give careful thought to your ways.

5 Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. 6 You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it." (Haggai 1)

In every aspect of their lives, they were dissatisfied. No matter what they did, they didn't have enough and didn't accomplish as much as they had hoped for. They were living their lives with less than the bare minimums.

Why were their efforts amounting to nothing? Was it because they weren't trying hard enough? Did they not have the right attitude? Did they have the wrong motives? What was causing their failure?

Basically, they did not turn to God for anything. Without God, everything we do will be less than it can be and, likewise, more painful and dissatisfying than it has to be. I like how God reminded them and how He reminds us: "Give careful thought to your ways." Really consider what you're doing. Are your efforts amounting to anything?

hoping.

2 My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God. (Psalm 84)

I'm so, very tired. I just want to go home. God, grant me the strength I need to be the person You want me to be and the strength I need to do the things You desire me to accomplish. Don't let me give up. But always instill in me that deep, sincere longing to be with You and to reside with You in Your eternal courts...May that hope inspire me to forge ahead with courage and joy.

impossiblities.

37For nothing is impossible with God. (Luke 1)

Seriously. Don't doubt it. Even in the hardest circumstances; especially in the hardest circumstances; you know exactly which ones I'm talking about...you need to have faith that God can do the things that we think to be impossible. Maybe not yet. Maybe we have a wait a bit. Still...we need to stop doubting and start trusting.

homework and chores.

2 You will eat the fruit of your labor;
blessings and prosperity will be yours. (Psalm 128)

I am so lazy, so apathetic, so tired. I'm so worn out. I think about all the things that keep piling up on my list of things to do and I shudder. I get anxious and I get nervous. I dread with a dread that fills my day with despair...and yet, I don't get on the ball. I don't cease my listlessness. I don't halt my procrastination. I don't avoid my distractions. I just fret as if that is somehow producing anything. It's not.

We were meant to work hard, to labor with our hands and minds. If we reject the task at hand, we will ultimately gain nothing. However, if we work with the mentality of persistence and diligence, we will reap bounty. God will honor our labors if we do it with a heart of purity. Even if the task seems so meaningless like homework or chores, God wants us to do it with all our heart unto Him. With that said, I need to start finishing up my homework and chores. :)

get up.

14 The LORD upholds all those who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down. (Psalm 145)

In the drudgery of life, we often feel so entirely low that we would rather fall down and never get up. With neither strength or hope, without confidence and determination, we just want to give up. But whether we are down because of our own choosing or whether life has just thrown us in such a desperate position, God is always there to pick us up...cheer us up...if we would just look up.

Looking ahead is oft times hard, especially from the view that is down in the murky mire; however, if we would just gaze our eyes heavenward, we will see a distinguishable glow that would shroud our apprehensions in a light. We won't see like we've been seeing; we will see life in a different way, a more positive way. And, God will take us by the hand and lift us up. We can't give up.

status.

5Then a voice came from the throne, saying:
"Praise our God,
all you his servants,
you who fear him,
both small and great!"

(Revelation 19)

No matter what our status is on this earth, in the end, our purpose is to praise God. We should never be haughty and snobbish in this life; we should never think that we're better than anyone. This is a bad attitude. Likewise, we should never be ashamed of being a peon, either. There will always be people above us. We need to accept their leadership; however, God is the King of kings and Lord of Lords; He is the One whom we should worship and focus all our attention.

Status is such a strange concept. I get frustrated sometimes with people who think they're better than me and put me down. Politics are embedded in every sect of life...but in the end, it means nothing. All of it, titles and roles, and the like will all fade. What matters in this life is how we treat others. We serve. We love. We forgive. We need to live our lives not with a status mentality but with a kind and pure attitude.

weight.

"Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of [b] them. How then can we live?" (Ezekiel 33:10)

Often times I feel so burdened. There's so much that I carry. There are things from the past I can't seem to let go. There are things that haven't even come into fruition that I am so anxious about. And there are simply things I carry that are filled with pain, doubt, and uncertainty that weary me. They make me wonder how I can even live life especially if I dread it so much. If life is as terrible as I live it, is it even worth living? And if I begin to ask myself these kinds of questions, then I really ought to question what I am doing wrong. I know for a fact that the weight I carry is for one, a deliberate choice. And for two, the load I carry is filled with sin. Therefore, I choose to sin and consequently, I choose to
live this wretched life.

