SLL Week 5 – Monday Encouragement

StressedLessLiving_slider

“Give us today our daily bread.” Matthew 6:11 (NIV)

As I sat on the beach enjoying the sunrise I watched a few seagulls wander aimlessly, looking lost and confused. I wondered why there were so few, considering the normal flocks that swarm overhead filling the air with screeching cries.

Then I realized they had no reason to be on the beach, much less to be excited or active. There were no people around to generate crumbs.

I’m pretty sure seagulls can smell potato chip crumbs a mile away. They stay at a distance until they think someone has something they want. Then they come running – or should I say – dive bombing. Even if no birds are in sight, if one tiny crumb, potato chip or bread crust falls on the sand, suddenly dozens of seagulls swoop down out of nowhere.

Memories of hungry seagulls interrupting our picnics at the beach made me chuckle, and especially when I thought about that time when we buried my son in the sand up to his neck (because he wanted us to) and then playfully tossed few a potato chips on the mound of sand on top of him (of which he wasn’t wanting us to). Memories of his shrieks and laughter brought a smile to my face. But as I thought about those funny times, I felt God whisper to my spirit: Sometimes Tracie, you are just like those hungry seagulls.  It was a humbling thought, but also, eye opening and made me think.

In Matthew 6, Jesus shares with His disciples how to pray, in what is commonly referred to as the Lord’s Prayer.

Today’s key verse is taken from the middle of the Lord’s Prayer. In it Jesus reminds His disciples to stay in close union with Him through prayer, because He knows they need the spiritual nourishment and physical necessities only He can provide. Jesus calls His disciples to seek Him and trust His provision for their daily needs.  It’s easy to allow ourselves to think that surely life wasn’t all that stressful in biblical times. They didn’t have the hustle and bustle of a modern world, traffic, technology, busy kid’s schedules, etc., etc. But stress has been present in every generation, and Jesus knew that staying connected with Him was the answer to that stress.

Unfortunately, there are times I don’t follow this wisdom and instruction. I may go days or weeks, aimlessly wandering like those seagulls on a deserted beach – flying through my busyness and routines, without consciously seeking God. Without really stopping to pray. Without spending time in His Word. Without being still long enough to hear His voice.

But as soon as something happens that makes me mad, sad, worried, frustrated, discouraged, panicked or stressed – believe me, I fly straight to God. Swooping in out of nowhere, I dive bomb into His presence. Expectantly, I wait for Him to give me a profound thought or an answer to prayer.  Suddenly, I’m starving for His Presence. In essence, I anxiously wait for Him to toss me some crumbs of spiritual encouragement.  Stress increases, because not only may I not hear from God right away, but because my heart was not prepared to face this struggle to begin with.

Unlike a seagull who seeks temporary satisfaction from random crumbs, I want to be consumed with a spiritual hunger that’s never satisfied. A hunger that pains me if I fail to get a daily portion of God’s wisdom, love and guidance. A hunger that when met, replaces my discouragement, worry and stress, and keeps me from ever getting to the desperation point.

I don’t want to live with a seagull mentality, being satisfied with mere crumbs. Instead I want to enjoy the fullness of God’s presence and a constant supply of His Word and His Presence each and every day.

Dear Lord, I so need more of You each day in my life. Help me to develop such a hunger and thirst for You and Your Word that I make spending time with You a priority, no matter what else is calling for my attention. Amen.

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FOR MORE ENCOURAGEMENT TODAY, READ MY FRIEND LEAH DIPASCAL’S P31 DEVOTION ABOUT HOW TO FIND PEACE UNDER PRESSURE & VISIT LEAH’S BLOG TO ENTER TO WIN A FREE COPY OF STRESSED-LESS LIVING! 

 

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IF YOU’RE RECEIVING THIS POST IN EMAIL, CLICK HERE FOR TODAY’S VIDEO

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THIS WEEK’S READING ASSIGNMENT IS CHAPTERS NINE AND TEN

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I always want to live life less stressed, and more peace-full.

What about you? What can you do this week to embrace the ‘more than crumbs’ mentality towards your faith?

