Life Plan Devotion #2 [perseverance]

Hi, Everyone.
I'm late posting today, because my computer is acting up. It's annoying, but I'm thankful to get to this point. :)
As always, I love hearing what God is doing in your life.

Life Plan Devotion #2 [perseverance]

     To persevere means "to persist in pursuing something in spite of obstacles or opposition." Think back on your life. When did you persevere, kept at something until you accomplished it? What caused you to keep going, with long-term stamina? Why was giving up not an option?
     Perhaps your mission, your goal, was God-given, even if you didn't realize it at the time. There was an inner prompting to restore a relationship, heal from abuse, forgive an offender, begin a ministry, or find a new job. Perhaps there was an encouraging inner push to raise your demanding toddler with patience, pray for an unsaved spouse, be a godly witness during a crisis, or wait patiently for your dream to materialize.
     Persevering, despite trials and obstacles, is God-given and God-honoring. Pray, and decide where you believe God wants you to be ten years from now, and take the first step in that direction. Yes, the first step is the hardest, but God will help you take the second step, if you take the first one. Continue to pray with faith...expectant faith, and keep going.

Romans 5:3-4
"...We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."

What this has to do with weight loss:  Perhaps you are newly out from weight-loss surgery, are in the soft-food stage of eating, and experiencing a stall. Even though you know that a stall is common, it's still frustrating. Perhaps you are looking at the many pounds you need to lose, and it seems like such a daunting, discouraging task. Remind youself that if you know the Lord, you are not alone. He will keep you going, one day, one pound at a time. Don't give up five minutes before your miracle.

Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, help me to learn to rejoice in my journey and to rejoice in every obstacle, trial and suffering, because I know that 'suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.' Today, I pray that I will become a woman/man of extreme perseverance, not letting delays and difficulties discourage me. I ask, especially, for persistence that will build my character and give me hope, when I'm in Life's waiting room. Help me to see that it's actually easier for me to persevere than to live with the regret of having given up hope and letting go of a dream. Thank You for Your gift of perseverance. I pray in the Name of Jesus. Amen."

Go forth today, and persevere!

Blessings,
Mary

What a wonderful post and I just had something like this happen this week while I was watching Joel Osteen on TV. He was talking about letting other people steal your joy. Well I've had a true hatred for my step daughter for 20 years for all the evil hateful things she's done to me and our family because of her meth addiction. As I sat there listening to Joel all of a sudden I just felt a total peace and calm come over me and I realized the hatred was gone! I can't say I love her at this point but the hate is just gone, I don't get that knot in the pit of my stomach anymore, I'm not wasting my joy energy on hate energy. Just that quick it was gone, now MAYBE I can actually get to the point her daughter is, who can look past the addiction and know that there is a good person buried under 20 years of addiction. Believe me her daughter of all people should hate her, but I don't think my granddaughter is capable of hate, it's just not in her beautiful heart to hate anyone. So gramma is learning from her I guess. Everyday I grow another step and learn another lesson, what a fascinating journey we are on!!!

How wonderful, to share in your life-changing moment, through your words. So often, we spent wasted moments, even years, expending so much energy in our hard feelings, hatred, etc., when it's really so much easier just to forgive and let it go. It doesn't make what happened right, but it allows one to move on. For my sanity and health (physical, emotional, spiritual), I needed to come to a point where I could forgive my first husband and, another time, forgive the 2 young men who raped me. I fought (emotionally) both times, long and hard, but one day, I realized that God had forgiven me, and even though I'd never abused anyone, I had abused myself in many ways, and even though I have never sexually assualted anyone, does that make me a better person? Sin is sin, in God's eyes, and "all have sinned." I prayed for forgiveness, and, strictly out of obedience (without feeling anything), I told the Lord that "I forgive them." In that nanosecond, my years of pain and struggle were over. The feeling DID come, too, to the point where I told God that I wanted to see them in Heaven, someday.
Unforgiveness is toxic, in all ways. I have seen people finally get their physical healing because they took care of issues of unforgiveness. 
You have taken a wonderful first step, and I'm proud of you. I know that was not easy, even though the end of it happened in a second. Now, just know that the Enemy is not happy, and he will try to interject the old thoughts. When that happens, just say, "No. I no longer harbor ill feelings or thoughts against my stepdaughter, in Jesus' Name." 
When you're ready, ask the Lord to help you come to a place of forgiving your stepdaughter for being weak, becoming addicted to meth, choosing it over family, and hurting her children and you. Feel all of it, my friend, no matter how painful, and then allow Jesus to come and heal each painful place. I believe you will experience miracles, more than you can imagine.
Blessings,
Mary