Get Up And Eat!

I realized as I was looking at my past blog posts that I haven't written since October of 2014. An ENTIRE year has gone by since I wrote last. That is hard to believe. It feels like it was just a couple of months ago. There have been so many changes in my life since my last post. There are stories that need to be shared, yet I am waiting for the right time and the right platform before these stories are told. I will tell my story, though. I believe that there is healing in telling others our story. God uses our stories to help others navigate through their own. We all influence each other, whether directly or indirectly. Our actions and decisions won't only affect our own life, but will bleed into the fabric of the lives of others we love and who love us.

Fear and the effects of depression seem to be the topic of choice for me and God today. God knows me so well and knows when I need a good word of encouragement. I thought I would share with you what He is sharing with me...maybe you will also find encouragement. There is a really interesting story in the Bible about a prophet named Elijah. His story can be found in 1 Kings 19:1-8.

Elijah was no ordinary prophet...he was a prophet who had the power to call forth a full-fledged drought at God's command that lasted 3 1/2 years. During that entire time God provided for Elijah by leading him to secret streams of water and actually dispatched birds to bring him food. Yet even after all of the victories that he experienced throughout that time, Elijah allowed ONE person's comment to defeat him...it made him flee for his life and pray for God to kill him. (Fear and Depression)

Doesn't that make you scratch your head?

This next part is what I love most about Elijah's story. You would think that God would be annoyed with Elijah. I mean, come on...all the things that God did for Elijah throughout that entire season of drought...and ONE WOMAN says something threatening to Elijah and now he is cowering and wanting to end his life? He had tunnel vision, and that tunnel was getting darker and darker and darker. Yet, instead of God becoming angry with Elijah, He reached down in love to help encourage Elijah. Not only does God not kill Elijah -- He cooks for him! God ignores Elijah's request to end his life and instead provides sustenance. God baked the bread for Elijah. He placed the food right next to Elijah's head, where he could not miss it! How gentle and kind is God? You can sense the overwhelming amount of love and concern that God poured over Elijah during a very difficult time. He is such a gracious God!

"When God finds us in our fears, He speaks to us, not with threats of attribution, but with reminders
of His care and concern. When we've become embarrassingly paralyzed by the wrong messages, He gives instructions for our benefit: Get up and eat! This is the essence of what I believe God would say to any of His children who have become dominated by the spirit of fear."

~Steven Furtick "Crash the Chatterbox"

God is nowhere to be found in the spirit of fear! God doesn't work that way! One of the enemy's favorite weapons against us is fear. If he can cripple us with fear, then he can keep us on the sidelines of life--essentially ineffective for Christ. I still battle with fear on a daily basis. A lot of times my fears morph into depression. Many times I am frustrated with myself for succumbing to fear and the lies of the enemy. Yet through all of the mayhem, God is fighting my battles for me. God is cooking a meal for me, putting it near my weary head, and beckoning me to "Get up and eat!" I'm learning how to fight through my fear. I'm learning how to think clearer when the lies begin to overcome me. I'm learning how to quiet the riot in my head. Do I fail sometimes and fall into a panic? Yes, I do. Often. Do I forget sometimes that what I'm allowing to fly around in my head is complete trash and full of deceit? Yes, I do. Often. Do I find myself on the edge of depression? Yes, I do. Often. But guess what? God knows my heart. God knows my state of mind. God knows my need for Him. He is always going before me. He is always setting my path.

Every day presents its new set of circumstances and obstacles. I have the opportunity in each moment to either choose life, joy, and peace...or death, sadness, and restlessness. It's easy to get shaken up and confused by the things life throws at us. I struggle every day. The one thing that is consistent in my life is God's voice that gently (or at times not-so-gently) speaks to me through other people, through certain situations, through certain observations, through Scripture and also through prayer. He is always actively pursuing my heart and attention. God's love for me is relentless. I fail Him every day, yet His love for me NEVER waivers. He is faithful and patient. I am very thankful!

So, what are we waiting for? Let's conquer FEAR together with God's help! :) Pray for me, and I will be praying for you! Lift up your head and be encouraged today, friend.

XOXO