30 Days of Proverbs: November 30th

November 30, 2017
Proverbs 30: The Wonder and Power of God

"Two things I asked of You,
Do not refuse me before I die:
Keep deception and lies far from me,
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the food that is my portion,
That I not be full and deny You and say "Who is the Lord?"
Or that I not be in want and steal, 
And profane the name of my God."

Proverbs 30: 7-9

Go and grab an ink pen or a hi-lighter or one of your kid's broken crayons. Open your Bible- your real life, paper paged Bible and underline these verses. Put a gigantic bubbly circle around them. Star the numbers. Do something to mark their place so that when you open Proverbs 30, these bad boys jump off the page into your brain. 

That's how much I love these words. 

I think comparison and discontent are a few of Satan's favorite tools. They cripple us. They poison our hearts by sewing seeds of bitterness and envy. They keep us from using what we've been given today because we're too focused on what we want to have tomorrow. 

And that's powerful stuff.  

I remember having to check my own attitude a few years ago. A friend of mine was in a different life season than I was because her kids were nearly a dozen years older than mine. I'd call her at 9:07am and her house would be as quiet as a tomb. Mine sounded like feeding time at the zoo. She was able to open her home to friends for coffee and Bible studies. I would open mine to send the kids into the backyard so I could try and remove three days of dried jelly from my kitchen table. I'd talk to her, see her calm and quiet life and I'd have to seriously check my heart for discontent.

But that's not being fed with my portion. That's trying to be fed with hers. 

And it's not just about kids. How do you feel when your friends move into a new house? Or when they get a bigger vehicle? Or talk about their husband's Christmas bonuses? How does your heart react when you see someone else doing things you wished your life allowed at the moment? There's danger in that kind of comparative thinking. There's safety in finding your own place between poverty and riches. 

I can still give with what I have. I can look at the place God has me now and focus on the areas I have been blessed with today. I can look at what He has given me as MY portion and find ways I can use that for Him. It won't look like anyone else's and I've got to be content with that. And as long as I'm not fixating on what others have that I don't- I'll be able to use my energy on the right things. 

These verses remind me to turn my focus inward and recognize how amazing my life is, no matter what season I'm in. I hope it encourages you to do the same. 

Have a Christ-filled day, y'all! And thanks for stopping by~ Katie.