Fill in the Blank
Many (if not all) of you know I have been sick for quite a while now. I will write another update after my next doctor visit.
In the meantime I wrote an exercise for myself. It may benefit many of you as well, so here it is.
Let’s play a game.
It’s called fill in the blank.
(Give this game an honest shot. Reflection can be healthy when done right.)
Today I enjoyed ___________.
Last week ________________ made me sad.
Last week ________________ made me happy.
Last week I gave _______________ to God.
Last week, although I shouldn’t have, I let the prince of darkness control ____________.
My favorite part of last week was ___________________.
This week I will enjoy ______________.
This week I will give _______________ to God.
This week I will NOT let the prince of darkness control _______________.
That was a good exercise.
Let’s kick it up a notch.
Before we get to the next fill in the blank think about these questions.
- What discourages you most often?
- What discouraged you most last week? Month? Year?
Examples:
- my monetary situation
- my job situation
- my family situation
- my political beliefs
- my health
- an event in my past
- general worry
- concern for the future
- lack of time
- obstacles in the path of my dream
- pain
The following blank will be different for everyone and may contain many things.
Whether you came up with your own answer or chose from the list above, insert your answer(s) into the blanks of the statements below.
- I won’t let _______________ crush the hope God has placed deep within my soul, for such discouragement is the work of the prince of darkness who longs to see me, a loved child of God, disheartened.
Think about that for a moment.
- Because when I let __________ dictate my mood, I am willingly dethroning God and relinquishing control of my mood and thoughts to the prince of darkness, because such thoughts are not of God.
- God doesn’t want me to battle _____________ alone. So if I ask Him, He will help me through it.
Don’t worry. It gets better.
- God sent His Son to die for me, to defeat the prince of darkness, so I will live one day in Heaven where I no longer have to battle against _______________.
It gets even better.
- Though His Son now reigns in Heaven, God left with me a Counselor, the Holy Spirit, to help me experience _______________ so I wouldn’t feel alone. All I have to do is humble myself and ask for the help, and I will receive it.
It gets much, much better.
- Knowing these things, I am giving ______________ to God, trusting the Creator of the universe to provide me with a peace that surpasses understanding because He is infinite love and He loves me.
See? It got better.
- It can be easy to forget all the “better” parts. It can be easy for the hope and love of God to get squashed by our worldly _______________.
Leave God where He belongs. He belongs in total control of your world, your life, your mood, and your hope.
Selah.
Interested in reading more on this topic?
See 1 John 3 — the entire chapter, with special emphasis on verses 19-24.
All who are weary, come home. Matthew 11:28
I love this post! Thanks for writing about this! It is a daily need of mine to be reminded that God is in control. I know this and believe this…but I like to be reminded daily to listen to Him. Thanks Hayley!
Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me!
*HUGS*