Watch What You Practice

How interesting that what I was thinking about driving home from a golf tournament yesterday was exactly what our devotional thought dealt with last night!  Coincidence?  I think not!  Perhaps God is trying to tell me to listen and learn?  I think so!

I'm very independent.  I suppose that's a good thing in some ways.  If I need to go somewhere - I go.  I don't have to have my husband drive me or wait until he can drive me.  I know I can figure it out, eventually, and get where I need to go.  (Remember mine and my daughter's motto:  We'll get there!  It may not be the easiest way or the the smartest way - but we'll get there!)  I don't rely on others to do what I need to do.  Now house-wise there are lots of things my husband does that I don't even want to try to do, but I mean other responsibilities.  We don't expect help from others. I/we try to teach our children to take care of their things on their own and not look for special favors, such as extending deadlines for over-due projects or expecting other to pick up slack if they haven't done their part....just basic "being responsible" lessons.

But sometimes being independent causes problems.  Sometimes, if I'm used to relying too much on "me", I may find myself leaving God out of parts of my life.  It's not a conscious thing at all, but just a bad habit that's really hard to break!

Our devotional last night was from the children's version of "Jesus Calling".  It was called, "Don't Practice Your Problems", with the key scripture Exodus 33:14, "The Lord replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

Here's a thought from the book:

Sometimes, though, when you aren't really focusing on Me (God), you start to rehearse and practice your problems - going over them again and agin in your mind.....Then you try to fix it yourself.

But you are never alone, because My Presence goes with you wherever you go. There is no need to worry, and you don't have to fix anything by yourself. Bring your problems to Me. In My Presence, many problems simply vanish, and others become much easier to handle.

Don't practice your problems; practice bringing your problems to Me.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39