Crying for a King

Today as I sat to spend time with Jesus I felt anxious. Unable to relax. Unfocused. My mind was a whir of activity. So I started to pay attention to the things that were whirling around in my mind. Thoughts of my past. Things I did wrong. Messages from preachers that highlighted my errors. My ever growing task list. Things I am hoping for. So 1 by 1 I started to give those things to the Lord. As they came to mind, I gave them to Him. Focus and peace came and I began to read a scripture the Lord had led me to a few days ago in 1 Samuel 3. I read all the way from 1 Samuel 3:1 to 1 Samuel 10:8. It talks about Samuel's calling and his judgement over the people of the land that were worshiping idols, committing lawlessness. How the Philistines destroyed the people of Israel and stole the Ark of the Covenant. And how the Ark was returned to the people of Israel once the Philistines realized God's power and judgement on them for stealing it. 

Then, God dealt with His own people. Making them clean. Showing them the requirements of holiness. And finally finding favor and rest with them once they obeyed. For a time, there was peace. The ark rested back in the hands of Israel. But then...the people got restless again. They begged for a king to rule them...instead of desiring to walk with the Lord and letting Him guide them. God even showed them through Samuel what it would look like to have a king. He will use their children as servants. He will appoint captains over armies. He will force them to plant and reap his harvests. Make instruments of war and chariots. He'll take your land and hard earned money. But they didn't care. They begged and cried for their own way until God gave it to them. He gave them Saul. 

Upon reflection, I realized that I was just like the people of Israel. Setting up my own desires as idols. Demanding my own way until God gave it to me. Then when He did, I realized what a terrible error it was. When I tried to do right, it was too late. I fell into despair. Trying everything I could except full surrender to God to feel better. But God had other plans and man am I glad He did. Because when we fully surrender our lives to Him, He changes everything about us in the best ways possible. 

So back to the beginning where my mind was a whir. The Lord helped me realize that I was grieving my past. Grieving time lost. Grieving my choices and outcomes. What could have been vs what was. And He showed me that He too grieves when we make these choices...knowing that things could have been so much different had we chosen Him instead of the kings we set up for our lives. He longs for His people to choose Him and walk with Him and has since the Garden. But we stray time and time again. 

But oh what a difference Jesus makes!! I now sit crying happy tears because He has changed me. What people see now bears no resemblance to the treacherous person of the past. My husband has the best version of me. My kids have seen the change Jesus has made. My mom has watched miracle after miracle take place in my life and my heart in such a short amount of time. My family is coming together to worship at the church we love. God is moving in all of our lives. And we love every second. Every refinement. Every lesson we have to learn. Every message we hear from our pastor. Every time we get to experience something new with Jesus. 

So what's the point? The point is stop crying for a King and start recognizing all you need is King Jesus! You need NOTHING of what the world has to offer. Nothing. It only creates a bigger hole in your soul and a bigger gap between you and the One who made you. But here's the good news. It's never too late. You can always come back. He is always waiting. And the Bible tells us that if we call out to Him, He will listen and deliver us (Matthew 14:30, Psalm 34:17, Psalm 18:6). If we take a step of faith towards Him, He will take a step towards us (James 4:8). A call to repentance but also to Grace. 

That's the best news I've heard ever...try it, friends. In the words of the song "Cry out to Jesus" (Third Day). 

Be blessed, all!

Love, Natalie

Stop Asking God To Change It

Have you ever had such a silly thought come to your mind that changed everything? (And you kinda feel dumb but glad at the same time)? I had this very profound experience at church the other day (link to the message below) that really changed my spiritual life in an incredible yet simple way. In about 5 minutes' time, the entire weight of everything I didn't realize I had been carrying lifted and I was free. The difference? A very simple mindset change. Stop holding onto things and asking God to change it. Instead, give it to Jesus. Even now I almost typed "ask Him to take it from you" and even that's not right. You have to release your grip on it and give it away. 

Is this Biblical? It sure is! Let me show you. Matthew 11:29-30 AMP, Jesus Himself says to His beloved 12 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light." You might say "well, see? Jesus wants us to carry HIS burden." No, no, no...it's a divine exchange. You give Him your stuff, He gives You what He knows you can handle. That's I believe where the well intentioned mantra "God doesn't give you more than you can handle" comes from. That's true...but...you have to give Him your stuff first. Otherwise you're taking on more and that was never the intention

Let me explain it another way. In one of Peter's messages he encourages the crowd to 1st humble themselves then release their burdens to Jesus (1 Peter 5: 6-7 AMP) v7: "casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]." Why would He do that? Why would He want to take your worries and anxieties and cares? Why would He give you His peace instead? The answer is twofold. First, it's in the verse I just quoted: He cares. Deeply. More than anyone has ever cared. Second, the next verse in this passage says "Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour." (1 Peter 5: 8). He wants us to be strong because He doesn't want us to be taken in by the enemy. Which really is the same point...He cares deeply! What a God we serve!! Everything He does is for us...everything...

Let me give you an example: 

I simply prayed "Lord, I give You my health and my children. I give you control over my finances. I give you...." and the list goes on and on and on. I literally knelt and prayed for 5 minutes straight everything I didn't realize I was holding onto and not giving away to Jesus. The truth is, I can't even remember everything it was I gave Him because He took it! And in it's place I have this incredible joy and peace. And that's a promise kept, folks. Our God loves us and He cares. And He promised peace if we would just give all our worries, cares, burdens, anxieties to Him. 

My prayer for you is that you would make that simple mindset change also. It's so profound! Scripture is full of places where we're told not to hold onto worry and strife. Go see for yourself! 

Be blessed all

Love, 

Natalie

https://youtu.be/-AAClnPAEyw?si=5hqmD5vM7Nqa-pvd