Have you ever heard of the oreo cookie technique? It’s when you are going to say something negative to someone, you sandwich it between two positives. Recently I read the question, to what extent is your life bracketed with praise, and it made me think of that oreo cookie. I really had to stop and think about this question. Then I had to pray about it. I was really feeling quite awful about the question, to be honest, because “praise” I have just always assigned happy, joyous, God is great, feelings to and I haven’t had many of those lately.
I know in past blogs I have said sometimes being God’s tool is hard and I just happen to be in one of those really hard seasons. Right now my cookie looks more like a double stuff and I am just hangin out, waiting for God to dip me in some white chocolate and make the whole thing taste better.
So in all my waiting and praying here is what God has shown me; praise isn’t always the happy, sing and dance feel good stuff. I can praise God in my tears, my doubts and my pain and maybe, just now, is not a good time to take a look at my “life” and see if it is bracketed in praise. For now, maybe I should ask, was my day bracketed with praise? Whether it was in tears, doubt, pain or happiness, did I wake up and go to bed praising God?
I encourage you today to read some of Psalms. Psalms is a great place to learn to pray honest and sincere prayers. Prayers where you lay your heart out before the Lord, all the brokenness, hurt, pain, fear, happiness and joy. God wants you to bring it all to Him and as a mom you can’t afford not to. You have others who depend on you, who trust and follow you. Take it all to God. He will give you all the strength, wisdom and comfort you need. He will equip you for whatever lies ahead of you. Just trust Him. He is faithful.
God, you have shown a pattern of faithfulness that goes throughout my entire life. You have always been there for me; you have never let me down. You have been my strength in weakness, my shelter in the storm, and my rock when I am weary. I trust in you. I trust in the plan you have for my life and for my day. I know that Your power, the power of the Holy Spirit lives inside my heart and that power, Lord, is not a weak power. In my tears and pain there is the power to heal, in my doubt there is the power to encourage and build up, in my joy and happiness there is the power to spread it to others. You, God, are an awesome God.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9
“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work with in us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen” Ephesians 3:20-21
“Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:3
“Come near to God and he will come near to you.” James 4:8
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
“He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3
I know in past blogs I have said sometimes being God’s tool is hard and I just happen to be in one of those really hard seasons. Right now my cookie looks more like a double stuff and I am just hangin out, waiting for God to dip me in some white chocolate and make the whole thing taste better.
So in all my waiting and praying here is what God has shown me; praise isn’t always the happy, sing and dance feel good stuff. I can praise God in my tears, my doubts and my pain and maybe, just now, is not a good time to take a look at my “life” and see if it is bracketed in praise. For now, maybe I should ask, was my day bracketed with praise? Whether it was in tears, doubt, pain or happiness, did I wake up and go to bed praising God?
I encourage you today to read some of Psalms. Psalms is a great place to learn to pray honest and sincere prayers. Prayers where you lay your heart out before the Lord, all the brokenness, hurt, pain, fear, happiness and joy. God wants you to bring it all to Him and as a mom you can’t afford not to. You have others who depend on you, who trust and follow you. Take it all to God. He will give you all the strength, wisdom and comfort you need. He will equip you for whatever lies ahead of you. Just trust Him. He is faithful.
God, you have shown a pattern of faithfulness that goes throughout my entire life. You have always been there for me; you have never let me down. You have been my strength in weakness, my shelter in the storm, and my rock when I am weary. I trust in you. I trust in the plan you have for my life and for my day. I know that Your power, the power of the Holy Spirit lives inside my heart and that power, Lord, is not a weak power. In my tears and pain there is the power to heal, in my doubt there is the power to encourage and build up, in my joy and happiness there is the power to spread it to others. You, God, are an awesome God.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9
“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work with in us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen” Ephesians 3:20-21
“Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:3
“Come near to God and he will come near to you.” James 4:8
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
“He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3
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