Giving Thanks, Always

https://youtu.be/6-1ro5ZOFCc

Praise Before My Breakthrough ~ Bryan and Katie Torwalt

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16‭-‬18 NIVUK

These three short verses are commands every Christian is expected to follow. There are some days that verse 18, “give thanks in all circumstances,” might be the hardest to follow. Last weekend, there was a tragedy in a town about two hours from us. Recently, some friends have passed away. Over the past two weeks, I have been struggling with some health issues. But in all these things, we are called to give thanks.

The notes in my Bible for verses 16 and 17 are about choice and focus. We can choose joy and focus on Christ, both of which produce a thankful heart, regardless of circumstances. Or, we can choose to stew in our mess and focus on the problems, both of which will likely lead to a bitter heart and depressed mind.

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” The phrase, “And we know,” is both something we discern and learn over time as God continues to show His faithfulness in our lives. “God works,” is God infusing His power with ours, to assist us in our circumstances. “For the good” doesn’t mean that things are good, but that God is working in us and using all things for our good. He does this so we’ll see His love and faithfulness, and then share what He’s done, bringing glory to God.

Friends, on this day that we purposefully set aside to give thanks, let us remember three things:

1. Be joyful - even when things are hard, God’s Spirit produces joy.

2. Pray continually - keep communication lines open with God. Even prayers that begin in pain and anger can end in beauty and peace.

3. Give thanks, always - the Lord Almighty, God of Angel Armies, is on our side, working all things for our good.

...If God is for us, who can be against us? ~ Romans 8:31 NIVUK

©Heather Potts 2021

Even an Ugly Light

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoWocSWM2aI&start_radio=1&list=RDXoWocSWM2aI&t=9

Grace So Glorious ~ Elevation Worship

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ ~ Philippians 1:6 NKJV

Insecurities.

We all have them. I find it ironic that when I’m walking closer with God and gaining victory in one area, the devil always shines a light on an area that needs work. And I feel overwhelmed and defeated.

But then I remember my promises: “Blessed is the [one] who trusts God, whose trust is in the Lord. Love…always trusts,” (Jeremiah 17:7 ESV; 1 Corinthians 13:7 NIV). The devil’s ugly light shining on my insecurities is part of trust. Intimacy, the result of trust, means I don’t have any secrets or any areas I withhold. This is especially true of intimacy with my Father God. Romans 8:28 says God uses all things for the good of those who love Him. The devil’s ugly light is part of “all things.” But God doesn’t use it to shame me. Instead, He holds out His hand and says, “Dearest one, don’t be afraid. I’m going to walk you through this. The closer you walk with Me, the less this will affect you. Allow My majesty to fill in those empty places, until you aren’t bothered by them anymore. Then you will stand empowered, defeating the enemy where he stands.”

Don’t let insecurities claim you any longer. Start, right now, by opening your hand and giving the pain, hurt, and lies to Father God. Watch as your trust in Father God blesses your life with victory, freedom, and intimacy with Him.

©Heather Potts 2019

Good

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pomqj7acJc4

King of My Heart ~ Steffany Gretzinger & Jeremy Riddle

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. ~ Romans 8:28 KJV

The enemy will use anything to crush us physically, mentally, and emotionally. For the past 2 ½ months, it’s been with severe migraines, vertigo, and huge drops in my blood pressure. Several tests and doctor appointments haven’t explained it. Two weeks ago, I decided it wasn’t going to beat me. Despite the pain, I began exercising. The first day, I paid with even worse migraines. But I persevered. When the enemy saw I wasn’t going to back down, he moved on to something else. This time, it was old lies that shake me to the core.

