praise Him in the down times

Somewhere in my life when I was taught that "When you serve God you will deal with trial and tribulations", we were taught that when those trials and tribulations come that they don't leave with out prayer and fasting.

True. But we've taken the wrong stance on this thought. When we fast and pray, we need to do so in the manner of praising God for Who He is and for what He is doing. When those trials come, we need to learn that He's buiding up something better because we served Him.

We seemed to have missed that point in when He wants to bless us, He don't give us a stone instead of bread when we are hungry. Yes bad things will happed as rain falls on the just and the unjust. When it does fall, we need to praise Him as rain when it falls brings in new growth, bring life to that which was dead. We don't have to wallow in our sorrow and hand our head low. We need to raise it up and see that our redemption draws nigh!

When your rent is due and all you have is two potatoes in the cupboard and no butter or sour cream, praise Him that you have a two potatoes in the cupboard. Dig a hole and bury one so it will sprout and produce more potatoes. Because you've paid the rent, and you have another month in your house! Eat the other one!

I love it in Amiee's book when her husband took his fishing pole to go get dinner for that evening and Amiee told him that God would provide a meal for them becuase they were in the service of the King. Her husband came back empty handed, and Amiee had a feast on the table. God provides for His people. He knows our every need when we need it. When trouble comes, raise your hands and your head and tell Him thank you for the blessings He is about to bestow on you. He will.

By the way, I'll share God sense of humor:

I've stated before that I am trusting Him even if my cupboard is bared down to a bottle of oil and flour. One day a friend handed me a bag. She didn't know what I was declaring, and when I opened the bag, I had a large bottle of oil and a bag of oats. I laughed because God knows I make flour out of oats!

He loves us unconditionally. And we we chose to let the circumstances lead us to make decisions over what He has planned for us, we make it conditional on our own. We've changed the dynamics, He hasn't. He stays the same.