Month: March 2020

What God is NOT Doing

Posted on by rinouye

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Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

I’m seated comfortably in my favorite chair in my upper loft area with my feet up on the ottoman. I was about to write a new post for this blog “Fresh Perspectives for Every Day Life” when I recalled a post I wrote years ago and I realized, it’s still what I would want to say today. I’m normally home most days, the only difference is now most people are homebound too because COVID-19 “Stay Home” is in effect.

At a time when FEAR is rampant and anxiety levels are high with many people hooked up to news feeds like it’s an IV, I wanted to share a few thoughts about”What God is NOT doing” during COVID-19 this global pandemic.

Here ya go:

She was dressed for summer in an icy blue, vertically striped shirt and a pair of white pants. Her familiar smile lit up her face and mine. She greeted me with a sweet hug that enveloped me, “Hi friend!” then blurted out, “I have to run to the bathroom quickly. Be right back!”

When she returned, we ordered our drinks, grabbed a seat and caught up. “It’s been months since we last met? When was that?” we wondered. Many work transitions and family health trials have entered her life since we’d last met. I sat. I listened. She’s reading the book of Daniel now and we thought through each situation from Daniel’s lens and his prayer of praise in Scripture.*

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She asked me…”So, what’s going on with you?” I reported about some of the fun and beautiful things going on in my life and what God’s been teaching me, about me. I also shared a few updates related to my husband, ministry, plus a quick update on my empty nest and my grown children.

We marveled at all that had taken place in our lives while, it seemed, other things hadn’t changed at all. We both have difficult situations where, since we last spoke, it seems there has been no change. You know what I mean where it appears God is not doing anything related to an issue. I got to thinking about that wacky perspective of concentrating on what God’s not doing and how off that really is.

So, I told her. “You know, the other day, I thought of it this way… I can only imagine what my response would be, if I had throughly cleaned my house-vacuumed all the carpeted rooms, dusted the entire place, scrubbed every toilet, mopped all the floors, washed every dish and put them all away, only to hear my husband comment when he returned home, “You left the mail on the counter!” I’d be so disheartened thinking, WHAT? Don’t you see all the things I’ve done? 

“It is kind of like that.” I said. “God is doing SO many wonderful things all around me and I resolve not to be the brat kid who stomps her foot at the Father and accuses Him of inactivity. But, but, but you haven’t done…this yet, God!”

 She said, “Wow! I’ve never thought of it like that. Good point.”

Okay, yeah, it may be tempting to think he is not at work. I’ve been there. So whenever I’m tempted to focus on what God is seemingly NOT doing, I say, yeah, sure, God is not doing some things. Here are a few of the things God is NOT DOING:

  • He’s not scratching his head wondering, Oh, boy what do I do now?”  Or “How will  I help?”

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  • He’s not out of the office or unaware.
  • He’s not working against me. He is FOR me.
  • He’s not surprised or shocked.

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  • He’s not wringing his hands.
  • No, He is not biting his nails bewildered, wondering, “How do I respond in this difficult situation?”

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  • He’s not confused and doesn’t need to call in a committee to help with decisions.

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NO he is not because…HE’S GOD! And He is good!

I truly believe God is doing so much, in and around me, all the time! Jesus is quoted in the book of John saying, “My father is always working.” So, yes, for now… I will live in the mystery of all He is doing. I am thankful and I praise Him and I’m thankful for the things he is NOT doing as well.

When our time drew to a close, we discussed a next time to meet and said our good byes.

*Here is the praise passage from Daniel 2:19-23

“During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said: “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness and light dwells with him. I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.”

