Girlfriends in God Daily Devotional for Women

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Girlfriends in God - Mar. 28, 2008

 

March 28, 2008

The Heart That Cries Out to Jesus

Melody Hadley

 

From time-to-time, the Friday devotions will be written by one of our friends in ministry.  We call them our "Friday Friends."  So grab your Bible and a fresh cup of coffee and drink in the words from our "Friday Friend", Melody Hadley. Melody Hadley is currently the Writer Manager for “Looking Up Magazine.” She devotes much of her time to teaching Bible studies, writing short articles and devotions, and facilitating an online prayer ministry.

 

Today’s Truth

Psalm 46:1, 11 (NKJV) states: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble… The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”

 

Friend to Friend

Trials and tribulations are inevitable, some seemingly insurmountable. We must remember God’s sovereignty; He is always near and forever faithful. Even in the direst circumstances, we should not fear, because God is our ever-present refuge and our all sufficient strength.

While reading the Bible, we see the word “refuge”, and picture huge rocks, fortresses, and strongholds Today when we envision a ‘refuge” we might think of a cabin in the woods or a lean-to on the beach—somewhere/anywhere we can seek retreat from the problems in our hectic, painful-filled lives.

 

Seeking shelter amidst the storms of life, and looking for support outside ourselves is natural; however, we must make sure that God is our place of asylum and source of power.

 

Are fretting and over-analyzing your problems sapping your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual energy? Does worry paralyze you? Are you stressed to the breaking point? Faith and holding on to God’s promises can and will drive away fear and give you peace, power and protection.

 

In 1998, I suffered a mental and physical breakdown. Doctors stated that I had “post traumatic stress disorder.” Over the years, I had experienced our daughter’s stillbirth, severe ankle injuries, asthma, and job downsizing resulting in financial difficulties. I did not totally give the problems to the Lord, trying to handle things on my own, thus causing undue stress in my life. At the lowest point of the debilitating depression and panic attacks, thinking, feeling, and praying were impossible. Only the word “Jesus” seemed able to get through the blanket of my disease. That was sufficient. God honored the cries of my soul…He was with me every step of the way out of the darkness.

 

Mother Teresa stated it so eloquently: “When the time comes and we can’t pray it is very simple: if Jesus is in my heart, let Him pray, let me allow Him to pray in me, to talk to His Father in the silence of my heart. If I cannot speak, He will speak for me; if I cannot pray, He will pray. That’s why we say, “Jesus in my heart, I believe in your faithful love for me.”

 

A few years ago, my husband and I took an American Sign Language class, as he is losing his hearing. Because I wanted a special way to remind us of God’s protection, I asked the teacher to show us how to sign “Refuge and Strength.” She said to put one hand out as if you were a traffic cop signaling a car to stop. With your second hand, make a fist and put it behind the other hand. When we do that, it reminds us that God’s refuge is like a wall or barrier of protection and behind it is His might and strength.

We are safe.

 

God did touch me, did heal me, and did take away my fear. To this day, He is my rock and my fortress! No matter what trials come my way, I am assured that if I turn to Him, I will find Him waiting to help me.

 

Let’s Pray

Dear Father, we come seeking to know You better and trust You more. Teach us to turn to You first with our own problems and those of others. Show us where and how we can demonstrate Your compassion to others. Give us open hearts and minds so that we can truly identify the specific needs of others. Grant us the ability to be Your hands and Your feet as we serve others in love. Amen

 

Now it’s Your Turn

Look to God on a daily basis to find protection (refuge) and power (strength):

 

  • List as many attributes of God as you can and post on your refrigerator. Each time you see the list, stop and praise God for at least one attribute. For example, “God is a loving Father”.

 

  • Designate a refuge place where you can take a break for at least 5 minutes a day and reflect on God’s provision. For example, a favorite chair, a swing under a tree in the yard, or a walking trail in the woods, etc. Be alone with the Father.

 

  • Commit to memory a special verse such as Psalm 91:1-2 (NKJV): “He who dwells in the secret place of The Most High shall abide under the shelter of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him will I trust.”

 

More from the Girlfriends

Be on the look out for “robbers” of refuge and strength: busy-ness, inattention to His Word, TV and novels, worry, unbelief, and lack of prayer and quiet time with the Lord. Continually focus on God’s provision, and look to Him for encouragement, peace, protection, wisdom, and respite from the difficulties in life. Joy can be found in suffering, as Paul tells in Romans 5:3-4 (NKJV): “but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance character, and character, hope.”

 

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