The 35 Day Challenge: Day 4 of 35

The 35 Day Challenge: Day 4 of 35
Do our BUTs in the Middle of our faith effect only ourselves?


Last night as I went for my run, I had such energy and motivation and prayed while I ran about this area of my life where my head is strong, yet where my heart at times is weak. It was just me and God, running along the edge of the city, looking at nothing but the few street lights and the dark mountain in front of me as I ran. At the end of my run I stopped into my favorite yogurt shop, Poppies.....which is family owned and literally in the middle of nowhere. I literally eat yogurt almost everyday. Currently, I'm on a 5 times per week frozen yogurt kick. As I walked out of Poppies in my spandex running clothes, hoodie, beanie, worship music, and frozen yogurt; I stopped for a minute and stared up into the sky. I love living out on the edge of the city.....YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE STARS! I took a moment to just stop and star into the stars. I started to think about how simple life can be when we are not consumed with our own worries and whether or not God is ACTUALLY going to come through on his promises. Even if we know in our heads, how many fractions of our lives are taken up by moments of our doubting hearts or emotional disappointments? I am not trying to make light of our situations.....BUT I started to think as I stared at the STARS that really I have SO MUCH MORE TO BE THANKFUL FOR. If, I just focus on that, if I just stop and stare into the sky for a moment, everything else seems to fade away. I felt total peace as I walked back to my home.  

I want to share a video with you that I came across last night. While you are watching it I want to encourage you to think about how differently our faith would look if what we were most concerned about was the breath of another.

This is story of a daughter who's biggest doubt in life was, 'BUT what if I can't breathe?'

After watching this video last night and completing my run, I started to really feel convicted about the BUTs I am allowing in my faith. I never doubt whether or not my lungs will open and fill with air. They just do. My heavenly Father is in complete control of my ENTIRE destiny. 

So, do our BUTs only effect us??

NO. My friend. They effect every one in your world and even those you are meant to reach, BUT possibly might miss, because of your own doubt. 

I am a firm believer in the domino effect and that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. If we allow a BUT in our faith statement and actually let that BUT negate the promises God has given us, we are negating and effecting our future in that area......which does ripple onto others in our lives.....BUT what it also does [and this is the part that brought me to my knees and in tears last night] is it keeps our attention on ourselves.

Our BUTs in our faith DO NOT bring God glory.....they make us look at ourselves.....though there is nothing wrong with taking care of yourself.....there is something wrong with being CONSUMED in the very world that need not exist if it were not for your BUT. Your concerns and BUTs are not like this little girl. 'God, I want to live, BUT I cannot breathe.'

The more time we spend with our BUTs in our faith statements, the more time we are detracted from helping those whose BUTs in their faith statements are actually more life threatening. If we cannot kick these out of our lives....we will miss some of the incredible things God wants to do through us. 

Well, my friend.....lets have a look at our BUTs in a different light today. Recognizing that our God is greater than a 3 letter word. HE is a OUR PROMISE FULFILLED.

Lots of Love,
Andi

xoxo