Establishing a Confident Heart (Hope Verse #1: Psalm 57:7)

In the next few months, I will be sharing verses that have brought me hope. Read why.

My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. 

No wonder I can sing your praises! Psalm 57:7

This is not the first verse that I had in mind for this hope challenge; however, it's the a verse that ended up being on my heart while I was writing this morning.

Sometimes I let my idea of the "picture-perfect" future completely rule my mind. Do you do that too? Lately I've been terrified of the mere thought of interviewing for jobs. I am not the workaholic type by preference and I am definitely not the independent type by nature. I'm not the kind of girl who feels comfortable moving off to a new city by herself, but that will happen in the way-too-near future.  

I don't know where I want to live or where I want to work-- but most of all I don't know where I'll actually end up living and working. I don't know if what will happen will be what I really want. 

Basically, I am not afraid that I won't get a job, but I fear that I won't like it. To be completely honest, being a 9-5 business professional was never how I envisioned my future. I knew it would happen one day, but I did not expect it to happen so soon! Wherever I am supposed to live is up to God. Perhaps I am supposed to be somewhere far away from my home.. or even my "home away from home." If that is the case, I need to be obedient.

Where is God calling you that you may not want to go? Maybe this isn't a job-related thing for you at all. Perhaps it's a short-term mission trip, a choice to end a relationship, or a step in vulnerability to try something new.

I feel like the very things that I do not want to do are the very things that I'm supposed to do. Sometimes God wants us to push ourselves through discomfort- meaning, God will let us be uncomfortable. That does not sound very nice, but it is the complete truth. How else can we be stretched and challenged? 

The unknown is scary; however, it should not hold us back. I do not know what my future holds; however, I do know that God will not let me fall. Fearing that the absolute worst case scenario will happen to me is like fearing that God does not completely have control of my life. What a shame it is to view God in that way.

Instead of letting fears take-over your mind, focus on who God really is. There are things that I may not be equipped to do, but I know that God will continue to equip me. In moments where I am doubtful, I know that I can be confident in my God. Truth be told, He has never taken me through something that I ended up resenting Him for. Once I start allowing my confidence to fall into His ability instead of my own, that fear that I have will be turned into joy (hence, "no wonder I can sing your praises.")

Ask God to help your heart be more confident in Him.

25 Scriptures for the Hopeless [Introduction]

I'll be the first to admit that hearing about the struggles of those in 3rd world countries does not really tug at my heart strings like it should. For that, I feel awful. I've even been to Africa, and at the time I came home without the desire to ever return.

Yesterday in convocation Vernon Brewer from World Help came back for his yearly visit. Hearing about the struggles of people in Iraq and Syria did not make me feel sad like it may have for some. Instead, I felt sick.

I am a 21 year old American girl who is pampered, fat, and distracted like the rest of America. My biggest concern right now is what I will be doing post-graduation. I'm not running for my life. I'm not searching for food or mourning over the loss of a loved one. 

I'm the typical American who will be in a bad mood because she ran out of her Girl Scouts Somoa coffee creamer and has to use soymilk instead (gross). I'm the girl who's anxious to get her highlights touched up since her roots are growing out. I'm the student who is complaining that she needs more free time so she can just watch Netflix and eat pizza rolls.

No wonder a lot of people in other countries think we Americans are absolutely ridiculous.

I've been through difficult situations before; however, I'm okay. I have a home that I can rest in. I have nutritious food to keep me healthy. I have a strong support system. Those are the basics, but I have all of the extras too. I have plenty of things to keep me busy and entertained. But there are people who do not even have a safe place to live. There I was... listening to someone advocate for those in need, and I did not care as much as I should have. How pathetic and selfish. I must not see the reality of what is happening right now in the Middle East.

Something that Brewer said that stuck with me is this, 

"The distinguishing mark of Christianity is hope." 

We have it so good here in America, but everyone everywhere needs hope. 

People always often say things like, "I know what I'm going through is not as big as others, but..." Honestly I want to stop them because what people go through may not be big in the whole scale of things, but it is big to them, and that is important.

I've been through my fair share of heartbreak, pain, and fear. The least I can do to help people is encourage them through what I've learned. Although I can pray for those stuck in the Iraq/Syria mess and I can donate to WorldHelp, I truly feel that those two things are not as much as I can give. There are people right here in America who are lost and broken, and those people are more in reach.

I've decided to share 25 verses that have brought me hope through my own difficult times. I will have 25 posts coming through in the next couple of months that will hopefully encourage you right where you're at. Stand by.. post number 1 will be up tomorrow!

Verse 1:  Psalm 57:7- Establishing a Confident Heart