Relief from being a let down . . .

I found old sermon notes today from a sermon that was who-knows how long ago...but being that I typed them out and saved them on a hard drive, I figured they were worth rereading! :)

So...The sermon was on Fear of the Lord. The meaning or impact I got from the notes today was completely different. Amazing how a message can affect you in such variation from day to day. Well reading the words gave me a ton of comfort because of what is on my mind today. I hope you all enjoy and I hope it gives you reflection and a challenge in your own life.

Here is what I got from it:

Reading this today gave me a multitude of relief. Encouragement. I have so many situations surrounding me that have me "heavy." While trying to live my own life, I am trying to keep everyone else happy. I am trying to make decisions and nurture relationships, heck just trying to maintain relationships. I am trying to hold everything in balance, which I am not so great at! I am juggling so many things and yet GOD is asking me to let them go! Let them all go completely. It is not up to me to hold it together. It is my duty to make sure I am taking care of myself and living life to the best of my ability. Rather than monitoring the affairs of everyone else, I need to discipline myself to care for myself. I have wasted so much time. I think a big part of that is to distract myself from what truly needs to be taken care of. My own hurts, my grievances, my grudges, anger, insecurities.

I need to focus on making my life reflect the life I want people around me to have, a blessed life. I need to develop a Fear of the Lord enabling me to make quicker decisions based on what would please the Father, not those around me. I cannot carry the weight of everyone's happiness on my shoulders. It isn’t what I am called to. And in doing so I am missing opportunities to fulfill my own calling.

So in making decisions based on my Fear of the Lord I realize people will turn from me. I realize I will lose favor with some. But I need to live what I believe and my conscience will be far less burdened with guilt. Afterall, I cant be everything to everyone. Sometimes you do, as an individual, have to bow out gracefully and take care of you! The guilt I carry for being unavailable to others is a crutch for me. It keeps my potential limited.

In nurturing my own health, physically, mentally and spiritually, I hope to be more equipped to help others!