choking heart

i worry when i...

add

more things to an already full schedule.
more pressure into thinking my image & my reputation are involved in this.
other people’s expectations (instead of God’s) to my agenda.

subtract
God’s presence from my crisis.
His jurisdiction over my loved ones.
His timing for my desires.
prayer from my day.
perspective from the moment of difficulty.

then doubt comes like the morning frost and blights my faith

multiply
my problems by inserting my solutions too rapidly (coz they don’t work).
thoughts of the ways out instead of a way through.
my fears with imagination.

divide
life into the secular and sacred
my day into thinking this is the Lord’s part and the rest is my business

Father we know it’s not right for so much of hope, joy, and peace to be stolen from us everyday.
We ask you to help us, guide us to a finer way of living.
Check our impulse to spread ourselves so thin that we are exposed to fear and doubt… which makes our temper wear thin and robs us of peace of mind.
For your mercy and strength, grace and patience, we pray. Meet the deep need of our choking hearts. Take charge. And give us your peace. Amen.

{ Chuck Swindoll, 3.10.10 }

If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do, and how to do it.

{ abraham lincoln }

'For behold, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone.
'The flowers have already appeared in the land;
The time has arrived for pruning the vines,
And the voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land.
'The fig tree has ripened its figs,
And the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance.
Arise, my darling, my beautiful one,
And come along!' "
{ Song 2:11-13 }