His Thoughts Toward Me

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! (NASB) ~Psalm 139:17

"God what are your thoughts toward me?"

The question stemmed from so many things. I want to be loved. I want approval. I want to feel happy. And I look for those things in every place. I try to numb myself with entertainment, I try to keep busy so I don't have time to think about what's hurting me, I try to be prettier and skinnier and all of that. 

And all this time, I've been ignoring the very thing that will set me free.

His love.

Take a minute. Close your eyes, and imagine what God is thinking towards you. Try to recall the Bible verses that you used to memorize before you got too busy. I'll tell you my version at this very moment.

"Sara, I'm never going to leave you or forsake you. My plans for you are good. I have loved you with an everlasting love! When I have tried you, you shall come out as gold. Seek me with your whole heart." 

Every single statement there came directly from his word. That is why we must constantly be soaking up his word, we must devour it and hold onto it and obsess over it. It will replace the old thoughts -- the thoughts that nag at you. You know what I'm talking about. The thoughts of someone not caring anymore, the thoughts of jealousy, the thoughts of "wait, I need to do this and that and this and that and let me not forget to feed the chipmunks and watch this movie because this actress is in it and God-forbid I should miss that..." JUST STOP.

The King; let me say that again; THE KING, yeah the KING is thinking about you. He thinks about you more than you think about that person you really love, he thinks about you more than you think about how you wish you had a better life. We have all we need in him, friends. Why, oh why, do we search for it in other places? 

His love will drown everything else out. It will quiet your fears and depression and will give you a reason to live. I'll leave you with this little memory. 

It was about a month ago, and I was anticipating a really hard year. The short version of it all is that I had to pretty much sacrifice some dreams that were years and years in the making. And it hurt. Really bad. I'm tearing up thinking about it right now. 

"God, I can't do this alone. The only way I can get through this is if you don't leave me."

And I remembered that verse.

"Sara, I will never leave you or forsake you."

"Well then, so be it."

Imagine what he's saying to you. Find his promises and his commands that he's impressed in your heart. It will always change. Psalm 139 goes on to say, "If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You." 

Oh friends! He is here with us! He loves us SOOOOO MUCH! How can I make you believe that? I wish I could hold all of you close to me and whisper in your ear how much he loves you. But I don't need to. God is already doing that. Will you listen? Will you get alone with him and seek him with all your heart? He will satisfy your soul. He will. 

I love you all and am praying that you would find all you need in Jesus' loving arms. 

A life he loves,

Sara

My Life for His Glory

This is my mind.
This is my heart.
I make the rules.

The words filtered through my subconscious, and as I awoke,*  the words played over again.

This is my mind.
This is my heart.
I make the rules.

Part of me struggles with this idea. After all, my life is ultimately God's. I am hidden in Christ, have taken on his identity, and am trying to walk in his ways. It is NOT my life. NOT my mind, or my heart, and at the end of the day, I make none of the rules.

But hear me out. I have a responsibility here. There is an inherent need in each of us to actually fall out of bed in the morning and put a semblance of an effort into doing life. We can't expect God to shoot us with Captain America serum, do all our homework, and control our thoughts. He will give us the strength to do these things (after all, without him, nothing is possible), but we must actually take responsibility for the potential he's given us. I mean, would it be more glorifying to God if I sat on my couch all day and ate ice-cream and watched Pride and Prejudice seven million times (who, ME?) or if I spent quality time with my Maker, lived morally, did my homework, managed my time, and pushed myself to reach my full potential? Which version of me do you think God could use to effect change?

I don't have much more to say, but let me just give you (and me, okay, mostly me) somewhere to start.

This is God's life. These are the things he's given me.

➝He's given me my mind. I choose to think of things that please him.

➝He's given me my body. I choose to treat it like his temple.

➝He's given me my brain. I choose to use it wisely and fill it with useful knowledge. (No, Sara, that doesn't mean creating more boards on Pinterest...)

➝He's given me my heart. I choose to guard it and use it for the compassion of the lost and hurting.

➝He's given me my life. I choose to live it to his glory.

That's a start. I'm sure you have your own. I have this job, I have this family, I have this talent, I have this asset.

This is God's life -- and it comes with an enormous responsibility. Push to your full potential, live in a way that pleases God, and yes--

We'll set the world on FIRE.



Philippians 4:8
Proverbs 4:23
Mark 12:30
1 Corinthians 6:19-20


I love you, friends! ♡♡♡♡♡♡


* This is what I look like when I wake up, btw. Rose and crown and lipstick and all. :)