Have you ever been searching for something and just couldn't seem to find it anywhere and you knew you had put it either in the house or car but it just seemed to vanish?
Have you ever been looking for something as you are going out the door and end up finding it in your pocket or even worse in your hand covered by other things you were carrying. I am glad that I have found what I was looking for but at the same time a little embarrassed that I had gotten so frustrated in the search while I had it right there with me. I have begun to realize that it just isn't worth getting upset about because the thing that I am looking might just be right next to me!
Why do we get so anxious and in a panic sometimes when we are in a hurry and can't find something? I know I'm not the ONLY one who does this because I have seen others doing the exact same thing before! So, what causes us to get like this when we are rushing somewhere and we start screaming, "Who got my keys!?!" or "Who used my phone last and where did you put it!" only later to find ourselves apologizing to the kids or spouse when we find it in our own pocket or purse?
The thing that gets us going into that state of frenzy is our imaginations. We get to imagining all of the things that could have happened to it and how it could be impossible to find! Then we begin to imagine that we might end up missing the event or service we are headed to all together and we get even more wound up! The next thing we know, panic has set in and we are at the point of saying things we would never say in a normal situation, all because we have created a hopeless picture in our minds of our present dilemma!
We can work on this by praying before we start our search, secondly we can check our pockets and hands(haha) it could just be there; and thirdly be determined that you are not going to allow the imagination to take over your mind but you are going to remain stable and single minded so you will not be tossed like a wave of the sea, out of control. Let's read about this,
Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith builds patience.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Jas 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Jas 1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
Jas 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
You know, when we are going through our day and we suddenly find ourselves in a situation that really rocks our boat, we will grab our phone and call someone or we will rush into the situation upset and in a panic or we just search and search for answers in our mind or books/tapes/cds. The thing that I have done so many times is to search and talk to the ones I seek council from before I realize the solution has been right there with me all along. I just didn't look there first! I let my imagination go and created this idea that I had to search out every little bit of knowledge I could from books or tapes. I needed to get all of my friends involved and take up their time worrying about a problem that I had the answer to all along! How awful is that to get myself and everyone else all excited and upset over something I had the solution to right in the beginning?
This solution to all of our problems is found right in the Word of God if we will look for it there! I would encourage you all to look into the program on E-sword.com that you download onto your computer for free! Within a few seconds you are able to type in a word and search the entire Bible for the verses containing this word. When you find the one that applies to your situation, you can dig in and learn about how to handle whatever you are going through! It is so awesome to have this tool right beside you when something unexpected happens and your imagination kicks in to take you for a ride you will not enjoy. A ride that you will not easily forget either!
Speaking of rides, I was forced by my daughter and nephews yesterday to ride a roller coaster, the "Gwazi" at Bush Gardens, that seemed to never end! It threw me every which way but loose! I am not exaggerating either! Once I got into the seat and that car started rolling it would have been really hard to get off! Actually it was impossible to get off! Believe me I tried! I was locked in for the ride of my life and left with a head shaking head ache afterwards. I had the choice but I let the kids convince me against my better judgement!
We have a choice too when we get into a panic. Who are we going to listen to? Are we going to go for the ride or tap into the wisdom that is right there beside us, Gods Word?
Yes, I cried out for Gods help on every turn and twist throughout that ride but I was trapped once it had started! I called out for MERCY as we dropped over the edge of that mountain high track, but that ride wouldn't slow down at all as we plunged to what seemed like our deaths! It's easy to get into this mental condition isn't it?
Let's try stopping next time this happens and saying a prayer first! Let's seek Gods blessing and protection when life throws us a curve! Let's live a victorious life in Christ!
This is the prayer that Jabez prayed,
1Chronicles 4:10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou would bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou would keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.
Let's pray,
My Jehovah-Shalom; my God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, we come to you today, knowing that you hear our prayers and give us peace of mind and we ask you to bless us indeed with all the blessings you have for us today! I thank you Lord for your Word that we are given to turn to in times when our imagination would take us for a ride. We thank you for offering us peace in troubled times rather than panic. Keep our minds clear that we may be wise and remember the things you have taught us from your precious lessons provided in your Word for all who seek for it there! Keep my mind stable so that I am not tossed like the wave of the sea. I trust that our hand will be with me always, even when it looks impossible or I'm running late and cannot find what I need, even when the way seems rough ahead! I will trust you my Lord and Saviour to take me step by step on the path that you have chosen for me today! In Jesus name I pray. amen.
Bible names of God:
JEHOVAH-SHALOM:
"The Lord Our Peace" Judges 6:24. "Shalom" translated "peace" 170 times means "whole," "finished," "fulfilled," "perfected." Related to "well," welfare." Deut. 27:6; Dan. 5:26; I Kings 9:25 8:61; Gen. 15:16; Ex. 21:34, 22:5, 6; Lev. 7:11-21. Shalom means that kind of peace that results from being a whole person in right relationship to God and to one's fellow man.
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