Especially at this time read this Scripture:

“You can go to God Most High to hide. You can go to God All-Powerful for protection. I say to the Lord, “You are my place of safety, my fortress. My God, I trust in you.” God will save you from hidden dangers and from deadly diseases. You can go to him for protection. He will cover you like a bird spreading its wings over its babies. You can trust him to surround and protect you like a shield. You will have nothing to fear at night and no need to be afraid of enemy arrows during the day. You will have no fear of diseases that come in the dark or terrible suffering that comes at noon. A thousand people may fall dead at your side or ten thousand right beside you, but nothing bad will happen to you! All you will have to do is watch, and you will see that the wicked are punished. You trust in the Lord for protection. You have made God Most High your place of safety. So nothing bad will happen to you. No diseases will come near your home. He will command his angels to protect you wherever you go. Their hands will catch you so that you will not hit your foot on a rock. You will have power to trample on lions and poisonous snakes. The Lord says, “If someone trusts me, I will save them. I will protect my followers who call to me for help. When my followers call to me, I will answer them. I will be with them when they are in trouble. I will rescue them and honor them. I will give my followers a long life and show them my power to save.””

Psalms 91:1-16 ERV

https://www.bible.com/406/psa.91.1-16.erv

 

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click here to listen

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Do You Receive Correction?

Posted on by rinouye

In my previous blog I talked about how my strength training coach can get more out of me than I know is in me. It’s true, she does. She has taught well and pushed me and I’ve become stronger. (Toothpaste and Workouts) and an interview from the real deal link: (the real deal)

Chelsea is a good teacher and demonstrates every exercise before I attempt to do it. She’ll point out all the particulars of each movement and she is excellent. Equally important, she mentions what not to do. I’ve heard her say, “Don’t let your arm extend pass this angle, don’t hyper extend your knees, keep them slightly softened.” But mainly she stresses what’s “right” and she does it. (Teaching) I learn by watching what is “right” and doing what is right. Not only am I stronger now but I’m more aware of the way my body works. I’ve even caught myself in wrong patterns, old cheat patterns, or poor body mechanics and I’m now able to correct some old habits.

I’m excited because I have even caught myself when I’ve not used correct form. For example, when I pull open the microwave door now, I reach toward the handle, set my shoulder and use my lats instead of my shoulder and neck muscles to open it. That way I won’t carry pain and tension in my shoulders but engage the muscles that operate my shoulders from behind in my upper back. She is teaching and I’m learning!

Here’s my point… I wouldn’t know the proper way to do this unless, while working out, my coach also called out my errors or mistakes. “Nope, don’t raise your shoulder Rachel! Keep those muscles quiet and pull from behind. Yes, there that’s it!” She will touch the muscles she is referring to and help me correct if I need to.

Whether I’m using free weights, resistance bands or the weight machines that operate on a pulley system, I am being taught, reprimanded, corrected and trained well. And I love it. Never once have I thought, Oh, my gosh! Why is she saying that? She is so judging me and doesn’t care about me. Not at all! In fact it’s quite the opposite. I know she is for me and she wants me to grow and become stronger.

We expect and welcome advice from a strength coach about our bodies. We similarly  want to be taught and challenged regarding our nutrition, our money and investments. We accept tips from experts who’ve gone before us. They get our attention and we are open to it. Even when they express how to avoid the pitfall or challenge us in the HARD things of life we welcome it. We know, in order to grow, it’s all part of the deal.

I love the word of God, I do! Scripture is a written love letter from the author, God, to us and it helps us become more like His son, Jesus Christ.

All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 ESV

Every scripture has been written by the Holy Spirit, the breath of God. It will empower you by its instruction and correction giving you strength to take the right direction and lead you deeper into the path of godliness. Then you will be God’s servant, fully mature and perfectly prepared to fulfill any assignment God gives you. 2 Timothy 3: 16-17 TPT 

Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise. Proverbs 19:20

4 areas are mentioned:

  •  Teaching (What is right because it says later “in righteousness”)
  •  Reproof (What’s not right)
  •  Correction (How to get it right)
  • Training (How to keep it right)

No matter where we are let’s be open to teaching, rebuking, correcting, training, so that we may be perfectly prepared and complete to fulfill our assignment. It’s a one time transfer into the Kingdom of his beloved Son, yet it’s a life long process! So let’s welcome the correction that is involved in the process instead of resisting it. That way we will all grow in righteousness.

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