Easy To Understand, Hard To Practice

[hldude33]

“Easy To Understand, Hard To Practice”
1 Peter 5:7 NLT
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

There are a lot of things in life that we find very easy to understand, but then they are difficult to put into practice. Often times we are given instructions to do something and, at first, the instructions seem simple. However, once we get into the nitty-gritty of actually following through, we come to find out that it’s more than we bargained for! It isn’t necessarily that we made a wrong choice per say, but we just definitely don’t understand how hard it is to actually follow through with certain things.

We all struggle with different situations, whatever they may be. We may think something sounds cool, but then when we actually jump in and start, we find out that it’s so much harder than we first thought. We honestly want things as easy as possible. I know I do! When we’re faced with instructions or obstacles that are hard, we tend to hesitate and try another way so that we can avoid any extra work or effort. As I said before, there are so many different scenarios that seem easy to understand up-front, but once we get going and try to follow through, we find ourselves having a hard time keeping up and actually committing to finishing.

This passage really hit me the other day as I pondered how hard it is for me to give all my worries and cares to God. I mean, it’s so simple to understand that we should give all of our worries and cares over to God. He wants us to leave those things at the Cross and to trust in Him. We know that. We’ve been taught this for so many years, yet we find ourselves struggling to do this each and every day. It’s so simple to say it and tell others we need to do it. But then actually following through and letting God take these things from us is a different story all together!

I have struggled for so much of life giving Him all my worries and cares and just letting Him be in control. I want to worry and fret and be anxious and stress about everything it seems! Well…..I really don’t want to, but by the way I live, it sure seems that way often! God doesn’t want us to hold on to these things and live with all these things burdening us. He wants us to give it all over to Him and trust that He will guide us through. He doesn’t want us carrying these things on our own. He wants us to give it all to Him.

This is so easy to understand, but very hard to put into practice. However, it is a daily challenge and learning experience as we grow in our faith and allow Him to take our worries and cares. Are we willing to give those up and actually follow through in letting Him be in control?

The ball is in our court. Are we going to give these things to God and let Him be in control?

 

[Nancy]

“Easy To Understand, Hard To Practice”
1 Peter 5:7 NLT
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

There are a lot of things in life that we find very easy to understand, but then they are difficult to put into practice. Often times we are given instructions to do something and, at first, the instructions seem simple. However, once we get into the nitty-gritty of actually following through, we come to find out that it’s more than we bargained for! It isn’t necessarily that we made a wrong choice per say, but we just definitely don’t understand how hard it is to actually follow through with certain things.

We all struggle with different situations, whatever they may be. We may think something sounds cool, but then when we actually jump in and start, we find out that it’s so much harder than we first thought. We honestly want things as easy as possible. I know I do! When we’re faced with instructions or obstacles that are hard, we tend to hesitate and try another way so that we can avoid any extra work or effort. As I said before, there are so many different scenarios that seem easy to understand up-front, but once we get going and try to follow through, we find ourselves having a hard time keeping up and actually committing to finishing.

This passage really hit me the other day as I pondered how hard it is for me to give all my worries and cares to God. I mean, it’s so simple to understand that we should give all of our worries and cares over to God. He wants us to leave those things at the Cross and to trust in Him. We know that. We’ve been taught this for so many years, yet we find ourselves struggling to do this each and every day. It’s so simple to say it and tell others we need to do it. But then actually following through and letting God take these things from us is a different story all together!

I have struggled for so much of life giving Him all my worries and cares and just letting Him be in control. I want to worry and fret and be anxious and stress about everything it seems! Well…..I really don’t want to, but by the way I live, it sure seems that way often! God doesn’t want us to hold on to these things and live with all these things burdening us. He wants us to give it all over to Him and trust that He will guide us through. He doesn’t want us carrying these things on our own. He wants us to give it all to Him.

This is so easy to understand, but very hard to put into practice. However, it is a daily challenge and learning experience as we grow in our faith and allow Him to take our worries and cares. Are we willing to give those up and actually follow through in letting Him be in control?

The ball is in our court. Are we going to give these things to God and let Him be in control?

Good questions!
The way I have learned to trust Him for any and everything is just knowing that, if I have no control over whatever comes my way...what can I do anyway? Nothing! So, the fretting and worrying only hurts us. He is the God of the impossible but, He will never be pleased without faith...took me decades to even understand true faith! It is awesome to watch Him work! And then, when tough times come upon us we can look back and remember how He came through last time when we relaxed in KNOWING He will do it again. It can be exciting to see how He will get us out of our own messes, lol.
Then, I think, 'what's the worst that can happen'? "If God be for us..."

 

[Helen]

Amen!

Nice to see a couple of sane serious posts. ...

 

[marks]

This is so easy to understand, but very hard to put into practice.

I guess for me I found it impossible to put into practice, until I understood that God loves me. And coming to that understanding, that's what was so difficult!

I used to think of this in terms of divesting myself of something, in this case, my cares, my fears, I am to give over my cares to God. Not knowing what He was going to do, and not realizing the meaning of His love for me.

But now I think more in terms of allowing God His Way. He doesn't want me fussing and fidgeting with the circumstances of my life. It never was my responsibility, it's always been His. I've only robbed Him of His right by thinking I know what I need, and what should happen, only to become all negatively emotionally invested in whether or not what I think should be will be.

