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Sun 10/22

I AFFIRM

I trust God to guide me through my fears.
Sun 10/22

I AFFIRM

I trust God to guide me through my fears.
Proverbs 3:5,6
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”

NIV

Devotion

September 27 2023 Devotion

Trust Your Leader

By: Erin Keeley Marshall

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Devotion

Trust Your Leader

By: Erin Keeley Marshall

Back in my twenties I was facing a difficult decision and didn’t know if I was approaching it with all the wisdom I needed. I wanted to do the right thing for my future, but did I know all I needed to know to make such a life-changing decision? I wished I was as clear on the answer as I was about my feelings of inadequacy. I felt myself drawn in one direction but hesitating for one reason or another. I needed more security than my fallible human reasoning offered.  

 

When I turned to a trusted friend for advice, she said something that has stuck with me to this day. She prayed with me and asked God to “let nothing remain hidden that needs to come out.” How free I felt with those simple words!  

 

Our futures are in the Lord’s hands. Yes, it’s our part to give our all, but the final result is up to Jesus, Who is abundantly capable to guide us on the best path. He wants us to rely on Him. Like a Shepherd leading His sheep, Jesus promises to guide us; He even says we’ll hear His voice (see John 10:27). This news ought to be revitalizing and confidence building. He will reveal all that needs to be revealed in time for us to take the steps He knows are best. Put the responsibility back on Him where it belongs; your job is to listen for Him and trust Him to be Himself, your Leader.

Story

September 27 2023 Story

The Right Decision

By: Arthur Langlie
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When I was the Mayor of Seattle 24 years ago, I belonged to a group of men that met once a week at an early breakfast for prayer, Bible reading and discussion. We were of many denominations and therefore of many opinions. But we all believed in God, that Jesus Christ is our Saviour, that the irresistible force of God in the world is love.  

I soon noticed that after each morning meeting my day went better than normal. The other men admitted the same thing. Our work seemed easier to accomplish, our relations with others were more harmonious, the day seemed richer. Many of us felt that merely having gained more Bible knowledge was not the answer; it was deeper than just knowledge, it was the spiritual impact from this love-filled book and the challenge to try out the eternal truths that it expressed.  

In our studies and discussing God’s word, I had been particularly impressed by Paul’s letter to the 
Corinthians on the subject of love and Henry Drummond’s book entitled Love is the Greatest Thing in the World. This book explains the spectrum of love and helps break it down to practical and understandable dimensions.  

As an awareness of God’s willingness to help in problem solving became more apparent to me, more and more I turned to Him in prayer followed by meditation. I found that decisions large and small made in love brought excellent results.  

Since then, deterred from time to time only by my own limitations, I have tried to follow this same procedure before making decisions. That is, I ask God what I should do. There are occasions when I am puzzled for a time as to whether the answer I seem to be getting is actually God’s will, or my own thoughts and self-will. But it is my conviction that I know an infallible way by which to test the answers I get: if it is indeed God’s answer, my action will be rooted in love.  

What happens then is that one manages to get the emphasis away from self. One begins to think of actions to produce the most spiritual opportunity for the most people.  

You do not have to be told when you decide against love. Usually the most deadened conscience knows when its attitudes are rooted in resentment, prejudice, envy, pride, when its motivations are self-profit, self-protection, self-importance.  

Several years ago came a very difficult decision involving my career. After serving two terms as Mayor of Seattle and three terms as Governor of Washington, national leaders of my party urged me to run for the United States Senate. I did not wish to do this; administrative not legislative work was more interesting to me and seemed a greater field of service. Besides, I wanted more time now with my family. However, my wife and I made the decision together on the basis of the love principle. We agreed that my political experience should not be put aside because I preferred a more private life. I became a candidate for the Senate and worked harder in that campaign than I had in any other. But I lost.  

Friends told me that it was a shame my public career should end in the darkness of defeat, but I did not feel defeated. In fact, I felt great. I trusted in the “love” decision that I had made. Soon after this experience a new career opened up in the business world where I have been busier and happier than ever.  

I have never been involved in a “love” decision which, whatever the immediate effects, did not eventually prove abundantly rewarding in some way or another. I have never been involved in a “self” decision which, sooner or later, did not boomerang, causing embarrassment, frustration and a loss of some kind.  

It is my conviction that the responsibility for making “love” or “self” decisions is one of the most dignifying traits of human beings. No other creatures, animal or plant, face that responsibility. They merely respond to the forces of nature.  

Only human beings have the free will to accept or reject God’s will, to use faith-talents positively or to bury them in the ground. Only human beings have the alternative of living within the orbit of God’s love or outside it.

Reflect

What will you keep in mind the next time you feel afraid about a big decision?

I can keep turning to God to show me the right path.

Even when decisions don't turn out well, I can learn from them.

The final results of a decision are always up to God.

May God’s love encourage and guide your steps today. We’ll see you again soon!

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