{ Venturing into the Unfamiliar } + Free Printable

I am a striver!

STRIVE

verb (used without object), strove or strived, striv·en [striv–uhn] Show IPA or strived, striv·ing.

to exert oneself vigorously; try hard: He strove to make himself understood.

to make strenuous efforts toward any goal: to strive for success.

to contend in opposition, battle, or any conflict; compete.

to struggle vigorously, as in opposition or resistance: to strive against fate.

If there is a problem I try and fix it. I love to learn, I love to read, and hence I have every self-help book known to man (not really but I have A LOT of them). When God convicts me or even if I myself recognize a problem, I pray a short prayer and go on my merry way trying to fix it. It’s not necessarily that I don’t think God won’t fix it. Probably more like I can fix it faster or I don’t need to bother God, he’s busy. Of course, it’s not because I am a control freak!

God recently brought a verse to me to really study, to digest as He is getting ready to take me to a whole new level. The verse is Isaiah 42:16

Download 8×10 here

“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths will I guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them. I will make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do for them, I will not forsake them”.

Now 20 years ago God brought this verse to me when I was going through some really tough things that he was growing me in. It was all very unfamiliar and I could relate and cling to this verse. When He brought it to me this time I saw something that I had never seen in this verse even after meditating on it for several years. ( I love it when God‘s spirit does that!! ) What I saw this time was this:

“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths will I guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them. I will make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do for them, I will not forsake them”.

Now, I knew I was blind in the ways I felt he was leading me and I knew that it was also very unfamiliar where I was being called. I knew I’d encounter rough places. But this verse had a whole new meaning to me. What was going to be happening to me was going to be HIS doing, HIS leading, HIS working, not mine. Not once did it mention what I had to do, just what HE would do. I had never seen this. Not going to my bookshelf to find a book on “how to do it” was unfamiliar, but I am setting out on a new journey!! You are part of this journey. It will be very interesting to see where He leads.

I am retiring my striver status and I am following His lead into the UNFAMILIAR!!

Is God leading you anywhere new right now that is unfamiliar? I hope so!!! Snuggle on in and follow.

P.S. I got all of the above post around yesterday except for the picture. I didn’t have time to get the picture done. I’ve been working a lot this week to help out a sick staff person and didn’t get to do my blog yesterday as I planned. God reminded me as I was rereading everything this morning that I was back in the “striver” position and not allowing Him to lead. I think I have some repenting to do to Him and to my husband who had to listen to all my whining and complaining. Sigh…. Thank God His mercies are new every morning.

If you need reminders like I so desperately do, feel free to download the 8×10 here.

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I am a striver!

STRIVE

Is God leading you anywhere new right now that is unfamiliar? I hope so!!! Snuggle on in and follow.

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