Have You Gone Out Full Only to Return Empty?

Read the Book of Ruth

How many of us have gone out ready to win the world, full of hope, dreams, and ambitions only to return gleaning sheaves of empty hopes and promises? Raped and victimized by this thing call life. That education you invested so much time and money or that marriage of many years that ended up in heart-breaking divorce, the ministry your poured into, the people you faithfully served that turned out to be a disappointment, the business deal that never took off, or the business that went bankrupt? How about the dream of motherhood and life-long parenting, only for it to be shattered by miscarriages, the inability to conceive, or death?

Have you gone out full like Naomi, which means "pleasant, lovely, and delightful", only to come back Mara, "bitter and sad"? Naomi knew the joy of going out full and the devastation of coming back empty. She knew what it felt like to have dreams dissipate like smoke rings in thin air.  Does this sound anything like you? 

Jeremiah 29:11 speaks of God's designed plan for our lives.  He has a purpose for our lives, but it is only when we acknowledge Him will that plan be revealed.  Life is a grindstone, and whether it grinds you down or polishes you depends on what you are made of and your view of God.  Do you believe that God is in control of your most difficult circumstance?  Your circumstance may have surprised you, but it didn't catch God by surprise. 

If you've gone out like Naomi only to come back empty, then may I suggest that you give the broken pieces of your wounded life to the only one who can put it back together again.  God can heal a broken heart, but He has to have all the pieces. 

 

Narda Goodson

First Lady of Whitewright, Texas

Influence, Inspire, & Infiltrate! 

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Don't Put a Question Where God Has Placed a Period

There is no greater feeling than when I have genuinely cast my burden to the Lord. Ahhh . . . what a relief! It almost gives the appearance that I don't have a care in the world.

But why should I overwhelm myself with problems I know I cannot resolve on my own? If I’m going to worry, why pray?  Learning to cast my fears, troubles, anxieties, and anything that can be considered and packaged into a care to the Lord has been a learning process. Over the years, I have resolved to walk in the rest and peace of God instead of musing over the "what if's". As a result, I’ve experienced an inner peace; one that truly passes all understanding.

But this did not come without trial and error. I’ve had my share of insomnia, cried tears to fill up the bathtub, and experienced overwhelming fear and heartache, and the more I focused on the problem, the more it grew like yeast.

However, when I redirected my attention to the Word of God and His promises, although the problems did not vanish away, I found my fears did. Instead of subjecting myself to the oppression, suppression, and depression, which were grimly gazing down at me like a predator ready to pounce on its prey, I became empowered and repositioned by the anointed Word of God.

My shift came because my thinking changed, and as a result, I was able to face my opposition perfectly hearing the instructions, strategy, and plan of God instead of panicking, being afraid, and clueless. No more did I see myself as a victim but a victor armed and dangerous.

The repositioning of our mind can quickly overturn the outcome of the battle. If you know who you are, whose you are, and to whom you belong to, then there is no trial in life that can defeat you.

Think of all that the Lord has brought you through already. This should be enough to bullet you into your next level. He didn't let you drown in the mess nor did He give up on you. He simply open doors, granted favor, or made a way. Sometimes, we just need a gentle reminder - the Lord takes care of His own.

Don't put a question mark where God puts a period. Be encouraged knowing that he who kneels before the Lord can stand before anything.

Psalms 55:22-23

Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.

But You, O god, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction; bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in you.

Tilt your hearts toward the Son!

Narda Goodson

Official Website: Narda Goodson Ministries

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