Lifequakes...

Is anyone watching "Wednesday's with Beth" on Life Today? Oh land sakes! She's doing a series right now called "Lifequakes" - or God-quakes as she calls them - and let me tell you, it's some GOOOOOOOOD stuff! I think the main reason I like it so much is that I've had a few of those quakes in my life. Sometimes it was my own quake, sometimes quakes for my entire family, sometimes quakes for my friends, but a quake to me none the less.

Usually when a quake comes our tendency is to think it's a punishment. (and it can be) However, as Heb 12:26-29 tell us the things that can be shaken WILL be shaken. (my paraphrase, of course) That really fell fresh on me yesterday. God sometimes allows the quakes because there's some things that we need to shake off. Sometimes it's bad habits or lack of faith or misplaced trust or idolatry or pride. STUFF. Sin. Excuse me while I go on a tangent here but does it bother anyone else that in some churches today they are avoiding the word sin. I guess since it's not a positive, happy term they're not using it. WEARS ME OUT! Sorry.

Ok, anyway, quakes. When a quake comes into our lives - and they ARE coming - we have a choice. We can choose shame (the option the enemy give us) or we can choose freedom (the option the Father gives). That just blew my mind ya'll. I can look at some of the quakes in my life and see the times I chose the enemy's option and what a struggle it was to get out of that pit. Then I can look at the times I made the right choice and I can rejoice in the faithfulness and mercy of my Father. Amazing. Quakes = change. Change can be a scary thing. Change usually bring on anxiety and fear. That leads me back to sin. Anxiety and fear = sin. "DO NOT BE ANXIOUS about ANYTHING, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Phil 4:6 "DON'T be afraid; just believe." Mk 5:36b (emphasis mine)

As you all know I'm no Biblical scholar but as far as I can tell the Word doesn't say, "You know, it really would be helpful if you didn't get anxious." Or "IF you can, IF it's at all possible don't be afraid". Or "Well, in THAT situation it's ok to be anxious" "It's not really talking about being anxious over our kids". NO YA'LL! It's says "DO NOT BE ANXIOUS" "DON'T BE AFRAID". It's our human nature to go there. To go to anxiety and fear - especially where our kids are concerned - God knows and understands that. I think though, what He wants from us is that when that tendency to get scared or to get anxious comes up, to stop and say "Lord I lift your name on high" or "Great is thy Faithfulness" or "Thou Art Worthy oh Lord" or "How Great is our God, sing with me" or whatever praise songs comes to your mind. Maybe it's not a song, but a prayer, (which is what most songs are), the point is "Cast ALL YOUR ANXIETY on him because he cares for you." I Pet 5:7. Again, not some of your anxiety or just the BIG ones or just the ones you feel like you can't handle but ALL YOUR ANXIETY!!! He's a BIG G GOD ya'll! He can handle it.

I believe He doesn't like the quakes. I believe He holds His breath while we're in it because he cares so much for us. (ya'll know I mean, I hope) But I also believe when we are in it, it's because there's a "whole lotta shakin" that needs to go on. I believe He's shakin things down, sifting it thru the sand to make us the shining jewel He wants us to be. "It is God's will that you should be sanctified" I Thess 4:3 Sanctified - made more like Jesus. Shaken, stirred, sifted, broken, then polished, refined, shining brilliant in His glorious freedom!! Choose freedom sista's!! I will. Won't you?