God doesn't want us to carry the load of sin. He wants us to give it up, but what is so enticing about a package of hurt and a potential explosive? What is so alluring about becoming exhausted from hauling unnecessary guilt, pain, and anxiety? If it's
not fun, which seems obvious, then why do we partake in such a task? One word: control. We like to carry our own weight. We like the feeling of holding our own, to our own demise.

Controlling something, even if it is our lives, if it leads to failure is clearly the wrong choice. We have a shepherd that wants to take care of us, in every possible way. We just have to allow Him to lead...allow Him to provide...and allow Him to take our burdens, and sometimes even carry us...

fiery furnaces.

12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, O king. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up. (Daniel 3)

In such a situation, I really doubt whether or not I could refrain from bowing. The request was simple. All one had to do was bow down to avoid being thrown into the fiery furnace. Didn't these three even stop to try to justify it? Couldn't they have considered that just by bowing down they could continue their ministry? Their lives would help others, truly, so what good would it be them to die in the fiery furnace?

However, the act of bowing down was a demonstration of a lack of faith, a rejection of God's sovereignty, and simply, a compromise...

There are fiery furnaces in my life. Sometimes it seems so easy just to bow down, to perform the simple request, to compromise in order to escape these furnaces, but what would happen if I stood up for what I believe in? How different would life be for those who would witness my declaration of faith?

everything.

22 He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what lies in darkness,
and light dwells with him. (Daniel 2)

God knows everything; we don't. We might think we do, but we simply do not have all the facts. So when we prematurely guess or make insane assumptions, we end up frustrating ourselves and others. We can only place our hope in the fact that God knows everything, and in time and in His will, all will be revealed that needs to be revealed.

trusting...part what?

7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy. (Psalm 111)

I am feeling kinda crappy, to say the least. Every now and then a recurring issue surfaces, and I just want to shove it down the drain. But I ended up nearly drowning, hardly breathing, never seeing, failing and frailing from the futile tries. I sink and sink, deeper than anything so heavy as my woes. I look up to see them ahead of each movement I take. They hover above me, casting a weary shadow over my future, over my life. What should I do?

If everything God does is faithful and is just, why should I worry? Even if I do worry, nothing's going to improve. Nothing will change with each thought I give. I'll still be stuck in that pitiful puddle of misery. If I cease from caring, where will that leave me? Indifference is not the answer. What should I do?

If His precepts are trustworthy, that means that if I do what He tells me to do, then I will be okay. I can trust His direction. But what is His direction? What if I don't want to go that way? What if that way looks scary and bleak? Should I go anyway? What if that way isn't even His way? How will I know?

When everything's okay, one has a difficult time understanding the distress of a person who is in a state of confusion. For that person who is confused, what should he do? Trusting God is hard. But not trusting God seems a bit harder. The hard situation will not disappear no matter what. But the hard situation can end in two ways. One is hard. The other isn't. Hm...

everyone.

23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? (Ezekiel 18)

God does not want to see people suffer or perish. He wants everyone to be saved because He loves everyone. But people do not always want God. There are people who do not like the concept of God being in control of their lives; they want to control their lives even if it's down into the pit. And if this is so, should He force them to love Him back? Should He demand that they repent and live fulfilling lives? Or should He allow them to exercise their free will and die?

God wants us to live, love, and to be free from the bondage of sin...He wants everyone to experience life in abundance. .. . EVERYONE. That does not exclude anyone. Not even that someone...that somebody that you just think God might not love. He even loves them. Pray for them...God wants you to. God wants me to.

enemies.

2 May those who seek my life
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
be turned back in disgrace. (Psalm 70)

No matter how hard I try to be nice to people, there are always those who want me to fall, to stumble, to suffer. I just want to get along with everyone, but their agendas and personal motives cause conflict and needless strife. I can't do anything to prevent it; I am doomed to be attacked, to be taken advantage of, to be humiliated. It's just the way this world operates. You will have enemies, whether or not you make them. They will just be in your life...plain and simple.

I know we are to love our enemies, but I think God wants to protect us from a certain amount of damage our enemies afflict upon our souls. He won't allow them to do harm to our hearts, if we trust in Him. So, venegence is His...and that's not a bad thing.

We just have to give it all to Him. We can never try to fight back. Our weapons are worthless; it'll only do worst damage, probably enraging our opponents even more. Instead, we just lay it all before God and watch Him take care of our wars and battles.