September 19 - 2 Thessalonians 1: Amounts to Something

As I'm sitting here overwhelmed by my surging emotions and the difficult things God is calling me to do, I'm incredibly thankful for God's Word. It's kind of ironic because this is the last place I wanted to be.

We are hosting a group at my house in a few hours, and I'm completely unprepared. I'm scheduled to give a short talk in front of a large group of people tomorrow, and again, I'm completely unprepared. This is not at all how I like to operate.

I have a lot on my to-do list today - including this post - and unfortunately, my emotions aren't cooperating. I've been a mess of tears and angry words, at my kids, at my husband, and at myself. I don't know what to do with my crazy self. Ugh.

So, like a good little achiever, I sat down to crank out this post, but God stopped me cold in my overwhelmed tracks with His words for me today:

Our God gives you everything you need, makes you everything you're to be. (1:2) 

Because this extraordinary day is just ahead, we pray for you all the time - pray that out God will make you fit for what he's called you to be, pray that he'll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so that it all amounts to something. (1:11) 

Oh yeah, Cici. Rather than feeling the burden of the tasks and of these emotions He's asking me to feel deeply, I can rest in my gracious, loving Father. I can stop spinning, stop trying, stop stressing, stop everything.

He will give me everything I need as I yield to Him. He will make into what He wants me to be. Rather than trusting in me, by His grace, His power will infuse my ideas and actions, making them amount to something. Apart from Christ, I can do nothing. (John 15:5)

Lord, I pray that I will be steady and determined in my faith (1:4) like the Thessalonians, regardless of circumstances. May I not shrink back in fear from all You're doing in my life. Fill me with Your Spirit, Lord; I want Your energy to inhabit all that I do, so that every bit of it amounts to something of eternal value, something to glorify Your Name.