I wrote this three years ago during a season that was filled with fear for me (pregnancy with our youngest after 5 losses). Today though, I’m snuggling him as I browse through “on this day” memories, thanking God for walking me through that fiery trial, and passing what he taught me back then on to you:
If you are currently in a season of overwhelming fear, doubt, anxiety, or worry- today’s post is for you. I pray this calms your soul and brings peace to your weary mind. 💖
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During my other pregnancies in my blogging years, each time I felt doubt and fear, I wrote about it, convinced that it would make me feel better.
This time around, and especially in my first/early second trimester (which is by far the most stressful in pregnancy after loss) I tried something new.
Instead of writing about and focusing on my doubts, worries, and fears, I would give God time to speak to my heart about them. I’d message a Christian friend and ask for prayer and encouragement. I’d write them
in a journal, and beside them I would write down affirmations to counteract the doubts, using what GOD says in his word.
These were safe ways to process those feelings and move past them, rather than trying to hide from them in busyness, suppress them in denial, or focus on them by sharing them with the world.
Here is what I jotted down in my phone notes on 6/8/18.
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Psalm 91:1-6 NIV
“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.”
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Dwell.
What does it mean to dwell?
What is a dwelling?
It is where you live.
Whoever DWELLS in the shelter of the Most High will REST in the shadow of the Almighty.
This means we must not dwell (live) in our worries.
While we may still have to go through them, we can’t set up camp there.
Don’t make a home in your negative thoughts.
Walk right on through them.
Make God your settling place.
Take shelter from life’s storms in his word.
Stop dwelling on your circumstances.
Acknowledge them, pray, then choose to look away and dwell in God instead.
If you need help, ask- what does the Bible say God likes? The Bible says we can enter his courts (come into his presence) with Thanksgiving & Praise. He also values our love for him and for others- those are his two biggest commands.
Thanksgiving – what IS going right that you’re thankful for? Write those things out. Thank him out loud for them in prayer.
Praise- what amazing qualities of God or miracles have you witnessed in the past? Journal them. These will build your faith and your confidence in his ability to work miracles in your future.
Concern for others above ourselves- who can you bring joy to today? Who can you encourage, where you are, with what you have? Do one kind thing for someone today.
Keeping our eyes above the waves is not easy. But choosing to dwell on God and doing these things, makes it more possible.
From Full 