faith :: nourishment

So for a while now, I’ve been feeling like myself again. The last few months have been rather turbulent but things all going well in all aspects of my life. The topic of this post has literally come at the perfect time. Praise the Lord.

This post by a fellow blogger really inspired me to feel okay about the changes in my life, and the lessons learned and the decisions made. Find it here: https://theysayshewasaflowerchild.wordpress.com/2016/05/01/seas-of-change/

Despite the turbulence, the dark clouds and the downpour that has been put in my life of late, and all the mistakes I’ve made, God has stood by me, as only He does. As I’ve started to feel more myself, I’ve been turning back to the outlets I used to read that linked me with the Bible. I’m not a big Bible reader, it’s ridiculous I know. “Call yourself a Christian”. I really need to get stuck into it a lot more, like I used to late at night when I couldn’t sleep.

Before I get on to sharing something I get so much wisdom from, I wanted to talk about this bible verse.

“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” Proverbs 3:7

“Soul food” is a bit of a cheesy way of saying good food for your soul; i.e. bible verses to nourish you. I’ve not had a lot of this lately, so I guess I’ve not been fearing God enough and not been shunning evil enough. I’ve let a lot of stuff happen that I wouldn’t usually stand for; I definitely gave up far too many times, and didn’t use my faith as strength. But this bible verse has come at the right time and has truly helped me reflect. Being wise is something that comes through experience, not knowledge alone. So we often end up trusting what we think, what we know, and what we see. Seeing is definitely not believing. There is so much more to life than what we can see. We can only see God through the works of others and of ourselves. You know when you see a spark  in someone, or a light in them at a moment where their outshining everyone else? When you’re constantly searching God, that’s all you see. The good in people is the first thing you see, all their flaws just seem irrelevant and you realise why they are in your life.

This brings me onto something not Christian-related at all but it’s an article that was email to me by hercampus.com  – a great website for university students, check it out. You can find the article I want to discuss here: http://www.hercampus.com/life/17-things-you-learn-when-you-realize-you-deserve-better?mc_cid=07025a5cb9&mc_eid=b7bccbab6f

You’ll understand everyone in your life serves a purpose – the one who made you realize you deserve better was a lesson

So, I relate to this sentence as if I were a relative clause. It’s ridiculous how many people have come and gone in almost 19 years of my life. And, it’s amazing who has stayed. I can’t thank my friends enough for sticking by me through what was a ridiculously stupid yet lesson-learnt time this year, and then for the one person who knows who he is. Although things end, surprisingly you find you can still be happy.

In terms of deserving better as mentioned in the quote, I don’t quite know. I hate it sooooo much when people go, “you deserve better”, like yeah, maybe I do, but what do you really mean by that?

(I’m going to stop with this article and come back to it in a later post, I’m going all Christian preach here lol.)

I much prefer just being true to myself. Before university, my gran bestowed on me the motto “To thine ownself be true” – which is based on, funnily enough, that Proverbs 3 bible verse above.

This is the whole, complete verse taken from the King James Bible.

My son, forget not my law; but let your heart keep my commandments:

For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to you.

Let not mercy and truth forsake you: bind them about your neck; write them upon the table of your heart:

So shall you find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.

Be not wise in your own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

It shall be health to your body, and strength to your bones.

Honor the LORD with your substance, and with the first fruits of all your increase:

So shall your barns be filled with plenty, and your presses shall burst out with new wine.

My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:

For whom the LORD loves he corrects; even as a father the son in whom he delights.

Happy is the man that finds wisdom, and the man that gets understanding.

For the gain from it is better than the gain from silver, and the profit thereof than fine gold.

She is more precious than rubies: and all the things you can desire are not to be compared unto her.

Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honor.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is everyone that retains her.

The LORD by wisdom has founded the earth; by understanding has he established the heavens.

By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

My son, let not them depart from your eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:

So shall they be life unto your soul, and grace to your neck.

Then shall you walk in your way safely, and your foot shall not stumble.

When you lie down, you shall not be afraid: yea, you shall lie down, and your sleep shall be sweet.

Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the ruin from the wicked, when it comes.

For the LORD shall be your confidence, and shall keep your foot from being snared.

Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.

Say not unto your neighbor, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when you have it with you.

Devise not evil against your neighbor, seeing he dwells securely by you.

Strive not with a man without cause, if he has done you no harm.

Envy you not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.

For the perverse is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.

The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesses the habitation of the just.

Surely he scorns the scornful: but he gives grace unto the lowly.

The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the recompense of fools.

I almost don’t even know where to begin. This has to be perhaps my favourite bible verse because there is so much truth in it. Actually, I think I’m just going leave this post here.

I hope that verse and a few of the things I have said resonate with you.

Love,

Anna