Life Decisions and Answered Prayers

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7 (NLT)

Life is full of decisions. I would say that decisions generally come in three sizes. They come in small, medium, and life-changing. Not a day goes by that we can go without making some sort of decision. We encounter small decisions like, what to wear to work and medium decisions like deciding the best spot for your next family vacation. Generally, I think we can make these decisions easily on our own. They really don't require too much thought.

So what about those life-changing decisions? Is our first thought to go to God and ask for guidance and wisdom? Or do we try to handle it on our own first? Only when we realize that we can't do it on our own do we ask God for help.

I recently experienced one of these life-changing decisions. And as if the decision itself wasn't big enough, it had to be made in a relatively short timeframe. So with the holidays about over and the new year on the horizon, I was stressed to the max! I froze. I didn't know what to do, how to feel, or what to say. I weighed the pros and cons for each direction that this decision could possibly take me. One direction was possibly an answer to a prayer that I had been praying the last couple of years. The other looked like it could be God's future provision for my family. I didn't know what to do. Then I turned to God.

The amazing part about this is that God already knew I would have to make this decision. He had been preparing me for it long before I even knew it. He placed certain people and certain tools in my life at just the right time. When He gave these things to me, I had no idea how much I would need them in the very near future.

The time clock was ticking and I had less than a month to make a really big decision. An overwhelming feeling came over me that I could not shake. I felt very inadequate and uncertain of my ability to make this decision. Then God reminded me of the gifts he had given me just three months prior. God, a new friend and a devotional Bible were right there, waiting to be utilized.

I began desperately praying that God would reveal His will to me. That's when I found out just how true God really is to his word. It was amazing how my daily readings were telling me exactly what He wanted for my life. My new friend was there to listen and to share a similar life experience with me and offer encouragement. Through all this, God clearly showed me His will for my life. He gave me a sense of peace and I knew I had made the right decision.

I am in awe of how God truly worked in my life. Sometimes my faith is so small and then God reveals himself in a very big way. I am so thankful that in all his awesomeness that he cares enough to reach out to me in my time of need.

If you are faced with a life-changing decision right now, I would encourage you to seek God. Go to him and ask for guidance and wisdom. And once you've made your decision, pray for a sense of peace. No matter what, God will love you, protect you, and provide for you. His plan is perfect and he does answer prayer.

Dear Lord, Thank you for your promises and I pray that we never forget how big and awesome you truly are. Amen.

Jeana Miller

Forgiveness

I, yes, I alone-will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again. Isaiah 43:25 (NLT)

God forgave you but can you forgive yourself?

As a sinner, knowing that I'm forgiven of all things by the divine Jesus Christ is the ultimate picture of grace and mercy. Christ's shed blood for my sins... I am in awe. I am so unworthy and yet so thankful that Jesus loved me that much. Self-forgiveness has not always come easy for me and I still struggle with it from time to time. But then I am reminded that I can forgive myself and others with the help and guidance of my heavenly Father. We only need to follow his example and read his words. The Bible is the one and true resource that we can turn to for confirmation of His complete forgiveness.

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. Romans 8:1-2 (NLT)

Being able to truly accept God's forgiveness is the only way that we will be able to forgive ourselves. And until we openly ask and receive God's forgiveness, we will never know how to truly forgive someone else. Forgiveness is our path to true spiritual freedom.

For His unfailing love toward those who fear Him, is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. Psalm 103:11-12 (NLT)

But if we confess our sins to Him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:9 (NLT)

So why do we struggle with past sins that God has already forgiven? Why can't we forget about those sins and move on?

Well, for one thing, Satan does not want us to forgive ourselves. He does not want us to be free from this burden that we choose to carry. Satan enjoys tormenting us with our past struggles and sins. As long as we are struggling with our past, we will feel unworthy to stand in the presence of our God, who truly loves us. The ultimate deceiver wants us to continue to live in the darkness of our past sins rather than step into the light of Jesus Christ's love. As long as we feel dirty and ashamed, we will want to hide ourselves from God, which will prevent us from living the life that God has fully intended for us. So let's break out of that darkness and give everything to the one who can handle it all. Let's remind Satan who is in charge of our lives.

You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. Colossians 2:13-15 (NLT)

God has forgiven you. Whether you feel forgiven or not, does not matter. You have been set free from God's condemnation. Now you must set yourself free from your own. If you are struggling with forgiveness, talk to God about it. Pray and ask Him to help you release the hold of your past sins. Each morning when you wake up, be encouraged in the knowledge that you are loved and forgiven by the creator of the universe. How awesome is that?

Father, I pray that all will find the pure joy that is waiting for them in true forgiveness. Amen

Jeana Miller