Prayer Journal, 7 Nov 2017

Dearest Father,

I thank Thee for blessing me abundantly. Infinitely. I have everything I need. I trust you to give me what I need as my needs arise….

Dearest Mira,

Good morning, sweet daughter. I love thee. I am always with thee. I bless you abundantly because you allow me to do it. I am able to place blessings in your arms because they are stretched out to me and open. I love all my children equally. They could all receive of my abundance, if they would reach out and ask. When they are closed—trying to do it all by themselves (sometimes in misguided attempts to be “self-reliant”)—they cannot receive the blessings I would love to bestow upon them…

Myself! Myself!

When I was 2 or 3 years old and my brother was a baby, I nearly drove my mother crazy because I wanted to do everything by myself. She used to tell a story about trying to get all of us ready and out the door to get to a baby checkup appointment on time. My shoes weren’t on and I refused to let her help me, with a resounding cry of “Myself! Myself!” I wasn’t capable of doing it myself, but I fought off her attempts to help me.

If it had been the right time for me to learn to put on and fasten my own shoes, it wouldn’t have mattered how long it took me to do it myself. It would have been part of the learning process. But that was not the time. I wasn’t able to do it myself, and she was trying to get out the door. My refusal to accept her help was impeding our progress.

Self-Reliance includes God

I wonder how often we do that to Heavenly Father? He knows our current capabilities and our potential. But how often do we stubbornly insist on trying to do things for ourselves that we are not yet ready to do without His help, turning to Him only in desperation, after we have exhausted ourselves, and others? This impedes our progress.

Self-reliance doesn’t mean independence from God. Nor does it mean total dependence on Him for every little thing. It means interdependence with Him. It is our responsibility to do what we have learned to do for ourselves, and to turn to Him for help with the rest. He has promised to be with us, strengthen us and lead us by the right hand in Isaiah 41.

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness…For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.”

Isaiah 41:10,13

Together we can do all things that are expedient unto Him. But He will not compromise our agency by forcing us to accept His help.

• Are you holding out your arms to the Lord, reaching for Him, ready to receive His blessings in your life?
• What are you stubbornly trying to do yourself?
• What blessings might be waiting for you if you would open your arms to receive them?

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Related Posts: My Journey Down the River of Life, Learning to Let Go, Step 7: Overcoming Limitations