Leave a comment

7 Comments

  1. Terri on Monday, October 12, 2015 at 10:22 am

    Amen,Tracie! I am seeking to live daily in the “rest” the LORD describes, prepared for whatever He may allow. Love the example of not living like a seagull! Thanks for your insight.



  2. joy on Monday, October 12, 2015 at 3:13 pm

    Wow, Tracie, love the prayer. I am going to keep it multiple places, write it down, and pray it throughout my day. This is so helpful and very timely in the season of my life. Thank you for sharing and allowing God to use you and your words.



  3. Diana Rockwell on Monday, October 12, 2015 at 4:54 pm

    Tracie, love you and loved your blog post. Having just been at Laguna Beach, the Sea Gulls wanted my ice cream, found memories. I love what your mom said, “I don’ t mind facing reality I just don’t want to live there.” With God we do not have to let stress control our lives. Thanks for this book. Thank for your transparency. Thanks for your love. Blessings Diana



  4. Natalie Tull on Monday, October 12, 2015 at 6:06 pm

    Tracie, I loved the post today and the video. I too am a beach lover with so many memories of seagulls and as you were telling the story of your son buried with the seagulls surrounding him I couldn’t help but to burst out in laughter! The quote in today’s blog that hit me hard was, “Unlike a seagull who seeks temporary satisfaction from random crumbs, I want to be consumed with a spiritual hunger that’s never satisfied.” This is how I have been feeling in this season of my life! I can’t get enough of His Word and spending time with Him. I wish that I could just be able to study His Word all day every day and not have to deal with the “reality” of life! I pray that I my hunger for God and His Word would only increase and increase!!! Thank You so Much For What You Shared Today!!!! All that you write truly impacts my walk with Christ!



  5. Audra on Monday, October 12, 2015 at 6:22 pm

    God is changing my life through this book…I just can’t even begin to thank you for writing it and for doing this study! I’ve really enjoyed the videos and devotionals, especially today’s devotional…the reminder for me to really invest time spent in God’s Word. I read and study it daily, but I let stress and distraction take away from my time with God. It’s time for me to get intentional!

    I hope everyone has a great week of reading and spending quality time with our Heavenly Father!



  6. Debra S on Tuesday, October 13, 2015 at 12:29 pm

    I spent Sunday on a boat touring with our friend, on the lake, where he lives in northern Wisconsin. We passed a boat where they were feeding the seagulls. There were masses of them swooping in to eat the bread. Two of them broke away to follow us. We were impressed with the way they drafted behind our boat. They stayed with us quite awhile before they realized we were not feeding them and broke away.
    Like Natilie Tull, I am also in a season of hunger and search with His word, where I do not want the realities of my life, to interfere with my time in the Lord. I am trying to find time to do a spiritual sabbatical with Him.



  7. Sharon C. on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at 11:34 pm

    I guess I’m late in answering this blog but I’ll finish it now. The weapons I would get to fight the stress in my life would be. God’s Word that was in Quote 1. If your fighting this Spiritual Warfare you have to have something strong enough that they have to back down with. Nothing is more powerful than God’s Word. No one can go against it. The truth will set us free. For years people have been trying to prove it wrong and can’t. Matter of fact every time it’s read new things are discovered. I just wished I had listened to it more closely.
    Of course God can still perform miracles. today. I love what you said in Quote3. “Prayer is not a religious duty but a Spiritual Privilege.” What a special gift that is. I want to start taking more advantage of the gift God has given us. I know once I start using that Privilege in the way it was given God and I will be BFF.
    Question 3 is more tough to answer. For the last 6 years I’ve had about 7 surgeries and a couple of hospital stays. I have let this depression take over my life. I hadn’t felt like getting out and doing anything. The simplest things take so much effort on my part to get done. I want to get back to my old self. I don’t know what God is calling me to do but I know there is something I’m being prepared for.
    Just doing these studies has set a spark in me to find out my calling and purpose. I look forward to being up and about again. One of the main things is to put on my armor and fight the fight. God knows. I feel like I still have a long ways to go but anything that’s worth while is worth doing right. Thanks for putting together these studies.



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Tracie Miles is a bestselling author and the Director of COMPEL Training with Proverbs 31 Ministries.  She helps women grow stronger in their faith, pursue the life of purpose God designed them for and live a life of peace, joy and happiness despite their circumstances.

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