Read Beth Turner favs
Proverbs 16:9
"A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps
and makes them sure."
We figure things out the best we can without worry and anxiety,
God adds his "butcher's thumb" and how things really
work out may be a surpise. The idea is that things turn out
better than they would have had he not intervened. He is the
Great Mitigator.
Ecclesiastes 7:10
"Do not say, 'Why were the old days better than these?' For
it is not wise or because of wisdom that you ask this."
Don't compare one part of your life with another. If it's time
for lunch, enjoy lunch. If it's time for dinner, enjoy dinner.
Find what God has for you right now. It's probably pretty good if
he's there with you and you are there with him (by not
complaining and opening your eyes to the opportunites around you
now).
Ecclesiastes 11:6
"In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening withold
not your hands, for you know not which shall prosper, whether
this or that, or whether both alike will be good."
Don't prejudge outcomes, "go for it" and stick around
to see the results. Be an optimist. I asked myself once what
would happen if I got an A+ on everything for the whole rest of
the semester. What do you think happened? Dean's List and I had
been getting low grades.
Proverbs 21:2
"The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as are the
watercourses; He turns it whichever way He wills."
Don't focus on what you think people important in your life will
say or do, tell God what you want and let God handle the people.
He's the only one who can anyway.
Isaiah 8:10-15
"Take counsel together (against Judah), but it shall come to
naught; speak the word, but it will not stand, for God is with us
(Immanuel). For the Lord spoke thus to me with His strong hand
[upon me] and warned and instructed me not to walk in the way of
this people, saying 'Do not call conspiracy [or hard, or holy];
neither be in fear of what they fear, nor [make others afraid] in
dread; The Lord of host-regard Him as holy and honor His holy
name [by regarding Him as your only hope of safety], and let Him
be your fear and let Him be your dread [lest you offend Him by
your fear of man and distrust of Him]. And He shall be a
sanctuary [a sacred and indestructible asylum to those who
referently fear and trust in Him]; but He shall be a Stone of
stumbling and a Rock of offense to both houses of Israel, a trap
and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many among them
shall stumble thereon; and they shall fall and be broken, and be
snared and taken."
People may gang up on you and seem to triumph over you. Don't be
afraid of them, don't act in such a way as to lead others to be
afraid of them. Don't fear anything as you can insult and offend
God, whom alone you should fear. If you can't stand straight and
tall in adversity for any other reason, do it so as to give honor
to God. It may look bad now but it can and will be worse for
those who are after you unless they understand who is watching
over you and stop.
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