The Recap

The Recap: Snippets of all that God has taught me Monday through Friday. I encourage you all to reflect on God's teachings at the end of every week. Re-read journal entries, list recent blessings, and recall any sermons, songs, scriptures, or words of encouragement from the past several days. 

Monday 

Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 
My flesh and my heart may fail 
  but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 
Psalm 73:23-26 

God is always with us, but we may not always be with Him. This does not mean we can lose our salvation, but it does mean that we can lose our intimacy with God. Staying close to God means desiring Him above all else. It means relying on God for strength. It means acknowledging that He is all we will ever need. 

Tuesday

But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge,    that I may tell of all your works. Psalm 73:28

Prayer is the best way to draw near to the Lord. Our voices have value because of Jesus. Prayer delivers us from distractions, fulfills the Lord's promises, teaches us about the Bible, and sustains us during times of deep sorrow. Prayer is how we succeed in life. 

Wednesday 

"You have not lived until you have done something for someone for which they cannot repay you." Bunion

One of the best gifts a Christian can give is their time. It is easy to get caught up in our  own schedules and our own timelines that we forget the opportunities we have right now in the present. Open your eyes to the people God purposely placed in your life for this season. They may not be there forever. Write that note. Invest in your friends. Teach younger women. 

Thursday

Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.
Romans 14:13

How do we cause our sisters in Christ to stumble? What are ways we hinder the ones for whom Christ died? It may be that we are beating our friends over the head with our own set of rules. Or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, we may be enticing them to sin or participate in activities that their level of faith may not allow. Pursue what makes for mutual upbuilding. Live in harmony with one another by taking into account that your fellow Believers may have different opinions than you. Consider the needs of others more than yourself. 

Friday

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Romans 15:1

We have a responsibility to support, sustain, and uphold (the very definition of "to bear") those who are weaker physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Why? In order to build up others for their good alone so that we can both glorify God better. How? 1) Patience...to slow down and notice the weak, to hinder frustration toward them, and to wait to see how God will use us in their life. 2) Encouragement...that comes from God's Word...that uplifts the weak even when we, ourselves, feel discouraged. Receive others the way Christ received us: He covered our faults. He sought our good. He welcomed us into His family. He drew us to the Father. 

☎︎

The Girl Next Door