Your Daily Cup of Inspiration!

Lay Your Burdens Down

"Glory glory, hallelujah, since I laid my burdens down. Glory, glory, hallelujah since I laid my burdens down. I feel better, so much better, since I laid my burdens down..." We used to sing that song in church all the time when I was coming up. It was one of my favorites... among many others of course. Deep down, I was always comforted by the realization that I didn't have to bear the weight of the world--or even my own small world--on my shoulders.

Granted, when I was very young, I didn't understand the full significance of the song. Consciously, I wasn't aware that I didn't have to come up with tailor-made solutions every time a difficult issue arose. I was just singing a song. But now that I've lived a little more and have experienced troubling times, I understand very deeply the value of trusting God to be what the old saints called Him: Your burden-bearer and heavy-load-sharer.

"In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength,  and my refuge, is in God" (Psalm 62:7 NKJV). He's my everything and I don't know what I'd do without Him.

So many of us, however,  carry unnecessary weight around that God never intended for us to carry. There's some stuff that we just need to put on the altar and leave it there. Lay your burdens down and don't pick them up again. Allow God to take care of it. Otherwise, you'll drive yourself crazy trying to come up with answers and solutions that go far beyond your limited understanding and abilities.

Another song I love is called, What a friend we have in Jesus. There's a portion of a verse that says: "Oh what peace we often forfeit. Oh what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer... "

Lay those burdens down. Take them to the Lord in prayer. When times get hard--and they absolutely will get hard sometimes--cast your cares on Jesus.

Certainly, He never promised us that our road would always be easy. In fact, Jesus said, "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33b). Do you see that? Trials and tribulations are unavoidable. No ifs, ands, or buts about it... we will absolutely endure struggles.

We  may as well just accept that.

But the consolation is in knowing that the Lord, our burden-bearer and heavy-load-sharer, will carry the load for us if we cast our cares upon Him. We don't have to be subjected to an endless cycle of worry and defeat--not if we learn to commit our lives to God and daily lay all of our cares at His feet.

As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs
www.eewmagazine.com

Don't Be Moved

I remember growing up in church singing a song that says, "I shall not, I shall not be moved; I shall not, I shall not be moved; just like a tree planted by the water, I shall not be moved." Then it said, "I'm on my way to heaven, I shall not be moved, on my way to heaven, I shall not be moved; just like a tree planted by the water, I shall not be moved."

Ever heard that song? If not, then perhaps you're familiar with the scripture that says, "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper" (Psalm 1:1-3 KJV empahsis added).

Don't you want to be like that unmovable tree? How can that be accomplished? Before you can know that, you have to understand something about a tree planted alongside streams of water. You see, a tree planted by a stream has roots that grow deep into that stream. It is totally dependent upon that stream for its nourishment and water; and  because its roots grow so deeply into the streams of water, no matter what outside forces come against it, it remains buttressed, supported, and stable.

Isn't that awesome? No matter what storms come to beat upon that tree; no matter the heat or other elements it may be exposed to, the tree wont' wither. Rather, it  stands firmly because its roots go so deep.

This is who we ought be in our walk with God. We must be rooted in Him the way we need to be, so that, when the storms of life come to beat upon us, we won't be moved.

Sadly, many of God's people are looking for the formula for success and prosperity in their lives, while overlooking what the Word of God has to say about the matter. According to the Psalm quoted above, if you're rooted in the Word of God; if you dwell on His laws; if you  immerse yourself in God's ways; and walk upright before Him, then you will flourish and prosper.

When others are struggling to make ends meet, worrying about the economy and the crises we face, those who are rooted in Christ will have all the sustenance and provision they need to thrive.

But too many of us have gotten away from God's way. We're too caught up in the world's system. We conduct our lives as if God is not our main source of power, provision, and productivity. We've lost our focus somewhere along the way. As a result, we no longer depend upon Him as our source... and we wonder why our lives are in disarray. We're stressed out. We're not prospering. We're constantly frustrated. We feel empty.

It's because we've been moved. We've gotten out of our place. We've abandoned our security and safety.

The safest place in the whole wide world is in the will of God! "The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe" (Proverbs 18:10 KJV).

If, perhaps, you've been  preoccupied with finding ways to navigate your way through this world without Jesus Christ at the center of it all, get back in your place. Go back to trusting God. Go back to losing yourself in His presence. Go back to studying His Word and meditating on it. Go back to singing songs of praise and worship to Him.

I'm reminded of a song that says, "Take me back, take me back dear Lord, to the place where I first received you. Take me back, take me back dear Lord where I first believed." It's time that we get back to the basics. Too many of us are too far our out of balance, and frankly, the life we're living is not the life Christ died for. Stress, anxiety, and worry is not the plan God had in mind when He created us.

