Thursday, September 13, 2012

John 16:33 WORDart

Happy Thursday!

Here is this week’s WORDart for ya.

 John 16:33 WORDart by Karen for personal use

(click on image to download)

I know I have been pretty quiet on my blog for several weeks now.  I hope you can bear with me a little while longer while I figure out how to adjust to our schedule.  It gets easier every day and that is very encouraging. 

I don’t have a devotion for you this week, just a few words from my heart.  It’s confession time.  For the past several months I have felt overwhelmed by…well, everything.  I have carried such a weight on my shoulders that I have prayed about for a very long time and haven’t felt release or even a knowledge of what it was.  We had a special service on Sunday at our church.  It was a children’s service with puppets, and silly songs and magic tricks that appeal to children (and adults).  But God can speak to us even through things designed for a child.  He calls us His children and wants us to come to Him as a child.  In that service, God really touched me and I felt such a release of all the burdens I had carried for so long.  In my devotions the following day, God revealed to me that the biggest burden I carried was the fear of failure.  I had never realized until that moment how big a part of my life it was.  I have always been the type of person that wanted to make everything right and everyone happy.  That alone is a huge burden, but when you also put pressure on yourself to be perfect in everything you do, that is an impossibility. The thought of failure terrified me until I was disabled by it.  He showed me that I need to rely on HIM and not myself…that I cannot do everything on my own, nor could I do it all perfectly.  God will give me (and you) everything we need to equip us to do the things He requires of us.  Sometimes our priorities are out of place and we need to pause and readjust, and sometimes letting go is the hardest thing we have to do.  We have the best teacher who ever walked the face of the earth, He just needs a willing student.  If we are still and listen, we will hear His gentle voice of instruction and encouragement.  What a relief to realize that He is in control and has already overcome everything we have or will ever have to face.  He knows my future and He knows what is best for me; I just need to trust Him.  What peace and joy come with that revelation!

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog today.  I hope I didn’t bore you or insult you with my words, but rather I hope they serve to encourage and inspire you.

Have a blessed day!

signature final

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Karen,
Even though we never met, you are a dear sister in Christ. I thank you for taking the time to share what's on your heart and what God is showing you. It was a giant encouragement to me to read today. I am a homeschooling mom of 8 kids---3 are graduated. But each year is different and we have just begun a new one. My personality must be very much like yours. I have always struggled with striving for perfectionism and God knew what to give me to realize how much I need Him--eight kids and homeschooling!! I am so thankful for a loving God whose mercies are new every morning and who never gives us on us. So we fix our eyes on Jesus--that author and perfector of our faith--so we do not grow tired or wear (Hebrews 12:2-3)
Striving to keep my eyes up!
Blessing to you!
Laura

Jennifer said...

Karen, thank you so much for sharing your heart today! I have many times like you felt this unknown weight and when I allow God to reveal it to me, such a release it is. Just to know and be able to take it to Him!
I to struggle with the fear of failure! Always trying to make everything perfect, never wanting to let anyone down. Such an encouragement it is that we can leave it all at the Lord Jesus' Feet! Thank You!

Anne-Marie said...

A beautiful post, Karen....I understand those feelings, having struggled with them, too. You are wise to listen for the still small voice. Thank you for the beautiful word art.

kiwimeskreations said...

Thank you fro your generous Word Art, and for your honesty - it is so easy to fall into the trap (and it truly is a trap) of wanting please others and fearing failure. Like many others I have 'been there, done that'.
Blessings
Maxine

Marilyn Mathis said...

I am so thrilled to have found your site. I really like the scriptures and plan to use them on my cards.
I think many women especially struggle with perfectionism. I know I have but when we learn to trust Him, He makes the crooked places straight. He sees our heart and if it is perfect toward Him all our human imperfections fade away.
Thanks for your site and your honesty.

Marilyn Mathis said...

I am thrilled to have found your site and the scripture verses. I appreciate your honesty and openness. I think women often struggle with these feelings of imperfection, but if our heart is perfect toward Him, He will "make the crooked places straight."
Thanks for sharing your talent.

Christine said...

Karen,
Thank you for sharing from your heart. Your words echo much of the sermon I heard this morning. Our pastor preached on fear of rejection, and I share with you the burden of wanting everything to be just right. I will be praying for you as I pray for my own deliverance from this bondage/burden.
Christine