1 Peter 5:7-8a

This is my verse mapping for this week.

I love the image of "throwing forcefully at God" ALL (100% of) my concerns, worries, fears, knowing that He will take them and deal with them ... why? Because He is concerned about me and painstakingly watches over me! I don't need to carry the burden of fear that I will fail again at this healthy lifestyle thing, I don't need to worry that I will never again get to enjoy a sugar-laden dessert, I don't need to be concerned about where and when I will get to eat again (some days it's all I can think about). HE is deeply concerned about me and will provide everything that I need.

I still need to learn more restraint & self-discipline but I think maybe the biggest problem is that I'm relying on myself to be able to do rather than drawing on all the awesome power of God to help me! As Lysa says in chapter 5, we have all the POWER THAT RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD available to us, and yet we live life just barely scraping by, barely surviving, when all we have to do is access that Power and we can live in all the victory of His resurrection!

I'm trying to learn to be Vigilant, watchful, aware, attentive, observant, quick to notice any unusual and potentially dangerous or difficult circumstances so that I won't be caught off-guard, and fall into the trap that satan lays for me. He is ever vigilant, looking for every opportunity to throw me off my game and leave me feeling weak and defeated. I need to be just as vigilant, watching for his tricks and schemes so that I am prepared to meet them head-on and call on the Power of God to help me be victorious!

Father, my ABBA, thank you so much that You care for me. You are concerned about what concerns me, and and You painstaking watch over me. To be loved like this is more than I could ever ask for, and yet You give it freely. Thank You seems so inadequate.

Help me to learn to cast (fling, hurl) all (100%) of my cares, concerns, worries, fears, on You and allow You to deal with them.

Help me to learn to turn to You for the Power to be restrained, disciplined in my eating. Help me to run to You for the power to resist the temptations that satan places in my path. Help me to live VICTORIOUSLY in the Power that is available to me through You.

I want to succeed at this, I want to be victorious, I want to learn how to eat to live rather than living to eat.

Claiming Your Power in my life today, and knowing that You will help me. I love You, amen.

Reflections on Isaiah 49:23b

13 Shout for joy, you heavens;
    rejoice, you earth;
    burst into song, you mountains!
For the Lord comforts his people
    and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.

14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me,
    the Lord has forgotten me.”

15 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
    and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
    I will not forget you!
16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
    your walls are ever before me.

19 “Though you were ruined and made desolate
    and your land laid waste,
now you will be too small for your people,
    and those who devoured you will be far away.”

Restoration  . . . “though you were ruined and made desolate and your land laid waste” – this happened because of Israel’s disobedience to God. They chose to go their own way. So God allowed them to be taken into captivity, and their land was destroyed and turned to wasteland. 

But God restores!! 

In chapter one of “A Confident Heart” Renee talks about living in the shadow of doubt that looked so much bigger than she was. When she turned away from the shadow toward the light, the shadow disappeared from her view. (pp 20-21)

When we turn back to Him and acknowledge Him as Lord and Ruler, He will restore and rebuild our lives . . . to the point of overflowing! Those shadows of doubt, disappointment & disillusionment will disappear in the light of God’s truth and love!

Then you will know that I am the Lord;
    those who hope in me will not be disappointed. (Isaiah 49:23b)

Then is an important word. It implies that something must come before. What this says to me is that this confidence (knowing that God is the Lord, hoping in Him, not being disappointed) comes only when we

1 – turn from our disobedience to follow God (turn away from the shadow into the Light).

2 – allow His healing hand to rebuild and restore the ruined and desolate places of our lives.