Jesus said in John 10:10, "I have come that they might have life and that more abundantly."  All the we need is in Him. So, why then, are we seeking safety, security, and solace everywhere but in His arms?

Oh, God so much wants to be at the center of our lives again. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. (Psalm 100:3) He did not intend for us to have our attention diverted away from Him by the cares of this life. Instead, He is beckoning us to run to Him and confide in Him as our sustainer and provider.

Then and only then,  all those other things we seek will be added to us. "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matthew 6:33 NKJV).

As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs
www.eewmagazine.com

 

   

Know Who You Are

Whatever your test and trial may be, it doesn't change who you are or whose you are. You've got to know that; but depending on how intense the trial, your faith can sometimes be shaken. The enemy will try to make you doubt your calling and election. But don't waver. Keep reminding yourself that you belong to God and He has a sure plan for your life. No matter how tough the opposition; how bleak the outlook; or how fierce the raging storm. If God is on your side, you have no need to fear. Know that deliverance is yours and victory is imminent!

You are a King's kid. You've been adopted into the royal family. You're an heir of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ..." (Romans 8:16,17 a NKJV).

You and I have an awesome inheritance!

Because of who we are, we must win! And as long as you don't give up and walk away from your destiny, indeed you will win... no ifs, ands, or buts about it. It's inevitable.  So, no more moping around with a defeatist mentality. No more believing the worst about your situation. No more doubting your calling and purpose. No more being fearful that you'll sink under the pressure.

Stop focusing on WHERE YOU ARE and begin to focus on WHO YOU ARE.

You are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread" Psalm 37:25 KJV).

Wherever you are today, and what you are going through at this very moment, is not the "be all and end all" of things.  Oh no. Your best days are ahead of you. The windows of heaven will no doubt open up and all those blessings God has in store for you will be poured out, because of your faithfulness to Him; because of your refusal to give up during hard times; because of your commitment to the things of God; because of your love and pure heart toward Him. "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him" (2 Chronicles 16:9a KJV).

God is fighting on your behalf. He is going to bring you through this test unscathed. Just like the Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace, you're coming out and you won't even smell like smoke.

Please know, it pleases God to bless you. He wants to pour out His best upon you.

Let me leave this scripture with you:

"Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:30-32 NKJV)

I want you to rejoice today and remind yourself of this: According to Romans 8:37, "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."

As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs
www.eewmagazine.com

He Has a Plan

No master builder begins a building project without a blueprint.  Before the actual construction work begins the specifications are laid out and the end result is planned down to the very last detail.

Of course, the average person cannot see what the architect sees while the project remains unfinished. Nevertheless, there is a plan fully in motion even before the end result is  manifested.

So it is with God. He, the Master Architect, has a plan for your life and mine; although things may seem to be in disarray right now, and you can't see how everything will come together, God knows the end for the beginning.

Rest assured, His plan will be carried through to completion. All you have to do is wait and see.

Listen, just because we're fresh out of ideas doesn't mean God is. Even when we don't know what our next move will be, God has already mapped things out. We might feel like we're on shaky ground, but He is our firm foundation. Our hope must be Him.

When we feel tossed about by the challenges life presents us with, we need only put our faith and confidence in God with full assurance of this one thing: He indeed has a plan.

All too frequently, however, we  panic when we can't see our way clearly.  We begin fretting over those nagging problems that seemingly have no solutions. We pray and wait anxiously for answers-- all the while wondering if God hears us. Depending upon how urgent the need, when He doesn't show up right away, we sometimes wonder if He's  forgotten about us. In extreme cases, some folks start to doubt His very existence.

But God is real. His plan is sure. And His word is true. Everything He's promised He will do.

He has not forgotten about you. In fact, the way has already been made... it's simply the manifestation you have to wait for. You and I have no control over how long it takes for God's plan to be unfolded to us.

You see, God reveals His will in seasons and in stages. He doesn't show us everything at once. We couldn't even handle that. He has to prepare us for what's to come before He divulges His plan. If we gain insight prematurely, we won't know what to do with it. So God allows us to go through tests, trials, and uncertainty; at times, even controversy, to get us ready for what He has in store.

Although we don't like being confronted with adversity, it's a necessary part of the preparation process.

*Remember: Adversity is the catalyst for change.

"Adversity is the catalyst for change."

Don't ever forget that. If you're praying for elevation, breakthrough, and deliverance, don't be surprised when you face some challenging circumstances along the way. Instead, rejoice. Thank God for the testing ground because, "After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you" (1 Peter 5:10 NAS).

Be encouraged today! Know that the Lord's plan for you is already in motion. All you need to do  is wait for the manifestation. I know this post is just confirmation for somebody. Whoever you are I want you to begin praising God for what's already done!

