Skip to content

I Stand In The Gap

Standing in Prayer, Serving The World

Menu
  • Welcome
  • About Us
    • Purpose
    • Who We Are
    • What We Believe
  • Reflections
    • Kathy’s Reflections
    • Steve’s Reflections
  • Prayer Alerts
  • Prayer Updates
  • Request Prayer
    • Prayer List
  • Resources
    • Prayer Closet
    • The Gospel
    • References
    • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
    • Subscribe to Our Mailing List
    • Support Steve and Kathy
  • Cookie Policy (EU)
Menu

Now What, Part II

Posted on 01/21/1007/31/18 by Steve

Hmm, here it is three weeks into the new year and I had intended to write something weekly but missed last week. Oh, well.

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about where God is leading me and I wonder often if I’m even in the same ballpark in regards to where I think I am and where God wants me to be. Since my last post, the preference forms have been turned in (both mine and the SPRC’s) and I’ve had a meeting with my District Superintendent, we’ve had an earthquake and follow-up tremors in Haiti, floods in California, and I can’t help but wonder if I’m focusing on the wrong things.

I had a bit of a scare/wake-up call during Christmas – my blood sugar is out of whack. I’ve got it under control with diet and exercise but still need to see a doctor (no health insurance). Now I’ve fasted before and know how to give up things for a time but realizing that this is more “permanent” is different (and harder). But it reminds me of the second (and third and fourth) chances that God gives us all the time. I can choose to get angry and wonder why God would allow this to happen to me – one of His chosen and called (yeah, right ;-)) – or I can just man up to the fact that this situation, as my dad says, took me 50 years to get myself into.

I see the same thing on a larger scale in the world. I’m hearing stories from Haiti where the people are praising God in the midst of their storm and I have a friend whose wife, Catherine, is in the hospital because of complications from her pregnancy and just reading her CaringBridge journal updates is moving me to tears – she is showing so much grace and faith! The Haitians and Catherine both have reason – far more than I – to complain but yet they choose to praise God. And I can come up with more examples of this.

And so the questions again, “Am I focused on the wrong things?”. Am I worrying about the future and not praying more about the present? Am I holding a pity party when I could be basking in praising the One who gives me life? I am ever thankful that God gives us another chance – that’s grace enough for me. I trust that I don’t waste more time.

“God of Second Chances, give us the grace to praise You in the storm! We love to complain and grumble and You love us anyway! Show us the choices that bring life and joy and let us choose them instead of those that bring death and sorrow. In Jesus’ Name, Hallelujah and Amen!”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Reflections

  • 10/18/22   The Fields Are White For Harvest
  • 12/24/21   Christmas
  • 12/20/21   Advent: Love

Recent Prayer Alerts

  • 09/09/22   A Prayer Upon the Death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
  • 06/23/22   Prayer Alert: Afghanistan Earthquake

Recent Prayer Updates

  • 12/22/22   November Prayer Update: Expectancy and Anticipation
  • 11/17/22   October Prayer Update: Discipleship
  • 10/21/22   September Prayer Update: Fire
  • 09/09/22   August Prayer Update: Worship
The Gospel
Facebook
Support Steve and Kathy
Subscribe to Our Mailing List

Translate

en English
af Afrikaanssq Shqipam አማርኛar العربيةhy Հայերենaz Azərbaycan dilieu Euskarabe Беларуская моваbn বাংলাbs Bosanskibg Българскиca Catalàceb Cebuanony Chichewazh-CN 简体中文zh-TW 繁體中文co Corsuhr Hrvatskics Čeština‎da Dansknl Nederlandsen Englisheo Esperantoet Eestitl Filipinofi Suomifr Françaisfy Fryskgl Galegoka ქართულიde Deutschel Ελληνικάgu ગુજરાતીht Kreyol ayisyenha Harshen Hausahaw Ōlelo Hawaiʻiiw עִבְרִיתhi हिन्दीhmn Hmonghu Magyaris Íslenskaig Igboid Bahasa Indonesiaga Gaeligeit Italianoja 日本語jw Basa Jawakn ಕನ್ನಡkk Қазақ тіліkm ភាសាខ្មែរko 한국어ku كوردی‎ky Кыргызчаlo ພາສາລາວla Latinlv Latviešu valodalt Lietuvių kalbalb Lëtzebuergeschmk Македонски јазикmg Malagasyms Bahasa Melayuml മലയാളംmt Maltesemi Te Reo Māorimr मराठीmn Монголmy ဗမာစာne नेपालीno Norsk bokmålps پښتوfa فارسیpl Polskipt Portuguêspa ਪੰਜਾਬੀro Românăru Русскийsm Samoangd Gàidhligsr Српски језикst Sesothosn Shonasd سنڌيsi සිංහලsk Slovenčinasl Slovenščinaso Afsoomaalies Españolsu Basa Sundasw Kiswahilisv Svenskatg Тоҷикӣta தமிழ்te తెలుగుth ไทยtr Türkçeuk Українськаur اردوuz O‘zbekchavi Tiếng Việtcy Cymraegxh isiXhosayi יידישyo Yorùbázu Zulu
References & Copyrights | Send Prayer Request
Any material may be copied & distributed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice and our World Wide Web URL https://istandinthegap.org
Privacy Policy
© 2023 I Stand In The Gap | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme
Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}