Hi Friends, Diane here. Because of WHO we are in Christ, we have the power to control how we respond to any and every situation. If we are not aware we have this freedom, then we might continue to allow the things of this world to control us instead. We can either react to difficult events and completely lose our peace. OR in Christ, we can choose to trust Him, and hold on to that peace. It is our identity, or our understanding of this identity, that determines what we DO.
Let me give you a quick example: my husband, Joe, usually drives when we go anywhere. Lately, I have been very jumpy as he drives. If we are approaching a red light with cars in front of us, I have been saying, “Slow down or you’ll hit the car in front of us!” I have been closing my eyes as he changes lanes a bit more close to the other cars than I would like. I have been reacting as if I am not safe with Joe in the driver’s seat. But he loves me. He is a good driver. He would never do something reckless that would hurt us. So why have I been reacting this way? Joe commented that things look different in the driver’s seat vs the passenger’s…then God opened my eyes to the lesson. If we truly believe that one of the marks of our New Identity in Christ is that we are secure in His Love, then we will not react, but we will respond more and more.
Reacting makes us lose our peace and joy. It moves us to be confused about life and stressed out about what is going on a round us. Responding on the other hand, helps us hold on to this New Identity, so we can keep our peace and joy instead. Knowing WHO we are in Christ comes down to making a choice to believe that God loves us. (Jn 3:16) To believe that He said He will always be with us. (Heb 13:5) And to believe, whatever happens, it is because God has a good and godly purpose for it. (Ro 8:28) As we understand deeper WHO we are, a child of God safe in His arms, then we can choose to enjoy life, no matter what. Here is this week’s “verse to remember”:
“This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” Ps 118:24 NLT
Rejoicing and being glad in this day is a matter of choosing to believe in God and His undying Love for us. Let’s talk about it this week.
Join me in memorizing 52 verses this year:
January: 1- Jn 3:16; 2- 2Co 5:17; 3- Jas 2:26; 4- Eph 2:10
February: 5- Jn 10:10; 6- Ro 6:23; 7- Rev 21:4; 8- Php 4:13
March: 9- 1Pe 5:7; 10- Jn 8:32; 11- Dt 30:19; 12- Jn 3:30; 13- 2Chron 20:3
April: 14- 2Chron 20:12; 15- 2Chron 20:15b; 16- 2Chron 20:17
May: 17- Ro 8:28; 18- 1Co 13:13; 19- Php 2:12; 20- Mt 5:4
June: 21- Lk 23:42; 22- Jas 4:7; 23- Pr 22:6; 24- Mt 5:3; 25- Jn 14:6
July: 26- Jas 2:19; 27- Dt 31:8; 28- Jn 14:15; 29- Jn 8:11
30- Ro 8:1
31- Pr 4:23
32- Pr 18:21
33- Ps 118:24
<>< Peace, Diane
