Comfortable

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BhTAJ49MQ0

Nothing Else ~ Cody Carnes

Comfortable has two sides. The first is a Valley of Struggle, where you wait for God to move a mountain. But after months and years of waiting, you get comfortable in your pain or mess, assuming God won’t change it. The second is a Land of Enjoyment, where you give and serve a little, but not inconveniently. You’ve heard of the Valley of Struggle, but don’t want to give up your comfortable lifestyle, so you try to drown out the feeling that it’s not all about your comfort. You argue your case: Why do I have to be the one who’s uncomfortable? What about my comfort? Though you feel justified, you don’t have peace.

I was at a Bible Study when God first challenged my comfort, asking me to give away a railroad nail I carried. I got it five years earlier, during a sermon on forgiveness. God wanted another girl to have it, so she’d feel the same freedom I’d received. I argued my case, asking God why it had to be my nail. I was 23 when God asked me to give away that nail. Today, God continues to draw me out of my comfort-zone. Most recently when I asked God, “why,” He whispered, “As soon as you get too comfortable, you stop growing.”

Jesus said that He didn’t come to be served – to be comfortable – but to serve, setting aside His comfort to reach a world that needed the comfort of the Father, (Matthew 20:28). Uncomfortable could mean taking your elderly neighbor to get his hair cut, serving food to the homeless, praying with your co-worker, reaching out to an estranged loved one, or giving away your nail so another can feel the freedom of forgiveness. Giving up a little comfort looks like being the hands and feet of Jesus. Maybe God will take the little comfort you gave up and give a whole lot of comfort to someone in a Valley of Struggle.

‘for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; ‘I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ … ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ ~ Matthew 25:35-36, 40 NKJV

©Heather Potts 2020

Makin' Plans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr8OfXrQ9UE

Be Still ~ Red Rocks Worship

We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. ~ Proverbs 16:9 NLT

I enjoy New Year's Resolutions, Vision Boards, and making plans. If there's one thing the past decade has taught me, though, it's to be pressed into God to ensure that my plans are His.

My initial plans didn't include moving to Florida. My secondary plans didn't include returning. God had other plans. 

Our plans were never for me to work when either of our girls were little. God had other plans.

Our plans didn't include hardships, hurts, sicknesses, or losses. With a word, God could have caused us to bypass all of it, versus grow through it. While God didn't cause the hurt, His desire is for us to grow in and closer to Him. I guess our plans didn't include real growth. Fortunately, God had other plans.

God has surrounded us with many wise people. He encourages us to walk with, learn from, and even share our stories with them. It's through the sharing of our lives that our faith is strengthened and stretched, causing us to grow. 

God has many wonderful things He wants to share with us. As we envision dreams, make plans, and set goals, let's be sure make room for God's plans, even if it means laying down our own, remembering that the best course for our lives is His.

©Heather Potts 2020

Hindmilk

I’m thanking you, God…The deeper your love, the higher it goes… ~ Psalm 57:9-10

When your baby is first born and they talk to you about nursing, they talk about the hindmilk and the foremilk.  The foremilk is what the babies receive first; it’s more of a thirst-quencher, as it’s more watery but has less fat.  The hindmilk is stored at the back of the breast and has the higher-fat content, which is needed for growth.  They recommend leaving baby at the breast long enough so that baby is able to draw out the higher-fat hindmilk.

I was half-whining and half-praying yesterday when Savannah was having a really rough day.  For the most part, we’ve had good days with rough patches, but yesterday seemed more draining on me.  And I really felt it was because I don’t have anything left to draw on, myself.  With Elizabeth still working out her sleep pattern, I haven’t been able to get up in the mornings to have my much-needed God-time, the time when I go deeper to draw out what I need for the day.  I find that when I’m able to have that time, I’m better equipped to handle those rough patches.  Just like my Elizabeth needs to spend more time at the breast (her source) in order to receive what she needs for growth, I need to spend more time with God (my Source) in order to receive what I need for growth.

What about you?  Do you find that you’re spending quick snippets with God?  Are you drawing out just enough to quench your thirst, but not going deep enough to promote your growth?  James 4 tells us to submit ourselves to God—and to His teachings—and when we draw closer to God, He will draw closer to us.  For when we go deeper with God, that’s when He will lift us up (vv. 7-10).

Father God, thank you that You long for us to go deeper with You, that we may know more of You and may know You better.  Father, I pray that You would help us to carve out time in our day—each day—to go deeper with You.  Help us to gain wisdom in the areas where we need growth and help us to store up a good supply to draw on when the days and the rough patches draw on us.  Be with us today and always.  In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

©Heather Potts 2014