Don't Be Shaken

I'm very excited to do my first "Verse by Verse Link Up" with Blogs By Christian Women! I've been looking for inspiration and ideas of what to write in my blog, and along with my book reviews, recipes and product reviews, I really feel like I need to do more reflecting on my faith and devotions here too.

*I also hope I'm doing this whole link up thing right!

There are a lot of verses in the Bible that talk about keeping your focus on God, praying from the heart, and seeking Him in all that you do. It makes perfect sense on paper, after all God is in control of everything, but it is incredibly difficult to do, especially in some stressful circumstances.

I find that it's easy to praise God and focus on Him when things are going extremely well in my life. It's easy because I'm content, feel utterly blessed by Him, and I am thankful to Him for all that He's given to us. However the real challenge comes lies in keeping my eyes on God through the more difficult times.

This verse clearly states that if I always keep my eyes on God, He will always be right beside me, and I cannot be shaken. What an amazing promise that is! If I could only focus my attention on this promise, and not rush into worrying about what will happen or won't happen. God promises to take care of us, to comfort us, to lift us up in times of trouble, to protect us, and to provide for us. So how is it that things like money problems, health issues, relationship troubles and trivial things cause us to focus on those difficulties first, rather than focussing on the One who promises to keep us from shaking?

Such a powerful verse, and one that I really needed to memorize and learn. We're going through some financial difficulty at the moment, as I face a layoff in my job. However I am trying to stay optimistic and rely on God to pull us through this time. I'm praying for the numbers at my school to increase so that I can return in Sept. 2015 after my mat leave. I'm hoping that this is the institution where God would have me teach. Overall, I am realizing that I need to put my hope and trust in God, and know that He will protect me and keep from being shaken.

So in the meantime, I need to keep my eyes on God. I need to read His word. I need to pray to Him throughout the day, especially when I feel overwhelmed, worried, or exhausted. I need to talk with my husband about my worries, and pray with him over them. Likewise I need to listen to my husband, and pray with him over his worries.

Lately I've been listening to a lot more Christian music and I've found that I've been feeling more calm and peaceful about everything going on. I've been able to enjoy my pregnancy, and my time at home with my son now that it's summertime and school has ended. I plan to continue doing so, as I find this another great way to keep my focus on God and His presence in my life.