Dianne Miley's Blog - Posts Tagged "practice"
Blooming Where We’re Planted
Practice Doesn’t Make Perfect, But It Makes It Easier
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”
Philippians 4:12-13
As we continue this series, we focus on the best way of learning to bloom where we’re planted. Like anything else, it gets easier with practice. We need to consciously make the best of our situation until it becomes a way of life. But don’t get cocky. Just when we think we’ve got it figured out, we slip into those old habits of trusting our own judgment more than God’s. Sometimes it’s just a matter of logic, we reason. How can we tithe 10% of our income and still pay the bills with 90% when we’re struggling to pay them with 100%? That’s a valid question. The only good answer is: God blesses those who trust in Him.
Only God can make the refrigerator last longer, keep us safe in automobile accidents, and create income where there was none. My husband and I began in earnest this experiment of trusting God over a year ago. Here’s the result: Our refrigerator, that has been making loud groaning noises since we moved into our house over 2 years ago, is still keeping our food cold despite the eerie noises. I had a minor car accident that only scratched the front bumper of my six-year-old car. We do not have full coverage insurance and would have paid out-of-pocket to fix it. Ironically, the very week before my car was backed into in the parking lot at work and the other guy’s insurance paid to repaint my back bumper, which already had a big scratch and cracked paint from the sun. Now my insurance is paying for someone else’s back bumper. What goes around, comes around.
As for income, since we began tithing my husband has gained two of his most profitable customers – income that didn’t exist a year ago. I’ve also had two raises at work within the last year. Of course we worked hard. Yet lots of people work hard and are not so blessed. The difference is trusting in God to help us rather than trusting only our own devices. (But yes, we still have to work hard.)
“Let go and let God” the saying goes. Yet it’s so much easier said than done. Most of us need to test the waters by giving one area of our lives to God and waiting to see what happens. It’s easier to start small, and it doesn’t have to be with finances. Maybe we could spend five minutes a day reading the Bible or make a practice of saying grace before each meal. We might try being nicer to the neighbor we dislike or finding ways to praise our spouse and kids or attending worship more regularly. God may surprise us with peace of mind, a friendlier neighbor, and better behaved kids. We’ll never know unless we try.
God Bless.
Dianne
Next time: Don’t believe it? God really knows you better than you know yourself!
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”
Philippians 4:12-13
As we continue this series, we focus on the best way of learning to bloom where we’re planted. Like anything else, it gets easier with practice. We need to consciously make the best of our situation until it becomes a way of life. But don’t get cocky. Just when we think we’ve got it figured out, we slip into those old habits of trusting our own judgment more than God’s. Sometimes it’s just a matter of logic, we reason. How can we tithe 10% of our income and still pay the bills with 90% when we’re struggling to pay them with 100%? That’s a valid question. The only good answer is: God blesses those who trust in Him.
Only God can make the refrigerator last longer, keep us safe in automobile accidents, and create income where there was none. My husband and I began in earnest this experiment of trusting God over a year ago. Here’s the result: Our refrigerator, that has been making loud groaning noises since we moved into our house over 2 years ago, is still keeping our food cold despite the eerie noises. I had a minor car accident that only scratched the front bumper of my six-year-old car. We do not have full coverage insurance and would have paid out-of-pocket to fix it. Ironically, the very week before my car was backed into in the parking lot at work and the other guy’s insurance paid to repaint my back bumper, which already had a big scratch and cracked paint from the sun. Now my insurance is paying for someone else’s back bumper. What goes around, comes around.
As for income, since we began tithing my husband has gained two of his most profitable customers – income that didn’t exist a year ago. I’ve also had two raises at work within the last year. Of course we worked hard. Yet lots of people work hard and are not so blessed. The difference is trusting in God to help us rather than trusting only our own devices. (But yes, we still have to work hard.)
“Let go and let God” the saying goes. Yet it’s so much easier said than done. Most of us need to test the waters by giving one area of our lives to God and waiting to see what happens. It’s easier to start small, and it doesn’t have to be with finances. Maybe we could spend five minutes a day reading the Bible or make a practice of saying grace before each meal. We might try being nicer to the neighbor we dislike or finding ways to praise our spouse and kids or attending worship more regularly. God may surprise us with peace of mind, a friendlier neighbor, and better behaved kids. We’ll never know unless we try.
God Bless.
Dianne
Next time: Don’t believe it? God really knows you better than you know yourself!
