A DOSE OF ENCOURAGEMENT -- April 13, 2011

Deeply respect God, your God. Serve and worship him exclusively. (Deuteronomy 6:13, MSG).

My recent blog posts have addressed challenging issues.  It is not an easy task to write about the challenging issues of life.  Yet, I write because my life is not a work of fiction.  I incorporate scripture in my writing because it is the non-fictitious Word of God that helps me cope with and conquer life's challenges.  I write because I sincerely believe that my personal testimonies will serve as encouragement to others.

Around 1:00am this morning, I was in my powder room preparing for bed and I started thinking about the God I serve.  I yearned to thank God; I needed to encourage myself and intercede for all people in desperate need of hope.  I began to speak adoration:

• I serve a God who can do all things.  (Mark 10:27, NIV).

• I serve a God who knows me.  (Jeremiah 1:5, NIV).  I serve a God who forgives me.  (Psalm 103:3, NIV).

• I serve a God who performs miracles.  (1 Chronicles 16:12, NIV).

• I serve a God who hears me.  (Psalm 5:3, NIV).  I serve a God who listens to me.  (John 9:31, NIV).  I serve a God who answers me.  (Psalm 3:4, NIV).

• I serve a God who supplies.  (Philippians 4:19, KJV).

• I serve a God who heals me.  (Exodus 15:26, AMP).  I serve a God who strengthens me.  (Philippians 4:13, HCSB).  I serve a God who empowers me.  (2 Timothy 1:7, CEV).  I serve a God who promotes me.  (1 Peter 5:6, MSG).

• I serve a God who loves me.  (John 16:27, NIV).  I serve a God who values me.  (Matthew 6:26, NIV).

• I serve a God who talks to me.  I serve a God who educates me.  (Joshua 1:8, NIV).  I serve a God who warns me.  (Psalm 19:11, NIV).  I serve a God who disciplines me.  (Deuteronomy 8:5, NIV).

• I serve a God who fights for me.  (1 Samuel 17:47, NIV).  I serve a God who shelters me.  (Psalm 61:4).  I serve a God who rescues me.  (Psalm 91:14).  I serve a God who keeps me.

• I serve a 3-in-1 God!

• I serve a God who calls me.  I serve a God who anoints me.  I serve a God who utilizes me.  I serve a God who accompanies me.  (Joshua 1:5, 9, NIV).  I serve a God who speaks through me.  (Jeremiah 1:9, NIV).

Life is good because I can extol God via speech and composition.  Life is abundant because I serve and worship God exclusively!  (Deuteronomy 6:13, MSG).

Dear God: I speak Your credentials because I revere You!  My soul is restored when I worship You.  It is an honor and privilege to serve You.  I hope today's Dose of Encouragement revitalizes the spirits of Your people.  In the name of Jesus Christ...AMEN.

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:10-11, NIV).

ALL ABOARD THE SELF-IMPROVEMENT SHUTTLE -- 1st Stop: Self-Examination

Listen to me, O Jacob, Israel, whom I have called: I am he; I am the first and I am the last. This is what the LORD says--your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea. (Isaiah 48:12, 17-18, NIV).

As much as I despise public transportation, I had to take a shuttle to a weekly committee meeting.  I have been a member of the Pity Committee for years.  The committee meetings are time-consuming, but today's meeting should be brief because we're voting on the theme for our monthly Pity Party.

After a 30-minute brainstorming session, the committee votes on the Pity Party theme--Regrets of the Past.  Again, the Pity Committee Chair designates me as the Pity Party Host.  It is now my responsibility to ensure that each party guest has a great time celebrating past regrets.

• I regret not speaking up for myself.
• I regret not taking my music lessons seriously.
• I regret not taking my foreign language lessons seriously.
• I regret not having the courage to tell my first therapist what was really bothering me.
• I regret not achieving my academic goals.
• I regret not taking care of my mental, physical and spiritual health.
• I regret being involved in noxious relationships.
• I regret chasing pipe dreams--it was a waste of time and resources.
• I regret not realizing my full potential until now.

If only I had paid attention to God's exhortations, I would possess river-like peace. (Isaiah 48:18, NIV).

Dear God:

I am tired of hosting pity parties!  The party atmosphere is dismal.  Really, how much fun am I supposed to have celebrating past regrets?

Concentration on past regrets creates a sense of hopelessness and causes me to feel inadequate.  My state of mind gets so depressed that I almost convince myself that I am a failure.  What happened in my past that caused me to feel so unhappy?  What happened in my past that caused me to feel so afraid?  Lord, if I paid attention to Your instructions years ago, would I be in this disappointed state?  What's at the core of this self-pity?

You have my full attention, Lord!  I have decided that I want to evaluate myself.  I am very familiar with the inventory of my past and I know I need to make some changes for improvement.

You have my full attention, Lord!  Help me carefully examine my past.  Expose my hurts and teach me how to get better.  Reveal my God-given talents and help me stop comparing myself to others.  Unmask my wicked associates and assist me in discovering God-fearing friends.  Train my thought-life to "demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of" You; train me to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to" Jesus Christ.  (2 Corinthians 10:5, NIV).

