My Undone Center

I don't have a funny story to tell this morning.  I don't have an eloquent description to start this post.  All I have is my heart, and a raw look into what lies there within. 

I heard a story recently about someone who made a cake and did not let the cake finish baking.  It looked done on the outside, but the inside was still gooey.  After taking the cake out of the oven, the cake that appeared done moments before fell under the pressure of the undone center. 

This is how we are. 

When the pressures of life come, if our center, our core, is not secure in the Word of God, we too will fall under the pressure of an undone center. 

These past couple of weeks I have been under some pressure.  Nothing even huge, just work pressures.  However, mixed with everything else, they overwhelmed me.

Apparently, my center is not done.  These pressures have shook me, revealed pride in me, caused me to try to manipulate situations for my benefit.  No matter what I did and how I tried to change the situations, nothing I tried worked.  I was not getting my way and my flesh was throwing a not-so-holy fit about it!

My flesh cried This isn't fair, this is not what I want, this is more than I can take. 

God says Be Still....

Be still and know that I am God.  Ps. 46: 10

Yesterday I went to the gym to exercise to pound away some stress on the treadmill.  As I ran, the Lord began to speak to me again.  I had woke up yesterday morning with one thought.....PRAISE.  The Lord reminded me all day long that I need to praise.  While on the treadmill, He reminded me why praise was vital in difficult circumstances.

God reminded me of two stories in the Bible where people were faced with difficult circumstances and how they responded. 

One was the Isrealites, they complained about being in the desert, they complained about the food God gave them, they complained about everything.  I always have thought, how could they act like that after all God did for them......yet, I was acting like the Isrealites last week.  (If you want to read more about them, go to Exodus.)

The other one was David.  David was stuck in the desert too, hiding from a man (whom he loved as a Father) who wanted to kill him.  How did David respond?  David praised the Lord, David continually sought the Lord and encouraged himself in the Lord.  David's faith was in the Lord, and His deliverance.  The book of Psalms is full of David's heart cries to God.  David trusted the Lord. 

Cast your burden on the Lord and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.  Psalms 55:22

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear.  
Ps. 46:1-2


I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, and heard my cry. 
He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps.
He has put a new song in my mouth--Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the Lord.  Psalms 40:1-3

When we trust in the Lord, He sets our feet upon a rock.  He establishes our steps.  We need to be purposeful to praise.  


The Isrealites wondered around in the wilderness 40 years because of their wrong heart attitudes and unwillingness to trust God. 


David was delivered from the wilderness because he trusted God and praised in the midst of hardship. 


David had faith, the Isrealites did not. 

Without faith it is impossible to please God.  Heb 11:6


God has much to say about unbelief.  It is the reason the Isrealites wondered around in the wilderness for 40 years and did not enter into the promise land.  Unbelief is also the reason why Jesus couldn't do many works in His hometown.  Jesus was limited to what He could do due to the people's unbelief!  If you don't believe me, go to Matt 13:58.  It is serious. 

I still don't like the situation I am in and my flesh would love to run away from it all, but I know God has a plan.  I do trust Him, and I am willing to do whatever it is He wants me to do.  I know He will help me, He is my ever-present help. 

My center still needs baking....God needed to expose my wrong heart attitudes to the surface so I could turn to Him, the only One who can change my heart.  Some of you are going through situations much more difficult than the one I am facing, I know many who are.  This is nothing compared to what others are facing.  I need to allow God to cook my center, to build it up, make it strong so I will not fall when struggles come.  I need a secure, confident center in the Lord to stand on. 

The Lord recently gave me three words, three prophetic words........ 

Deliverance, Surrender, and Revelation.

Revelation leads to Surrender, Surrender leads to Deliverance.  (I'm not sure why the Lord gave them to me backwards, I'll let you know if He tells me.) 

I am in a time of revelation and surrender, and I know it will lead to deliverance.  I hope you still love me after hearing about all my faults.  : )  I felt led my the Lord to share this, so again I trust it is for a reason. 

Dear Lord, I surrender this situation to you.  I know it is too much for me to handle on my own, but thankfully I am not on my own.  Thankfully, You are with me to help me, to guide me.  You know what I need and I ask you to help me.  Be strong where I am weak, help me be efficient.  Take out things I do not need to be doing and help me by Your Holy Spirit know what I need to do.  Help me to love like you do and have a servant's heart.  I desperately need you, Lord God.  Be my ever-present help.  Nothing is too hard for you. This is nothing for you.  I love you, In Jesus Name.  Amen.