'Tis the Season--for OVERCOMING

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"The way to overcome what overwhelms you is to get a picture of yourself not as you see yourself, but as God sees you. God does not see you defeated. God does not see you bound. God does not see you as poor and broke. He does not see you as walked on and kicked by life. God sees you as an overcomer. God sees you as the head and not the tail. God sees you as blessed and highly favored. God's way of bringing victory into your life is to show you yourself--not the way you see yourself but the way HE sees you. You may think you were, are and will always be depressed. You may see yourself as having to battle with limited or less than. BUT this is not what God sees. He has different information about you." (Jentezen Franklin, Overcoming When You Feel Overwhelmed, page 84.).

(YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK)

Our small group is reading this book, and again, God chose it at the perfect time for us.

This is the season--when things around us seem to be going haywire- or bleary-weary mornings--I have to remind myself--I am HIS. Chosen. When I read this portion this morning I heard Connie Haile's voice come through as if with a megaphone. (Jeremy, Stephanie, Courtney, and Dylan can testify to this sound quite well.)


I have sat in her living room multiple times and listened to her be an encourager, which seemed to come as easily for her as breathing. But that didn't mean she didn't have her own struggles. She just didn't magnify her struggles. Rather, she magnified her God! Whatever we focus on becomes BIGGER in our minds and lives. When I struggle to get up in the morning--I have to stop and ask, "Why." It is generally more than exhaustion. It's often because something other than God has become the focus of my energy.

This turned into a mini-blog, when I really only intended to share a portion of Jentezen Franklin's book. Sorry-not sorry. You may need a reminder in this season of frantically searching for peace--it's not something you can buy.

The Holy Spirit brings peace to the table when we feast on HIS presence rather than all the other presents we have or don't have. It's not something Walmart carries on aisle 7.

The minute you wake up--begin asking the LORD to fill your mind with HIM. Begin by thanking HIM for all that He has already done in your life. If you are walking in a heavy, dark place today--remind yourself of the Gift ON the tree, not under the tree. His life, death, and resurrection were the Gifts from God FOR each of us. Not one person was left out in the "offering"--we are the ones who make the choice to accept Him, follow Him, and share Him with the world.

TURN ON the praise music. Breathe DEEP. Fill your lungs. Stretch. Walk outside. As Rylan tells me every day, "Nana, I've got to get my steps in". GET your steps in. With each and every step, PRAISE Him. Thank HIM for SOMETHING!

I promise you when you change your focus from the problems that seem to plague you to the purpose God has for you, the power within YOU will surge through clearing out the cobwebs of anxiety that seem to ruin this season for many.

And if you hung around to the last sentence of this lengthy read, thank you. Do yourself a favor. Gift yourself this book for the coming year. If you aren't walking in a frustrating-overwhelming season yet...you will before it's over. :)

God has amazing things ahead--I want to be READY to meet the day with JOY in my heart!



Photo: Connie Haile, 2010.

Book portion © Jentezen Franklin 2022. Overcoming When You Feel Overwhelmed, page 84.

© Angie Knight 2024. All rights reserved. God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 1 Peter 4:10 NLT

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