Trust and Obedience being Stretched – to find New Paths of Grace and Faith

Dear Reader,

I don't know exactly where you are in your life in relation to 'faith' and 'trust' in God.  Maybe you can stop reading for a minute and ask yourself.

I have been living for around 30 years with an awareness of God's calling on my life - but that does not mean life is always easy or I was immediately transformed.   Certainly NOT. But it started with an awareness of God's Love for me, and through Christ, IN me. This is my comfort and source of courage. But I still had, and have experiences locked in my body, which fought against faith and trust.
However, as I came to know His Word and His Love,  I can say that I have learned to a) recognise what difficulty I am experiencing, and b) to ASK for help and tell God the pain or problem I am aware of.
In 2020 I was in a difficult situation in which the human experience, the way I was being treated, was triggering many of my 'trauma wounds' that I had suffered as a child.  I was meanwhile seeking to be obedient to the work I was asked to do within the church. I found myself being 'fed' daily by Words given through the Holy Spirit and daily I wrote these 'Nuggets'  down. I found that during the day the guidance enabled me to respond with Love and forgiveness to difficulties that were presented.  
Indeed God promises to 'provide for your needs' , and to 'answer before you ask.'  And He did.  But the relationship, and my Life for and 'in Him' was not static.  Have you experienced that feeling that you are being called on - inward, or on-ward, and you need to let go your comfort zones?  Not easy when any sense of comfort seemed like a 'Haven' that needed to be clung to!!

God's Invitation and Provision
I’m like that now in life, and in 2020 I was being moved on and challenged in new ways of commitment to His Life. Its always a greater surrender of time and will to be open to the work of the Holy Spirit in new dimensions - and may lead to fundamental change of direction…
See if these nuggets strike any chords with you…..

Tuesday 12th May, 2020
Today my beloved daughter - Give Me 5 hours of dedicated prayer and/or writing, and/or study of St Seraphim/St Silouan.*
2 hours 6-8am; 1 hour 1.30-2.30. and 2 hours 4-6pm.
And keep in prayer when doing your work - in the garden - Only one wall at a time of the shed.
Extend the trellis on the R and complete painting the fence slats and brush wood.

(*When I came into the Orthodox Church I prayed to God that the priest would only give me what He (God the Father) wanted me to have. The priest gave me two books - ‘St Silouan the Athonite’; and ‘A Flame in the Snow’ about St Seraphim. Their journeys with and for Christ, held significance in relation to their suffering.
St Silouan went through a difficult time when the devil was preventing him from worshipping Christ. After months of prayer he was told by God that pride was an issue, and ‘Keep your mind in hell and don’t despair’. This has kept me far from pride, and brought me to greater trust in God. 
St Seraphim, although in a monastery, lived an isolated life, had suffered sickness as a child, physical attack while living as a hermit, and through months of dedicated prayer, was given great love for God and the many people who came to him.)

Wednesday 13th May, 2020
Praise for * every trial. Call on My Name and put all the things and people you cannot control into the Father’s hands. Do not be afraid My Child.
(Oh Lord - I feel lost- empty - without grace, truth or direction- Have mercy on me, - deliver me from all self-interest - Lord have mercy on the oppressed.)
Child - I was crucified - have faith in the Father.
* St Peter tells us to rejoice when we have 'trials' for they lead us closer to God.

Friday 15th May, 2020
Child, do not be afraid of this challenging time. I am with you. Cling to the Cross and praise - in and through My Name. At the Name of Jesus every knee will fall.
(Lord enable me to love and keep silent - forgive my desire to justify myself.)
Forgive all My dear daughter - and keep on forgiving. I love you - go in My Name - gently, forbearing and blessing. Amen.

Saturday 16th of May. 2020
In your ‘nothingness ‘ - your ‘kitten-ness’ -despised and rejected - you have integrity and justice. ‘A bruised reed I will not break’.
(Thank You Lord for this work of Your Spirit.)
Listen, Pray - that you too be released from prison. Maintain prayer, praise and Hope in My Name.
Nothing is impossible for God. Hope in God’s purposes to be fulfilled today. Amen.

Comment- Re this last nugget - I didn’t understand this at the time - but quite recently I re-felt this ‘nothingness’ (the ‘abandoned kitten’) and actually felt my integrity humanly speaking - and the PEACE that God was in charge and could be trusted. This emphasises that when we suffer the evil behaviour of others, inevitably we 'suffer' and have to trust in God....but others may deny our need or the evil that has been done- and we too are unable to trust, and start to live in denial. Once we are brought to acceptance, and are able and willing to face our pain, and TRUST God with the process of Healing, miracles of provision for the Broken-Hearted manifest themselves.

Dear Readers, All I can say is - there is such freedom in learning to Trust the work of God in your life - and seek obedience to 'the Way of the Cross. The wonder of letting go of fear, and self-interest that actually doesn’t know the way forward, brings New Life, and Resurrection.

Once we are trusting that God will bring all things together for GOOD we find our soul, Spirit and Heart are led by 'grace and love’… And we are in service for others because we have shifted from  selfishness, hard-heartedness, and desire to control others to ,willing obedience to the Holy Spirit of Unity and Love- rejoicing in the gifts God has given us, when leaning on Him.

Where can I find out more?
If you do not have an active faith in God, (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) or simply want to know more about living for Christ, you could go to my YouTube videos - HMCinFaith43 @hmc432 to learn from the Play Lists, 'Alive in Christ......' , or  'Grace is a Person...' or  'He Heals the broken hearted.....'  
Or  browse the other resources.

Helping the Provision
Some blog readers have told me they would have liked to make a donation:
If you would like to make a donation towards this work you can go to this link:  
https://overcoming.live/contact/are-you-wanting-to-give/.    Thank you and bless you.