You have my full attention, Lord!  Heal me and give me a testimony to publicize Your magnificence.

Life is challenging because focusing on past regrets can lead to wallowing in self-pity.  Life is good because I do not have to feel sorry for myself.  I can choose to improve.  I can choose to do as Christ commands: "Pick up your mat and walk!"  (John 5:8, CEV).  Life is abundant because I can aspire to forget "what lies behind and" strain "forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward."  (Philippians 3:13-14, AMP).

You have my full attention, Lord!  I'm ready to depart from misery.  I'm ready to depart from rage.  I'm ready to depart from timidity.  I'm ready to depart from bitterness.  I'm ready to depart from trauma.  I'm ready to depart from worry.

I am ready to board the

Self-Improvement Shuttle!

Lord, I am fully aware that Self-Improvement is a P-R-O-C-E-S-S.  I know this journey will last a lifetime and I may have to revisit some destinations.  Reassure me that I'm well-equipped to go through this process.

Direct me in the way I should go.  (Isaiah 48:17, NIV).  Lead me to the next stop on this Self-Improvement route.  Reassure me that I will eventually reach the final destination of win.

I intercede for those who hesitate boarding the Self-Improvement Shuttle--Holy Spirit, please persuade them to take the liberating ride.

Sovereign God, thank you for being my Teacher.  I extol You for being my Master.  Thank you for providing me a traveling companion in Jesus Christ.  In His name, I pray...AMEN.

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me--watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Matthew 11:28-30, MSG).

THE VALLEY - Chapter One

I prayed the name of Yahweh Roi (The Lord Is My Shepherd) as part of my devotion last week.  Ann Spangler, author of Praying the Names of God, requires the reader to study Psalm 23 to learn more about Yahweh Roi.  She also poses the question, “How would your experience of daily life change if you really believed that goodness and kindness would follow you all the days of your life?”

All week long, I practiced living like I truly “believed that goodness and” mercy followed me.  In all of my dealings, before I responded with sarcasm or a criticism, I chanted: Goodness and mercy follow you, Malkia; goodness and love follow you!

I have matured to a place of recognizing that God is ever-present in all of my circumstances, good and bad.  The study of Psalm 23 moved me to recall a time when I was positioned in “the valley of the shadow of death” and I did not recognize the presence of God.  The Valley – Chapter One addresses a time of walking “through the valley of the shadow of” heartache.

THE LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack. He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters. He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him--not for my earning it, but] for His name's sake. Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my [brimming] cup runs over. Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place. (Psalm 23, AMP).

 O Lord, how long will this pain last?!

When I wake up in the morning, I’m hurting.  When I go to sleep at night, I’m hurting.  In the midday, I’m just going through the motions.

O Lord, how long will I walk in this valley?

Will this pain ever cease?!  I’m inconsolable.  A stranger to heartache I am not, but why did this have to happen to me?  Seriously God, I can’t feel my heartbeat.

O Lord, how long will I stand in this valley?

I’m totally numb.  I don’t want to laugh.  I don’t want to smile.  I don’t want to moan.  I don’t want to wail.  I don’t want to applaud.  I don’t want to sing.  I don’t want to talk.  I don’t want to move.  I don’t!

What have I done in this life that’s deserving of such excruciating pain?  I’m bewildered and nearly convinced that I’m suffering from a mental health disorder (i.e., dementia, schizophrenia). 

O Lord, how long will I walk in this valley?

God, what happens when my faith diminishes to the size of a pinpoint?

But the Master said, "There is no 'more' or 'less' in faith. If you have a bare kernel of faith, say the size of a poppy seed, you could say to this sycamore tree, 'Go jump in the lake,' and it would do it.” (Luke 17:6, MSG).

Dear God:

I need You to rescue me from this dark, paralyzing valley!

I’m neglecting my health.  I’ve relapsed to the practice of immoral behavior and the consumption of harmful substances to relieve my pain.

Honestly, my faith is dwindling and I’m having a hard time believing Your promises.  You said “goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life,” but right now, in this valley, I feel like sin, cruelty, and abandonment are following close behind me. (Psalm 23:6).

Life is challenging because I’m positioned in this valley and I don’t know how to escape.  Life is good because my earth angels are interceding when I don’t have the fortitude to pray.  Life is abundant because You are with me from my valley to my win!

Yahweh Roi, I need You to illuminate my path in this valley.  Reveal Your presence to me, O Shepherd.  Give me the faith to command this pain to jump to its rightful place, away from me.  Shield me with Your rod and help me to heed Your guidance.  Apply Your healing salve to comfort my aching heart.  Please forgive me for withdrawing from You.  Forgive me for turning to detrimental things, people and places, instead of turning to You.  I extend my arms to You now as a demonstration of the release of my angst, and my willingness to depend on You.  With my hands raised, I reach out for You to lead me one step closer to joy.  In the name of Jesus Christ, the One who consoles and keeps me…Amen.

So listen! and be kind! Help me out of this!" You did it: you changed wild lament into whirling dance; You ripped off my black mourning band and decked me with wildflowers. I'm about to burst with song; I can't keep quiet about you. God, my God, I can't thank you enough.  (Psalm 30:10-12, MSG).