Hammering

“A nail is driven out by another nail; habit is overcome by habit. “ Erasmus

This is a quote from One Thousand Gifts. It is the way we learn thankfulness, by driving in the nails of rejoicing to drive out the nails of self-absortion, self-pity, self, self, self! Learning to pray without ceasing, praise without ceasing.....remembering that all things are sifted through God's hands of love.......and so we hammer...

God, I thank you today for

Your hand of love even when it doesn't feel like love to me.

Your hand of mercy that I might be merciful

Your hand of grace that I might be free

Your hand of goodness....that I can call good what You say is good...........

Your hand of faithfulness, no matter how bleak the way seems.

Your hand of gentleness, that I might learn to be gentle too.

High places

I've been thinking a lot about "high places"......it is always so sad in the old testament when there was a "good" king, but he failed to destroy the "high places"..... the places of idol worship.....So as I was reading and studying about lies we believe I kept reading this verse...

·          We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ..."(2 Corinthians 10:5)        

a     and it hit me that the lies I belive are my "high places".....they are idols that I trust in rather than the truth of God, the promises of God.......I have some work to do, but now it becomes more clear why the kings of old didn't always destroy the high places. Easier to just let them be.........But we are in a battle, and a battle is never "easy"....we fight for God's glory and for His kingdom.............May His kingdom come, May His will be done.

All is grace

How do we come to terms with that?
I keep reading and re-reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. It is a powerful book......a life changing book.........and I am desperately trying to learn the lesson, practice the lesson of rejoicing. I had always equated "pray without ceasing" to intercession, not realizing that thanking God is prayer....thanking Him for His gifts......learning to look for His gifts.....
I am afraid I am a beginner in this but I long to change and I am excited to have my eyes opened.
So, if you don't have her book, I wish I could buy one for you and read with you and talk about it with you.

Longing and praying for the day when I can say and know that "All is grace."