Sharing Our Fears

**Sit quietly, eyes closed in and silence for one minute before reading.**
 
    How often do you share your fears with another? How often do you share your fears with God?

    In a culture that values “no fear” we are taught to ignore, avoid the reality that we do fear. To admit to fears communicates weakness.

    So, we are weak. You are weak, I am weak.

    So what do we do? We do not share our fears. We do not share our doubts because to do so would mean admitting we are weak.

    My prayer for us:

    “Lord, break us of our pride. Break us of our enticement to following the values of our culture. Bring us humility and grace. Help us to be people that share fears and graciously receive others’ fears. May we be compassionate people who love you, share our fears and minister to one another. Amen.”
 
**Sit again in silence for as long as is available to you.**

Wrestling With or Wrestling Against?

**Sit quietly, eyes closed and in silence for one minute before reading.**

    A natural wrestler (think non-physical here), when an instructor of mine directed me to consider whether I was wrestling with or against God, I paused. I had never considered there might be a difference between wrestling with and wrestling against.

    As a natural question asker, critical thinker, challenger of authority and question asker, God and I have had a few wrestling matches in our relationship. It was not until I was asked about wrestling with or against that I considered the difference in my posture and heart towards God.

    Wrestling with implies I want to learn, grow and am coming to the match with humility. Wrestling against implies I am here to compete, win and am coming to the match with pride.

    Wrestling with implies a vulnerability, an openness and courage to hear what I may not want to hear. Wrestling against implies self-protection, being closed off and unwilling to hear.

    As I reflect on these differences I am not so sure that most of my wrestling matches were not matches against God.

    How about you? Are you wrestling with God today? Are you wrestling with or against?

    Whether with or against my prayer is God’s grace would take over and lead you deeper into His heart.

**Sit again in silence for as long as is available to you.**

Strength In Surrender

**Sit quietly, eyes closed in silence for one minute before reading.**

    I am a fighter. I was taught to be a fighter and high value was placed on it. Surrender was never an option unless you were beat. You never gave up a fight. As I live life a little more each day I have realized there is great strength in choosing to surrender rather than being beat into it. There is also less pain in choosing to surrender!
    I am learning to pick my battles (I think). Not every battle is worth fighting, especially when we are going toe to toe with God.
    Surrender requires humility, it requires a reality check and it takes strength. Surrender is often not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength. If you are a fighter, you know it takes strength to surrender. It also takes a great swallow of pride.
    Often this strength does not come from me but from God. My nature is to battle, not surrender and so I ask God, “give me wisdom to discern what is worth the battle, give me humility and strength to surrender”. Ultimately I desire to surrender to God’s will – whatever that entails.
    Surrender requires many things and in and of ourselves we are incapable to fully surrender.
    My prayer today is this: “God grant us to see things as they are, the humility to trust You and the strength to surrender to Your call. Amen.”

**Sit again for as long as is available to you.**