As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs
www.eewmagazine.com

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Dianna Hobbs is Founder and Editor-in-Chief of EEW Magazine, the #1 online magazine for African American Christian women with more than 1/4 million subscribers. She is also Vice President of Hobbs Ministries, an international ghostwriting Executive-Speechwriter and consulting firm. She is a leading authority in business, ministry, and Christian writing.

Stay In Your Lane

Years ago when I was first learning to drive, one of the most difficult things for me to do was to stay in my lane. No matter how hard I concentrated, I would find myself drifting  over the yellow lines and onto the other side of the road. After much practice and some close encounters, I finally learned how to control the wheel and stay on my side of the road.

I think many of us struggle to "stay in our lane" when it comes to pursuing our purpose. We sometimes get caught up in things God did not call us to, and then end up trying to figure out why we have no peace. You see, when we sit in the driver's seat and push God off to the passenger side we tend to veer off the path He's set for us. Consequently, our road turns out to be much rockier than it has to be.

Here's my point; seek God for clarity of purpose BEFORE you set out on any path. Don't just assume that you know what His will is for your life. There have been many times when I thought God meant one thing, when in fact, He was saying something completely different.

Thought for the day: What you think you know can hurt you.

As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs
www.eewmagazine.com

Wait to Hear His Voice

Scripture tells us not to be wise in our own eyes. (See Proverbs 3:7) In other words, we can never rely on our own judgment as our moral compass; neither can we afford to lean on our earthly wisdom to navigate our way through life. The moment we begin thinking we have all the answers is the very moment we veer off of the right path.

Thinking we know it all gets us in big trouble doesn't it? Think about the last time you made a decision based on what you knew thought you knew, and ended up in a situation you weren't quite sure how to get out of.

Not fun... at all.

If we're not careful, we'll wrongly assume that we can, in our own strength, attack life's challenges and win. But I say wrong, wrong, wrong. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path" (Proverbs 3:5,6).

We must allow God's Word to be our guide, our compass, and our source of enlightenment. "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path"  (Psalm 119:105) Until we get back on our face and begin seeking God's face, we'll continue to frustrate ourselves while making no real progress.

As I often say, we have to wait to hear His voice.

Now, does waiting on God mean begin lethargic and apathetic, expecting God to do everything for us? Not at all. God certainly expects us to be good stewards over our gifts and talents, always endeavoring to take a responsible and proactive  approach where appropriate. 

My point is that we have to be sensitive to God's voice, disciplined, and balanced. This ensures that  we're not moving when we should be still, and we're not remaining still when we should be moving forward.

God is calling each of us to be more in tune with Him. He wants us to wait to hear His voice and draw closer to Him so we'll know when He's speaking to us.

Sensitivity to His voice is only developed through time spent in His sweet presence. He's waiting for you to give Him some alone time. He wants to talk to you. Give Him some more face time. He wants to direct you. Extend your worship time. He wants to take you higher... "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time" (1 Peter 5:6).

As always, thanks for reading, and until next time ... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs
www.eewmagazine.com

Wait On the Lord

Feel like you're going through a setback in your life? Things not working out the way you prayed they would? Does it look like doors are closing? Are deadlines passing and you don't know what you're going to do?

If so, don't worry. God's working on you.

Take your eyes off of your situation long enough to focus on what He's trying to do in and through you. Do you realize that too often we allow our trouble to cause us to lose our focus? Instead of drawing closer to God to hear what He has to say about the situation, we go into "solve it mode."

But today, He's saying, "Wait on Me. Wait for clarity. I know the end from the beginning. I've got this thing under control." Psalm 37:7a says, "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him." 

We don't like to talk about patience though do we? Of course we don't. Because it interrupts our agenda and forces us to be still.

If, by chance, God has interrupted your agenda lately, don't get discouraged. Just stand firmly in your faith and wait for His instruction. You see, sometimes God will stop us dead in our tracks. He'll allow us to hit a brick wall so He can reach us and teach us that He alone is the ruler of our destiny. I know your faith is being tested, but hold on.

"Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing"  (James 1:3,4 KJV).   

We've allowed ourselves to become too frantic, too preoccupied, and too solution-oriented without first seeking God for answers. But all the answers you seek are in Christ Jesus alone.

Sure, you might be going through some  tough stuff right now... but it's partly because He's working patience in you.  He wants you to slow down. Stop getting ahead of His plan.  Let Him prune you and prove you, so  He can get glory out of your life.

He's got something awesome in store for you, but HE wants to do it. HE wants all the glory.

But God can't get the glory, you see, if you keep putting your hands on the situation and leaving Him out of the equation. He wants you to be still and let Him be God. As I told you in an earlier post, stop toiling and start trusting. Stop making the mistake of being so hasty.

Be still. I know how tempting it can be to take matters into your own hands, but be still. Without God's direction you'll only make matters worse. "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord" (Psalm 27:14 KJV).

