January 27, 2017

When We Forget Who is Really In Control... A Five Minute Friday post

So... I think we have all forgotten this one at some point (like... in the last few weeks or more, right?)  You know the drill...

This is Five Minute Friday (- a five minute timed free write) and our One Word Prompt for the day is: CONTROL

{GO}

This world, man... 

It feels like it's spinning out of control, right?

I mean... people all around the world seem to have lost their ever lovin' minds and maybe it's just me, but I don't think it takes a TON of discernment to see (and feel and give in to) the Spirit of Fear that is wreaking havoc in the earth today.

It's almost as if someone -thing has been unleashed!

Things are getting hot up in here and it's cray cray how Hate and Anger and Woundedness are coming up alongside Fear and having their way with our hearts and minds.



So in an attempt to remember how to breathe... and to remind myself who is really in charge around here anyway...

I unplugged a bit and stepped away from the screens and the screaming... (read:#loudfont)

I spent some time just sitting... in the quiet.  As in - no noise... no music, no TV, no radio, no distractions... no mindless thoughts wandering all over the place, giving over to worry... no making mental lists or letting fear boss me 
around... and it was Divine!



I highly recommend it!

Listen --I'm not about to get political here... I guess when it comes to discussing politics on my blog, I'm like my parents' generation talking about their religion. 

It's private... and none of your business, really. 


But in trying to put my OneWord into practice, I sat in silence... soaking in His Presence that is always, always saturated with Peace. 

And that is when I remembered... 
He is the Prince of Peace and the King of the World (for real!) and I may not understand it all... but it comes down to trust. 

I trust that as much as WE may be fa-reaking out down here... nothing is out of His reach. Nothing shocks or surprises Him! 

He is a redeeming God and a good, good Father and He is well-aware of the mess that is going on... that's why He sent the Messiah. 



The answer has already come... His name is (still) Jesus!


And so I embrace a slower pace... and I remember how to pray. How to wait... how to pray through a thing like in the olden days when we knew the answer was coming - but we also knew the world isn't instant and we are not the boss of it!

Not us... not them.

That is the part in all of this that has caused me to grieve the most: The "Us" and the "Them" that is widening the divide and not bridging the gap!

It's not that I assume one side can win the other one over and eventually we will all be the same.  We won't. Ever.  We were made to be different and when we remember that embracing our differences is the starting place for learning something new... well - we do better.  We get better... we grow and LIFE expands instead of --well, the opposite of that.

We learn about ourselves and each other and there will just always be things we disagree on. But all the yelling and name calling and hating and twisting of truths...(on both 'sides'!) ...y'all --it's doing no good.

Common Ground.  
  We have it... it's just that we forgot.

Unity is our call... and the One who is REALLY in control? He's got this!  

He tells us Himself, Do Not Be Afraid!

The only one winning lately is the one who uses Fear as a weapon and --well, he's already been defeated. 

...it's just sometimes, we forget!

{STOP}

I know... this can sound so Kumbaya, right? Like - extremely passive and non-active.  Of course we need to take action and go out and be the change

We need to vote and speak up for Truth, and make the small steps to bridge the gaps in our own neighborhoods... in our cities and churches.  It starts small - and then grows and reaches out from there.  

But it has felt a lot like bombing and destruction, rather than building and demonstration.

We, as Christ followers, are called to demonstrate... yes.  
But we're called to demonstrate His Love.




His Love... even when mine is lacking...
His never is! 

His love "never gives up. His love cares more for others than for self... it doesn’t want what it doesn’t have... it doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end." (1Cor13 The Message)

And let's remember His Love always loves everyone... 
His Grace is Amazing and always unmerited... 
His Mercy is new EVERY morning... 
and when this world feels like it is spinning out of control, He is the one who holds this spinning world right into place!*





* - Thanks Susan! I love that thought!

Linking up with Kate Motaung and the #fmfparty Community today.  Five Minute Fridays gives us the chance to dive right in and share what He puts on our hearts! Click HERE to read what others have to say about: "CONTROL"
The FMF lowdown: The gathering happens on Twitter on Thursday nights & then we write our hearts out & hit publish all over the interwebs on Thursday & Friday (& sometimes on Tuesdays!) It's where we encourage & uplift... where we share prayer requests & praise reports... where we talk food & friends & we find support & kindred hearts. It's where we are reminded that life is good & God is good & we're not alone... & then we all write for five minutes flat, a flash mob of wordsmiths letting our hearts & our fingers do the talking tapping & we hit publish before we can second guess it all away. We'd love to have you join us!

