Where Do You Find Security?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoL2W9MuA9k

Peace ~ We the Kingdom

 

But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord… ~ Jeremiah 17:7 NIVUK

 

The other day, one of my nieces tried to help Elizabeth clean the top of her dresser. Because it’s become her treasure trove, Elizabeth cried when anyone suggested throwing away anything. The incident reminded me of a time, when I was about Elizabeth’s age, that several of my treasures were found in the garbage. After a sewage backup, I remember discovering boxes of my things at the curb. I was hurt and angry at my parents for throwing away my things. I was a kid and didn’t understand that things couldn’t just be cleaned and returned to the house. All I knew was that it happened, and I had no control to stop it.

 

Many of the people we see as heroes are those who suffered experiences outside of their control. Though the experiences affected them, they didn’t stay in a place of hurt and didn’t let “victim” become their identity.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

The overwhelming desire to wallow in the muck of the things that happened to them died when they surrendered their hearts to Jesus, as it is with us when we surrender. The draw to dwell on the past continues to lose influence as we surrender more of our hearts and minds to Jesus.

 

At some point in life, we’ve all lost things, whether physical or relational. Loss tears at our sense of security, which comes from God’s design, that only He can fill. Trying to fill it with anything else leaves us feeling empty and alone.

This is what the Lord says: ‘Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. That person will… dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.’ ~ Jeremiah 17:5-6 NIVUK

When we tire of what the world cannot guarantee and get to a place of surrender, the “cursed” one becomes “blessed.”

‘But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water… It does not fear when heat comes; … It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.’ ~ Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIVUK

 

If you’ve been living in the “parched places” in any area of your life, it’s time to surrender it to God. Trade in the salt lands for a life planted by the Living Water and watch as that area begins to bear fruit.

©Heather Potts 2022  

Stepping into Trust

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NueMKnU8qa0

Greater Things ~ Mack Brock

“But blessed is the man who trusts me, God, the woman who sticks with God. They’re like trees replanted in Eden, putting down roots near the rivers— Never a worry through the hottest of summers, never dropping a leaf, Serene and calm through droughts, bearing fresh fruit every season. ~ Jeremiah 17:7-8 MSG

Brad and I are extremely different regarding writing styles. He’s bullet points, outlines, and structure. I'm rather fluid. I can't tell you how it's going to end till we get there. But God always lets me know when it’s done. If I can handle being fluid in writing, why must I grip other areas of my life so tightly?

I think we all struggle with that in some area of our lives. We're OK to follow God's lead in our finances or relationships with in-laws, but there are other areas we feel we need to govern. Perhaps bad experiences have taught us to rely on ourselves. Perhaps it's how our parents did it and we should follow suit. It's not that we don't love God. It's more fear: what if He asks me to release something that I don’t want to let go?

Years ago, I was really struggling to give God complete control in an area. I remember fear whispering, "What if it hurts? What if it leaves you with nothing?" Then Holy Spirit countered, "What if it's more?"

What if the blessings God wants to shower on you are more than today, simply because you were obedient? What if the hope and peace He wants to pour into your heart are not just full, but overflowing because you opened your hand instead of clenching your fist? 

Trust is unnerving because you're stepping where you can't see and haven't been. This time, instead of turning back to the safety net of your control, push yourself to take the hand of your Father. Step out on the water and find out what He means when He whispers, "What if it's more".

©Heather Potts 2020