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Remember

 If I do not see results immediately, it is easy for me to get discouraged. What has helped me is setting short-term goals along with long-term goals. When it comes to spiritual obedience, there are no self-appointed goals. What do you do?

We all put up safety nets of some sort, whether they are mental or physical. Those go-to thoughts or visuals that reassure you that everything will work; you are safe. For Christ-followers, we need to engage one word, "Remember." "Thus the sons of Israel did not remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side" Judges 8:34.
The practice of recalling God's word and all His deeds is what steadies my anxious mind. It is stunning to me how fast one group of discouraging words can ripple through my mind and cause uneasiness. If I entertain the words too long, frustration can kick in because I can't see any hope. If there is no hope, then the fatigue of waiting can appear; my prayers are useless. At that one point, I have allowed the enemy to achieve its purpose: to kill, steal, and destroy. Seriously, Satan is so wearing mentally. It reminds me of all those times when my sister kept poking me while mom was not looking till I finally snapped. Then I got in trouble for going ballistic on her.
If we could train our minds to stay focused on God, none of this would be an issue. Maybe, just maybe, that is why Paul reminded Timothy that "God has not given us a spirit of timidity (fear) but of power and love and discipline." The end of 2020 will task all prayers warriors. Please do not give up the fight. Continue to intercede on behalf of our nation, asking God to reveal all that is hidden. Do not let yourself get overwhelmed with emotions. This battle is God's. All we need to do is remember Who He is and What He can do and proclaim it. Also, stop listening to those that say give up. I will stop when God has declared victory.



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