Hear  God's voice today. He's saying, "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31 KJV).

As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs
www.eewmagazine.com

Run to Jesus

Stop worrying about what you can't change. Instead, run to Jesus. Let Him uphold you. Give yourself and all your cares over to the Lord. He'll anchor you even in the midst of the stormy seas. I know; I've tried Him for myself and He's never failed me yet.

Jesus is the  only One who can bring peace in the midst of confusion; joy in the midst of sorrow; clarity of purpose in uncertain times.

Oh how I love Him...

Run to Him in your time of adversity, not away from Him.

Unfortunately, many times we fail to confide in Him during tough seasons. We often retreat and go into self-preservation mode. We begin doubting that He will deliver us, so we attempt to deliver ourselves instead. We try to become God over our circumstances. And this is where we mess up. We stress ourselves out trying to calculate our next move.  But see, God never told us to take the weight of the world on our shoulders. He never instructed us to take our futures into our own hands.

On the contrary, 1 Peter 5:6,7 says, "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

Does  that sound like toiling, scheming, fretting, worrying, and stressing? Absolutely not. Nevertheless, we often find ourselves bogged down with the pressures of life, trying to meet false expectations, and feeling the need to plot out our futures.

But stop for a moment. Take time out to assess your patterns. Are you running to Jesus or are you leaning to your own understanding? Are you listening to His voice or is your own voice drowning out His?

Today I want you to reevaluate your life. Make sure you aren't making decisions rooted in fear. Pause for a moment and find that secret place  with God. He's calling you back to worship and prayer. He wants you to spend more time with Him. Run to Him.  Stop trying to figure things out on your own and let Him be God in your life. Get in His presence and let Him speak peace to your situation.

If the winds and seas obey His voice, why not your situation? (See Mark 4:35-41)

When I recently interviewed CeCe Winans for next month's issue of EEW Magazine, she talked to me about how her plans were thwarted for a previous album. Things didn't work out at first. But it was because God had something else He wanted her to do. Once she released her plans and embraced God's plan, things began to fall into place.

That's what I want you to take away from today's post. Stop trying to get ahead of God and just listen for a change.  Get in His presence and there you'll find the serenity and consolation you seek. Whatever you need, He'll supply it. All you've got to do is open your heart and let His presence overtake you. I don't care what's going on and what it looks like, run to Him. Psalm 46:1 reminds us that,  "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

One of my favorite scriptures says, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty" (Psalm 91:1 KJV). There's a song by Karen Clark Sheard that I love so much called, "Secret Place."  It captures the essence of what this post is all about. Enjoy!

As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs
www.eewmagazine.com

It's a Process...

I think that sometimes we need someone to remind us not to get discouraged while God is working on our situation. I want to be that someone for you tonight. You must remember that everything is a process. The things God has for you won't all come at once. But if you don't faint while you're waiting, you'll see the manifestation of God's will in your life.

So take every setback in stride. Allow disappointments to roll off your shoulders and continue to confess the things God says about you. Don't let your circumstance or your outcome dictate your faith, rather, let your faith dictate your circumstance and your outcome.

Even when your path isn't clear, the road seems long, and the burden feels too heavy to bear; just know that you're going through your process and this too will pass.

Your storm won't last always. Neither will your wilderness. If you keep traveling along the path God has laid out for you--no matter how obscure-- and trust Him to be your guide, He'll bring you into your Canaan... your land flowing with milk and honey.

When He does, you'll understand why you had to travel this route.

As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs

See It Before you See It

There are some things God has promised you that haven't yet manifested in your life, but that's no cause for doubt. You have to remember that according to the Word of God, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen." (See Hebrews 11:1) You have to envision what  God has spoken over your life, even before it becomes a tangible reality. Otherwise, you'll get weary and discouraged along your journey.

Perhaps God birthed something in your spirit that seems too far out of your reach. Maybe you don't understand His will or His timing, but that's all right. Trust Him anyway. Know that if He said it, it will surely come to pass. Instead of focusing on what you can't see in the natural, begin looking through eyes of faith.

Remind yourself of all God has spoken. Hold fast to your faith and refuse to doubt. You have to first see it in the spirit realm before you can ever see it in the natural. That's the nature of faith... it is is your faith that activates your potential and allows you to lay hold of what God has in store for you.

If you're going through a dark period where the answers don't seem to be coming fast enough, tell yourself this one thing: "My faith is not contingent upon my circumstances, but my outlook has the power to change them."

As you become emboldened through your faith, you'll begin to see in the spirit that the very things you've been asking for are already done. It's only a matter of time before the fullness of God's word is revealed.

Stay encouraged and know that surely the Lord is on your side.

As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!

Dianna Hobbs
www.eewmagazine.com