I’ve been hiding my fears, afraid someone will tell me they’re not lies, but truth. But I’m not hiding any longer! The enemy likes to tell me I’m a bad mom and I’m going to screw up my kids. Due to traumatic events from both childhood and in my late teen years, I was in counseling a long time. Unfortunately, a counselor once told me history would repeat itself and the ugliness that I experienced would be felt by my kids. That’s a major factor in why we put off having kids for so long. Even though I’ve battled the fear – the lie – of being a bad mom, and often thought I’d put it to rest, it seems to rear its ugly head when I’ve been weakened by something else (migraines and vertigo, in this case). But God is good! This morning, as I listened to King of My Heart, I heard Steffany Gertzinger say, “The only thing in my entire life greater than my fears was my conviction…I knew He was who He said He was… Sometimes we sing something because we believe it, because we’re sure. And sometimes we sing it until we’re sure, until we know.”

Good: excelling in any aspect; distinguished.

The truth is, I’m a good mom because I have a good Heavenly Father, who is teaching me, by example, how to be the best mom to my girls. And I have a wonderful husband, who battles on my behalf, against these lies and for me to walk in the truth. I also have wonderful friends who pray for and remind me of God’s truth.

My prayer for you, is that whatever lies have been plaguing your life will be squashed, today! That you’d battle on, reminding yourself that God is good, and He called you on purpose, for His specific purposes. I pray you’d remember that your future in Him far outshines anything in your past, and that even though the past may have been traumatic, He’ll use all things for your good and His glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

©Heather Potts 2018

What If

He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. ~ Romans 8:27-28 MSG

In the middle of church this past Sunday, God spoke to me and asked me to do something—having nothing to do with the sermon. I’ve been running His words between my hands, as though a slinky was shifting back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. If I do this action, it could be this outcome, or that outcome, or another outcome. After running that slinky several times, I finally said, “God I can’t do it. It can’t be me—it will only make things worse than they are now.” But God said, “What if it’s better? What if it’s more?”

That last question, “What if it’s more,” is where He really got me because the possibilities in God are endless…and infinitely better than I could achieve on my own. But first, I must be obedient. I must make that first move…and take that first step. And it’s actually taking that step—doing what He’s asked—that scares me. The “what if’s” are endless… But He reminds me that the outcomes don’t have to be negative, because He works all things together for good. Every time I begin to worry or fear, I hear Him whisper, “What if it’s more?”

If there’s something that God’s calling you to do, push aside the fear and worry and do it anyway. Though the enemy has already cast thousands of possible negative outcomes, Holy Spirit whispers, “What if it’s better? What if it’s more?”

©Heather Potts 2016

Nothing Wasted

God doesn’t waste your pain. ~ Tim Tebow

Ephesians 2:10 says we’ve been called for God’s good works and we are His poem. As a writer, I love that last part. But the enemy comes and spews his lies over me, saying, “Who are you?! They will see right through you, will see that you’re nothing! You’re not a Beth Moore or a Christine Caine. Who are you to tell your story?”

Jeremiah 15:19 has always resonated with me, “if you extract the precious from the worthless, You will become My spokesman.” In Romans 8:28, we’re assured that God causes all things to work together for our good. Not everything in our lives will be good—I have seen my share of pain and deep sorrows—but God is calling us to something greater. First, we must separate out the precious things from the worthless. In one hand we hold the lessons, blessings, times of growth, times of victory, times of walking closer with God and of being completely humble before Him. And in the other hand is everything else—this is the stuff we are to discard, never considering again. We are to give over to God the precious things and allow Him to finish working us into His masterpiece.

When the enemy lays out before me all the pain, hurt, suffering, failure, trials, mistakes, and heartbreaks and demands I give an explanation of who I think I am to dare share my story, it’s my turn to speak up:  I was created to be God’s love story, His poem. I choose to separate the precious from the worthless, casting off the spirit of fear and walking in the Spirit of life, power, love, and self-control, recognizing and fully receiving the truth that I have been adopted as His precious daughter. It’s true I’m not the women and authors I look up to, and that’s ok. I am a daughter of the King, which makes me a princess. I am God’s Princess! I am valued, treasured, loved, and precious in His sight. I don’t know who the world will say that I am and I refuse to listen to what the enemy says about me. Because my God, my Abba Father, says that I am His!

©Heather Potts 2016