. That's what happened to me I think. But it was self inflicted. So,I intend to do better this week. I may not feel like it but I know by the end of the week I will feel so much better. It's kind of like taking your medicine. The coolest thing about it is although I walked away for a couple of weeks, I know that the minute I start walking back He'll be right there, like He always is, ready and waiting to make me 'well' again. And I surely like that feeling!
Daniel 6:10
"Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress."
- 1 Timothy 4:15
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
-Matthew 6:33
Well another year is in the books for the fireworks stand. It was a different year. Nothing was typical of years before. We felt disorganized , stressed, and kind of out of touch with what was going on. Very busy, but somehow distracted. Well the good news is the fireworks season is over, and we are back home. Things are returning to normal and everything worked out fine. Those uneasy feelings did not preface a disaster on the way.
Feelings get in the way of alot of things. We are very emotional beings. God created us that way and yet it was not His desire for feelings to rule us. I know for the past 6 months to a year I've been wanting a lot of sweet and salty foods. Feeling like I deserve them since I had to give up gluten. Rewarding myself so to speak. But if I had ignored those feelings and remembered what my purpose was, I would have realized that all those foods were going to do was let me gain back 10 to 15 pounds that I had lost previously. I let my feelings and what I wanted override what I knew what was best for me. I think that was a big part of what was going on in the fireworks stand. I let my feelings take over, became stressed. and gave up my time with God for the most part. I just survived. Well all that got me was more stress, and more of a feeling of disconnection.
It seems that time and time again God is telling me relationships take time. He says, " I'm your must import relationship give me your time." And yet time and time again I let my feelings and my other "stuff" override what I know is the right thing to do, the thing that is most beneficial for me. I've read a couple of articles recently about this problem in regard to worship. The author was talking about worship as a spectator sport these days. For example, when we go to church we feel like we should be entertained. I know I'm as guilty of this as anybody. We want the sermon to speak to us, we want the worship leader to inspire us, and we want the band to perform for us. But I'm not sure that's really worship and I'm not sure that's what God has in mind for us. Worship is more about doing for God rather than doing for myself. So, if I'm expecting a performance by the band rather than participating in the praise and worship music, I become a spectator. I may feel good and it may be cool, but I am NOT personally worshipping my Savior. Unless I am an active participant, reading the Bible, praying daily, using my mouth to worship, and listening to what God is trying to speak to me rather than critiquing someone's sermon, I lose that deep and abiding close relationship with God. It doesn't usually last very long because that relationship and that closeness is so important to me I miss it when it's gone. And yet I continue to do it over and over and over again.
I guess that's no surprise. We have based our entire society on feelings. We have a nation of extremely obese people because we feel like eating french fries, corn chips, high fat foods, and sugar. It feels good. We're in an unbelievable amount of debt as individuals and a nation because it feels good to have what we want when we want it -----right now. Our families are broken and spread everywhere because it feels good to be with whomever we feel like at that time rather than work at preserving our marriages. Our education system is struggling because kids don't feel like listening and participating, parents don't feel like supporting teachers, and teachers don't feel like fighting the battles. We face almost everything in our society on our feelings, and it's the same way in our relationship with God. Many times I don't feel like going straight to my Bible when I get up in the morning. I want to watch TV, sleep in, play on my iPad, or just drink a cup of coffee. Sometimes that's what I do. But those temporary good feelings about pampering myself are quickly overridden by the damage it does to the relationship I have with God. If I spend my time in the morning being with Him, praying, listening to His direction, and asking for His help for the day then it seems that I automatically go to Him more often during the day talk to him. I think of Him more frequently during the day. But if I don't start my day out like that, He's not really on my mind and I begin thinking about other things. Basically what I've done is given the Evil One an opportunity to open the door. I'm not thinking about God as often during the day because I didn't start it with Him... and sometimes those days can turn into weeks, months, even years of a broken relationship because it wasn't something we felt like doing.
The story of Daniel is a great one to relate here. The people had been commanded to pray to no one but the king. There was only a minor punishment for disobedience.....being thrown into the lion's den. Whoa! I am certain, in his deepest self, Daniel was feeling scared and uncertain. But he didn't let those feelings control his behavior. He continued to pray daily, as he had always done, and did face the consequences. We know the rest of the story, and God was faithful, as He always is.
Charles Stanley is probably my favorite "media" pastor. I have yet to read something he has written that I did not learn from. In regard to Daniel, Dr. Stanley writes:
"The strength of Daniel's character came from his time alone with God; he remained steadfast because he was consistent in praying to God and obeying His commands. His eyes were not on his foes or on the ravenous lions. He did not worry about pandering to the governors and satraps, or trying to gain political points with the king. Rather, Daniel's complete attention was on God. He knew that he could not go wrong as long as he was honoring God, because his Lord would defend him."
God created us with feelings. He sent His Son to be on earth so that he would experience those feelings as man does. He knows how we feel. But he also knows what it takes. If I don't spend any time with my husband, before we know it we are are meeting in the hallway and grunting at each other for days at a time. This becomes a habit, and we lose touch with each other. If I don't spend time with my grandchildren they get out of the habit of spending time with me. They eventually become not all that excited about seeing me at all. Relationships take time whether we feel like it or not.
So I think that's part of a big part of what was wrong with me at the fireworks stand. I let my feelings and my busyness get in the way of the one true thing that's the most important to me. Even after having a very high spiritual experience a few weeks ago, I let it drop. Sometimes that happens more often than we know. We go from a high with God to an extreme low with God. That's what happened to me I think. But it was self inflicted. So,I intend to do better this week. I may not feel like it but I know by the end of the week I will feel so much better. It's kind of like taking your medicine. The coolest thing about it is although I walked away for a couple of weeks, I know that the minute I start walking back He'll be right there, like He always is, ready and waiting to make me 'well' again. And I surely like that feeling!
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