Psalm 119:165 Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.

Could you use a little extra peace and encouragement today?  If you notice here it doesn’t say that there won’t be struggles, it says you will have peace and not stumble if you love God’s Word and you are following Him.  You can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that if you are in the will of God Satan will do all he can to discourage you and try to get you to stumble by taking your focus off God.  This is when he often likes to use other people to drag you down and make you somehow feel inferior.  Remember as Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”  You have a choice to allow others’ words to eat at you or to rise above.

I can only imagine, because we are not told specifically what Mary, Jesus Mom went through.  She was pregnant when Joseph took her as his wife; I am sure there were some who figured she was quite blessed to conceive so quickly and I am certain there were others who took the time to count down the days; ‘hmmmmmm, let’s see here, Joseph took her as his wife on this day and she had the baby when?  Oh, bless her heart she either had that baby early or well ………. she is just a wicked girl and Joseph is hiding it’.  You can almost hear the conversations that more than likely took place.  I would hope that after the conversations Mary had had with the angel and the fact that she knew the truth about herself and who she was in God’s eyes, that she never allowed those hateful things drag her down.  There are so many times in life when you may be misunderstood and others are hateful, trying to tear you down or make you feel somehow inferior.  Sometimes I don’t think they even always have to try to make you feel that way, it could just be their behaviors get the ball rolling and then Satan jumps on to give you doubts about who you are or your worth.  Don’t accept it!  Do not allow what someone else has to say define who you are in your mind.  Hold on to the truth of all that you know you are in Christ!

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”  Philippians 4:8  When thoughts of being inferior or worthless or maybe thoughts that make you question your call start sneaking into your mind ~ stop them!  Don’t even give them the chance to take root!  Dwell on the things listed above!  Ask God for the strength to hold on to the truth!  Whatever is going on around you is not worth losing your peace, it is not worth stumbling over!  Someone may say or do hurtful things but don’t take it personal, let it roll off.  Trust me, I know that is very difficult to do, but the end result is much better than allowing yourself to be offended.  When we get offended, we not only give Satan a foothold, we are dwelling on our hurts which then turns into frustration and anger and we soon find our focus is way far away from where it should be!  Focus on God and the good things He has called us to focus on.  Don’t allow what anyone says or does determine your attitude about you and all God has for you!  You can choose your thoughts, your attitudes and you can choose to not allow anyone to make you feel like less than God has told you, you are!

There’s nothing that anyone else has to say that is worth sacrificing God’s peace for!  Hold your head high, give your hurts to Him and walk in the confidence of who He has created you to be!  

Quote: “I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are your works and that my soul knows full well.” Psalm 139:14