Apple trees

So. Since I'm sick and couldn't fall asleep till like 5 am, I didn't go to church today. But I woke up around 10:30-11ish. So I rolled with the punches... trust me that felt like a punch. Seriously.

So, I had some devotions. I'm gonna talk about what God's impressing on my heart.

I love sharing what God tells me. I am so fully convinced that we are supposed to share with people what God tells us. He is truth. He is for the good of every part and piece of the Body. We all need it. What He tells me is not to be kept under a bush. I should tell people. And what he tells you... dangit tell me too.

So, I wrote last night (or a few hours ago really...) about fixing our eyes on Jesus. Well, I've been studying James lately for a Bible study. And yeah. Totes awesome.

So I wrote a few weeks ago about "keeping our options open." Like when we "doubt" God, we keep other options open. When we seek for answers, and ask God for them, but keep looking around to see if an answer falls from another tree, and not the one we're standing in front of -- God. he is the Tree of Life. Vitality only comes from this One Tree. Truth. He is the only truth.

It was so cool in my devo book. Someone called wisdom " the discipline of applying truth to one's life in the light of experience." So cool. So... why is wisdom important? Why can't we just focus on perseverance in trials and confusion?

I think it's like this: Wisdom is the mind. The brain. The ability to receive answers. Perseverance is the muscle. It's the arms like keep pushing even when our biceps cramp us. But the brain is necessary to understand. To comprehend. Sometimes we use our muscles to build something, but just pushing things around aimlessly... we think that as long as our muscles get sore, we're doing a good job. But wisdom... the comprehension of understanding and comprehending how to build... that's what makes the "perseverance" either a success or a folly.

We receive wisdom when we turn our eyes upon Jesus.

And the things or earth grow strangely dim.

I feel like God's telling me to stop looking at my problems even when that's what I come to Him about. Like if I have some situation in my hands, and I'm talking to God about it... I need to give it to Him, and look on HIM. If I'm talking to God, He needs my eyes. Turned to Him. Not my hands. Then it's like I'm keeping my options open... watching my current situation in my small, confused and limited hands. Like I'm expecting an apple to fall from the mess in my hands, instead of the apple tree I'm finding shade under. Then if the apple falls from the tree, I'll only see it on the ground when I look up, and I'll assume it's been rotting on the ground before I walked up to it.

Our faith is perfected in our weakness, because Jesus is the perfecter of our faith. When we turn our eyes on Him, and away from our situations... that's when HE can respond and work. We can receive answers and reassurance when we are watching for His next move, and not just rambling on.

God's been speaking to me about thinking about Him lately. Like, "Shaina. Shut. It. Think about me. " I have a tendency to ramble. Surprising, huh? You'd never guess...

But really. Thinking about Jesus... His love, His presence in the midst of my confusion, frustrations, and joy. He shows me new things. He directs my thoughts. He knows how I work. He speaks to me in ways I get excited about, and relate to. It is so cool. He speaks in metaphors. And I'm like, "YES! High five Love!" It's awesome.

So these are some thoughts God's giving me about Him. I love this. My journey with God is invaluable and I love it and want everyone I know to know it too.