January 25, 2022 by Magan Dolan
I remember when I was little, I had a yellow blankie that I took everywhere with me. It ended up torn into pieces until I had one tiny piece left that I kept safe in a toy Oscar the grouch trash can lol. That little blankie was my sense of security in times when I was scared and even times when I may not have needed it. I tried so hard to salvage what was left of that blankie, but despite my efforts it no longer exists. That blankie of mine symbolizes the temporary securities we tend to cling to throughout our lifetime here on earth. Since that time, I have had many kinds of things and people that I tried to cling to in order to have that sense of security. Some of the different things were my Mom, boyfriends, sports, work, alcohol, and T.V. None of them did truly satisfy my need to feel safe and secure. Can you identify the different worldly things you have tried going to for some sense of security?
In my spiritual journey I have come to realize that the one true security I have always had in life whether I was aware or not was, is, and will always be Jesus my Rock. Psalm 18:2 says, “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Jesus is enough and there are times when I succumb to lies that the enemy dangles in front of me, until Jesus brings me back to what I know is true. The best way to be able to tell the difference between truth and lies is to cling tight to Jesus. There are so many distractions in our lives and as you can tell from the ones, I have mentioned previously some can be good things, but not when they become idols. My Mom, for example definitely is something good in my life but in the past, I have looked to her first before turning to God. Another example is work, it can be a great thing because it gives us purpose and helps us survive, and it even allows us to be a light to others we work with, but it can also be a distraction from God if we let it. We can’t forget what it is we are working for and especially not forget Who we are ultimately working for. We as Christians are called to be ambassadors for Christ, to be a light in the darkness, and point others to Jesus.
I have grown to learn that when I lean on Jesus, I am able to handle whatever life throws at me, but the times when I don’t the ground beneath me quickly begins to crumble. Just like it says in Luke 6: 47-49, “Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”
I don’t know about you, but I want the house that can’t be shaken! The following verses remind me that the Lord gives me strength and He can give you strength too:
Psalm 18:28-30 says, “For You, O LORD, light my lamp; my God lights up my darkness. For in You I can charge an army, and with my God I can scale a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.…”
Psalm 40:2 says, “He lifted me up from the pit of despair, out of the miry clay; He set my feet upon a rock and made my footsteps firm.”
Psalm 18:33 says, “He makes my feet like those of a deer and stations me upon the heights.”
Challenge: Take some time to sit with God and reflect on how often you turn to Him first when seeking answers verses other people or things. If you find yourself seeking other people or things first take some more time to consider how much that approach is working for you. If it isn’t working than are you willing to make a change???
This entry was originally posted in Uncategorized on January 25, 2022 by Magan Dolan.