I've come to the place that God has His plan, He knows what it is, He's got all the bases covered, and I don't. So I can either go stepping on His toes mucking it all up, or I can just let go of all that, and learn how to spend my days enjoying His love for me.

I've always liked this quote from Harvey:

Elwood P. Dowd: Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say, "In this world, Elwood, you must be" - she always called me Elwood - "In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant." Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me.

I never did know all that was best for me, and I never was too good at choosing it. But I love God, because God loves me. God created me because He wants me to be, and has all intention of caring for me to turn me into that thing which He wants, an image of His Son Jesus. And the only thing I can do towards that happening is following along where He is taking me, and He's taking me through my circumstances.

"Joy overcomes the sorrow, hope illuminates tomorrow, Breath of Life we're alive in You!" (Recreate - Urban Rescue)

The Sovereign Lord of All wants what He wants. And what He's said He wants is for us to give ourselves to Him and let Him work His plan, and that it will be love and joy and peace.

Much love!

 

[Hidden In Him]

But now I think more in terms of allowing God His Way. He doesn't want me fussing and fidgeting with the circumstances of my life. It never was my responsibility, it's always been His. I've only robbed Him of His right by thinking I know what I need, and what should happen, only to become all negatively emotionally invested in whether or not what I think should be will be.

I've come to the place that God has His plan, He knows what it is, He's got all the bases covered, and I don't. So I can either go stepping on His toes mucking it all up, or I can just let go of all that, and learn how to spend my days enjoying His love for me.

I never did know all that was best for me, and I never was too good at choosing it.

Very good words.

I think insisting on doing it our way is what leads to so many fears. We think "It has to be this way, or this has to happen, and then that..." Letting go and trusting God with everything in life, from money to relationships to fulfilling our calling, is a lesson most of us don't learn easily.

Nowadays, when I see something go wrong, say with a household situation, or with a job situation, or a source of income, I immediately start wondering if God is in it somehow; that there may be good reasons for why He is allowing something seemingly negative to take place. Doesn't mean there always is, but I am now more readily open to the possibility that He may be up to something, and closing a door in one place to open one in another.

I think it's why the command was to always give thanks to God in all things. In a very real sense, the closer one gets to God, the more all things work together for good to those who love Him.

 

[Nancy]

I guess for me I found it impossible to put into practice, until I understood that God loves me. And coming to that understanding, that's what was so difficult!

I used to think of this in terms of divesting myself of something, in this case, my cares, my fears, I am to give over my cares to God. Not knowing what He was going to do, and not realizing the meaning of His love for me.

But now I think more in terms of allowing God His Way. He doesn't want me fussing and fidgeting with the circumstances of my life. It never was my responsibility, it's always been His. I've only robbed Him of His right by thinking I know what I need, and what should happen, only to become all negatively emotionally invested in whether or not what I think should be will be.

I've come to the place that God has His plan, He knows what it is, He's got all the bases covered, and I don't. So I can either go stepping on His toes mucking it all up, or I can just let go of all that, and learn how to spend my days enjoying His love for me.

I've always liked this quote from Harvey:

Elwood P. Dowd: Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say, "In this world, Elwood, you must be" - she always called me Elwood - "In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant." Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me.

I never did know all that was best for me, and I never was too good at choosing it. But I love God, because God loves me. God created me because He wants me to be, and has all intention of caring for me to turn me into that thing which He wants, an image of His Son Jesus. And the only thing I can do towards that happening is following along where He is taking me, and He's taking me through my circumstances.

"Joy overcomes the sorrow, hope illuminates tomorrow, Breath of Life we're alive in You!" (Recreate - Urban Rescue)

The Sovereign Lord of All wants what He wants. And what He's said He wants is for us to give ourselves to Him and let Him work His plan, and that it will be love and joy and peace.

Much love!
Much love!

Oh that is quite the hurdle to get over- His love for us. I still struggle with that at times.
Great post and love the quote!

 

[marks]

I think it's why the command was to always give thanks to God in all things. In a very real sense, the closer one gets to God, the more all things work together for good to those who love Him.

I'd say not that the more they work together, but the more we can believe God that they do. When we believe that in our heart, then when we see something unusual happening, we are excited, even if it seems difficult, grateful, in our hearts, knowing that God is getting us ready for a gift.

I think the degree of pain we experience may relate very much to the value of the gift we receive. I think the degree of pain has to do with how much of the flesh He is burning away.

Much love!

 

[Nancy]

I, too, struggle with things that are easy to understand, but difficult to practice. The money issue, which I do not overtly worry about, but I do plan for my future finances. This planning, saving money, I believe, is evidence of my lack of faith; I cannot fully trust God to supply my needs, I must work to supply my needs and place money aside for my future. If I truly believed that God would supply my needs, then I would be like the apostles who Jesus sent out to spread the word. Instructing them to take nothing with them, no money for food or lodging. Jesus had no place to rest his head, he did not own property. It is only when I am able to live this type of life that I will display true faith in God. 99% of Christians lack faith! They know and understand Jesus' teaching, but, like me, they do not have enough faith to practice those teachings.

Nothing wrong in being prepared. I'd say that would be wisdom to do so but...there is a line some cross as, they fret always "what if, what if"?!
I am not a "prepper" like some might be, (except for water ) Being single kind of helps to depend on Him as there is no other choice, and boy do I ever depend on Him and, He's not ever let me down...ever. It is so very peaceful to never again worry about a thing. I pray God will strengthen your faith! Amen.