I'm also linking up with the lovely writer community linked below:









Kelly Chripczuk  for #SmallWonders 


Barbie Swihart for #Glimpsesofhisbeauty
















25 comments :

  1. This is beautiful and such lovely words. Thanks for the reminder to slow down, to stop, and listen for His voice through the noise of the world. - Lori, #72 at FMF

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    1. Amen, Lori! This world is noisy... but it's His still small Voice that we simply must hear! Thanks for stopping by!

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  2. Karrilee I heartily agree with your words. We need to be finding common ground. Thank you for the reminder that even if our love runs out, His never runs out. We do not have to fear. We need to trust the One who holds the world in His hand. Blessings to you!

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    1. Amen... His Love never fails, never gives up, never runs out on us! Blessings right back to you, my friend!

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  3. What a wonderful reminder that Love keeps no record dog wrongs, and that GOD is ALWAYS in control! Carol #74FMF

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    1. Doesn't that just give your soul a little more room to breathe? Thanks so much for stopping by, Carol!

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  4. Indeed! I feel like I could've written this post myself. I need to take time to unplug too friend. I'm in the 11 spot this week.

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    1. Stepping back and embracing slow and quiet... I think we could all be doing this with a bit more intentionality right about now! ;)

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  5. Wow, what a powerful post!

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    1. Thanks, friend! I saw you are doing a fb fast... good for you! I haven't pulled all the way out - but it's amazing what peace and perspective it brings to step back a bit! Praying for your time away!

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  6. Girl I just felt myself nodding along and definitely saying "Yes!" Such a clear and stunning post! Thanks!
    Dropping by from FMF
    Have a lovely weekend!
    Kelly

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    1. Thanks so much, Kelly! (We all forget, right? It's just so easy... but God!)

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  7. A big yes to where you went with this post. This has been on my heart and mind 24/7 and I want to stand up and say "Stop it already". Thank you for sharing these powerful words. Love you!

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    1. Speak Life. Be Love. Shine On. (Right?) ;) Thanks, Mary! Blessings to you, sweet friend!

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  8. Amen sister! Kerrilee, such a great post on control.. GOd is most definetely in Control know matter what we may feel or see in the natural. I love that it came in a 5 minute Friday post. .. Plus, dang girl, you must type really fast. LOL you wrote a ton in 5 minutes. and I love that you finished it even after the (stop) time... I so much relate to everything your wrote about = right down to using my blog for politics. Your neighbor at #FreshMarketFriday

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    1. LOL! Debbie... I DO type really fast... and I set a timer (and clearly - you can see where I add my little Asterick at my 5minute mark and often times just keep on letting the words flow!) ;)

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  9. Preach it, Sister! God IS in control. But we need to make sure he's controlling US (especially before we hit 'share' on sensational sounding posts).

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    1. Ah that ever elusive fruit of the Spirit --self control! ;) Love you, sister!

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  10. Anonymous12:08 PM

    Powerful words, Truth-filled words, God's Truth all wrapped into what you share here. I was just sitting in my recliner ten minutes ago and prayed to God that I not be afraid, that I trust, that He is in control, that He holds me near, and more. The tears began to roll with my head back in the chair as I felt His beautiful Presence with me. The peace washed over me and I know that no matter what the world looks like, I am a stranger in this land. I have a Home with Jesus. Hallelujah!! Thank you for reiterating what I had just been praying about, thinking about. Confirmation.
    Caring through Christ, ~ linda

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    1. Amen and amen, sweet Linda! Thanks so much for stopping by, and for nodding in agreement and for slowing to silence the noise so you can hear Him... above all else, I want to hear HIM! (You too, I know!)

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  11. Sometimes I have to step back and lift my hands to the heavens and relinquish it all back to Jesus, where it belongs. Thank you for this my friend!

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  12. It's so much easier to give up control when we can fully embrace the truth that our prayers are heard, and an answer is coming, so we can rest.

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    1. Right? When we know/remember that the heavens are open and that He is listening, on the edge of His seat, waiting to release the answer! Rest... as the Lord whispered clear a couple of years ago, is simply the absence of Fear! xoxo

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  13. I find myself praying over and over, Lord teach us --remind us-- how to LISTEN more than we speak! How to Ask Questions more than we Give (read:shout) Answers! Thanks so much for stopping by, Stephanie!

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Thanks so much for stopping by! I always love to hear your thoughts! Remember to: Speak Life - Be Love - Shine On!
~Karrilee~

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