What I Can Do

"If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
And I will ask the Father, 
and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,
 even the Spirit of truth"

John 14:!5-17a International Children's Bible

Feeling helpless to truly help many that I love. Feeling desperate for change.
Feeling like I am walking straight into and against an immovable wall, again and again.

When Despair and Hopelessness come to drown my soul...

What Can I Do?

"If you love me, you will keep my commandments."

" We love because God first loved us" I John 4:19 ICB
I can
read about your love
believe it
let it reach my heart and pray for love for you to be more of my core motivation

I can
feed and nourish my soul in things that nurture, support and encourage faith
time to read the Bible and pray, read Christian biographies

I can
take care of myself::  sleep and eat and make time to emotionally unload and process with God

I can
pray for greater obedience - only as the Holy Spirit enables


"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever..."

sometimes I just really wish there could be someone there, right next to me, to sympathize, understand, support and be with me
as well as advisel me what to do

God wants to give the Holy Spirit , the Comforter to be with me and He knows what I should do in each and every situation

He wants to provide what I need in every moment to trust and obey Him - Ask Him
I can
Be in continual conversation with him
I can
Share every part of my heart, desires,
thoughts wishes, frustrations, disappointments, dreams
frustrations, questions

God has provided a Comforter,

He is listening
He cares

But He is the Holy Spirit and so the more I let him lead me into trust and obedience, the greater His influence will be in me
Although I may not always feel or be aware of His working

"even the Spirit of truth"

" God is spirit.Those who worship God must worship in spirit and truth.” 
John 4:24 ICB

I cannot change other people
I cannot change circumstances
I cannot change attitudes
But I can
walk in truth myself

first and foremost in my own mind and soul in the sight of God.
only then
can I
begin to speak the truth in love with all I am around

that is all I can do

Ephesians 4:15 International Children’s Bible (ICB)

15 No! We will speak the truth with love. We will grow up in every way to be like Christ, who is the head.

Speaking the truth in my inner life
speaking the truth in my thoughts
where only God hears

what kinds of lies are continually playing in my mind?
over and over like an unholy refrain?

No one cares
this is too much
I can't

Old conversations replayed
bitterness and anger renewed
hopelessness and despair fed and strengthened

O Lord
Help me to be
letting the truth of God's word penetrate my defenses, my excuses, my deflections
agreeing with what He says about my choices, behavior, desires, motivations

I have found it helpful to stop and take stock
"what am I feeling?
 What is going on with me?
 How do I know that?

To observe my words, and body as if from outside

Lord, I hear my voice getting loud and tense.  
I am feeling frustrated because
I am feeling anxious because,
I am feeling nervous
insecure
sad,
discouraged
distracted

Oh Lord help me

Just like in the Psalms - bare it all with God
don't sugar coat it or brush it off
say it like it is with Him

but say it to Him before saying it to others

"...pray without ceasing ...: I Thessalonians 5:17  KJV

"We ought always to pray and not to faint" Luke 18 :1 KJV

"Casting all your care upon Him, because He cares for you" I Peter 5:7 KJV

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, “If you continue to obey my teaching, you are truly my followers. 32 Then you will know the truth. And the truth will make you free.” John 8:31-31 ICB


speaking the truth in love in all interactions with others

I am  shocked at how much deception I function in every day

inside of me and in my relationships

" So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed". John 8:36 ESV

free from paralyzing fear about what others think of me
free from crippling insecurities

Jesus did not try to control people

He talked with them

invited them

"Then Jesus called the crowd to him, along with his followers. He said, “If anyone wants to follow me, he must say ‘no’ to the things he wants. He must be willing to die on a cross, and he must follow me." Mark 8:34 ICB


warned and encouraged them 

13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.  Matthew 7:13-14 ESV

Footnotes:

1. Matthew 7:13 Some manuscripts For the way is wide and easy

asked them questions

Mark 10:18English Standard Version (ESV)

18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone." 

Mark 10:18 ESV

spoke the truth to them

18 "...for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” John 4:18 ESV

What Can I Do?

In many ways,  very little indeed

but I can

 pray for myself and others 

   17" Elijah was a man of like passions with us, and he prayed fervently..." James 5 :17 ASV

There is an outlet 

there is Hope in You

I remember them well.
    And I am very sad.
21 But I have hope
    when I think of this:

22 The Lord’s love never ends.
    His mercies never stop.
23 They are new every morning.
    Lord, your loyalty is great.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is what I have left.
    So I have hope.”

25 The Lord is good to those who put their hope in him.
    He is good to those who look to him for help.
26 It is good to wait quietly
    for the Lord to save.

Lamentations 3:20-26 ICB