Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Shopping (03/01/07)
-
TITLE: Looking for what I already Had | Previous Challenge Entry
By Cynthia Chandler
03/07/07 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
I’m standing at one of my favorite places - the City Centre in the heart of San Francisco. I only have $219.37 in my bank account but I’m encouraged by the Visa card that is burning a hole in my pocket. With available space for at least 2 pair of gorgeous shoes, I know I can have a great time here!
My phone rings and its Nya. My preteen daughter is waiting to be picked up from school.
“Hey mom, is dad picking me up today?”
“Yes”, I again can only seem to mumble
“What’s wrong?” She says, her voice full of concern
“Nothing. How was school?” I say with fake enthusiasm.
“It was good. I got an A on my Christian Studies test”
“Awesome! What was it about?”
“We had to recite Mathew 6:33”
“Well that was a piece of cake for you!”
“Yea, its good we have to do that stuff at church. It makes my Christian studies here too easy.”
As she spoke, I thought about what Matthew 6:33 said. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
I knew the scripture well. I had, at one time, recited it several times a day as I was writing my business plan and ultimately quit my job to become the owner of my graphic design company. I used it as my strength and guide.
“But somewhere I lost my way”, again with the mumbling I thought.
“What mom?”, Nyas voice pulled me back into the phone conversation
“Baby, your dad will be there any minute. I’ll be home soon. Love you”
“I love you too”
Everything seems to be failing. I thought if I just worked harder, found better solutions, spent more time, I could fix the problems. My business was failing, my marriage was failing, my dad was dying and I just couldn’t find my answers. I stood in the mall parking lot with $219.37 hoping that “shopping therapy” (as I called it) would ease my mood and clear my head. But honestly this only got me in worse situations.
“Me depending on me just dosen’t work!” I said out loud to God. I didn’t care that people were wondering just who I could be talking to.
“Seek ye first!” I didn’t mumble this time. I didn’t half say the words. I took the scripture into my head, my heart, my being and decided to give up my ideas and focus on God.
I got back in my car, grabbed a piece of paper and wrote down the scripture.
Next I wrote how I could seek him and when I would make it happen:
• Fasting (Tuesday until 3:00pm)
• Morning prayer (each morning for 15 minutes)
• Reading his word (each morning after prayer)
I didn’t make commitments I couldn’t keep. But I did commit. Right then, in my car to seek God, trust God and have faith that he would work out my situation.
And what I realized is that I was looking for what I already had. My “shopping” was searching - but in all the wrong places. I had to seek to know God and his will for my life and let God fix the rest.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.