Recognizing God’s Direction

[JudgeNot]

I don’t often ask for prayers for myself.  Somehow it makes me feel selfish.  My pastor and several congregation members have admonished me about this, explaining that I’m ‘robbing’ them of the blessing they would get by praying for me.  I understand that, but it still makes me uncomfortable, but here goes…

My life really feels up-side-down right now.  I’m usually one of the most ‘even’ folks you’ll meet.  I know to ‘let go and let God’.  I’m just at a crossroads with so many different paths leading from where I’m currently at.  

My daughter recently moved out, she’s 18 and not nearly as responsible as she thinks she is, so I worry about her constantly.  My wife has been in Texas helping her aged folks – I don’t know when she’ll be back.  I sure don’t like being home alone.  I get so lonely and depressed.  

I’m trying to relocate to the San Antonio area, but the company I’ve been with the past 18 years is not being very accommodating.  Things are absolutely flat in our San Francisco office and they want to send me to a big design project in Brisbane, Australia for 6 months and I really, really don’t want to go, but not going could mean the company will furlough me.  I’ve got a job interview with another firm in San Antonio on July 7th, it looks like a great company – a small firm – but it would probably mean about a 30k pay-cut, and it is so hard to walk away from 18 years of accumulated vestment.  It scares me to death.

My health continues to be borderline, and if I'm without employment I won't have insurance.

If I’m going to move I need to sell my house ASAP before the California bubble bursts – waiting too long could cost six figures.  I’ve got a 30’ power cruiser I keep in a California Delta marina that I also have to sell, but not a lot of folks are buying ‘luxuries’ right now.

In a nut shell; I’m worried, scared, lonely, depressed, anxious and indecisive:  Right where Satan wants me.  What if I screw everything up and am no longer able to support my family?

Please pray that I will have the ears to hear and the eyes to recognize God’s direction in my life.  I understand the power of prayer.  May His will be done.

Sorry to be so long-winded.  I love you all. Thank you…
jn

[Soldier4Christ]

What if I screw everything up and am no longer able to support my family?

God will provide. My prayers are with you that God will guide you in the right decision. Keep the faith brother, He will bring you through.

[PeterAV]

God is on the throne,
and prayer changes things.

The main thing it changes ,is me,and my attitude.
I sure can relate,Judge not,but God IS in control.

What seems like defeat come some of God's greatest victories.
I lived all alone for many years,talk about depressed.
I had no computor,to pour my soul into.
For this one small blessing,you can sure be greatful.
God is not finnished with you yet.The old empty nest syndrom seems to have hit you harder than you were prepared for.

But God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able,but will with the temptation,make a way of escape that ye may be able to bear it.

Some times things don't go the way WE plan.God has other plans,because he sees the big picture,not just you and your little,and I mean little situation,compared to the vast plans he has for millions and LORD willing,billions.

When we die dailly to self and live solely for the glory of God,even though the tough times are tough,and make one wonder of it all;God is faithful.We simply need to get to that permanent place of faith in him.That place where no matter what happens,the world fall apart and so forth,thatyou still will have complete confidence in him,and not deviate to the left hand,nor to the right.

God's will is more about who you become;not necessarily what you do,even though that is important.[Martha and Mary}

Start counting your blessings,name them one by one,and it will surprize you what the LORD has done.
Peter A V

[cris]

You are in my prayers JN.  I say AMEN to what PR said to you.

I can't contribute to your thread on pictures.  I don't have any, and even if I did, I wouldn't know how to get them on to CU.  How's that for computer un-savviness!  Yoi, in this day and age, and as long as I've been on CU, ya'd think that I would have learned something.  Seems as if I don't have the time to learn, though.  I'm either replying or doing something else.  Oh well!

[JudgeNot]

I feel so selfish when I go back and read my prayer request.  I've got so much, yet here I go dwelling on the things that are missing or things that might happen.  Sometimes I am so weak.  I feel bad having bothered the board with my fears.  

Peter walked on water while focused on the Lord.  But then Satan’s whispers planted the seed of doubt in Peter’s heart and he sank – only to be saved from the depths by the Lord.  

I love you all, thank you for your prayers.  Lately (you can probably tell by my recent flurry of posts) CU is my closest family.  After all, you are all only an internet post away.  

But then, I guess the Lord is even closer – He is just a prayer (a simple whisper of the lips) away, and He’s always logged in…  

You are all so kind; God bless you.

JN

[Soldier4Christ]

JN,  You should not feel selfish for asking for prayers. We are told to pray for each other that we may have the strength to overcome our faults and weaknesses.

Jam 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Everyone of us needs this prayer as we are all weak in the flesh in one way or another.

 

[cris]

I feel so selfish when I go back and read my prayer request.  I've got so much, yet here I go dwelling on the things that are missing or things that might happen.  Sometimes I am so weak.  I feel bad having bothered the board with my fears.  

Peter walked on water while focused on the Lord.  But then Satan’s whispers planted the seed of doubt in Peter’s heart and he sank – only to be saved from the depths by the Lord.  

I love you all, thank you for your prayers.  Lately (you can probably tell by my recent flurry of posts) CU is my closest family.  After all, you are all only an internet post away.  

But then, I guess the Lord is even closer – He is just a prayer (a simple whisper of the lips) away, and He’s always logged in…  

You are all so kind; God bless you.

JN

Yes, the Lord God, Creator of heaven and earth is even closer and is always logged in, but He gave you flesh and blood people too, JN.  God will talk with you through those whom Christ lives in.  Sometimes He even talks through those whom Christ doesn't reside in.

No one cares how rich or poor you are, so to speak, because all of us have needs.

I have to agree with PR when he says you shouldn't feel selfish about asking others to pray for you.  A little bit of advice here JN.  Why are you feeling like you bothered us here on the board?  That kind of feeling is just adding to your problems.  We're here to lift you up, kiddo (I don't care how old of a kiddo you are), it's just an endearing term I use.  Feeling guilty about something has it's place, but not in asking someone to pray for you, regardless of your status.  

We all recognize our weakness.  Some admit it and some don't.  We would all like to be in control, and be strong, but we aren't.  Thank God that He's made us aware of that.  

Take a little more time with prayer than usual.  He said He would never leave you or forsake you.  He doesn't lie, JN.  I know how it feels to think He has though, but after all is said and done, you WILL see what he's trying to tell you.  It's happened to me many times and I've been totally amazed.  The unfortunate (really not unfortunate, but I don't know how to phrase it) part is, He's never late and He's never early.  He's always on time.  The hard part is just getting through it all............here's where the prayers of others can help you.

Hey guy, we all love you, too.  We DO care JN.  You're .

Grace and peace,
cris

 

[AJ]

Praise the lord brother... I will be praying that God leads you in the right direction.

God bless

[carsncandy]

Hello, I have been thinking about all you wrote.
I pray that God's direction for you will be so very clear to you. Mostly I will pray for peace. When I am trying to disern the will of God for my life or for a decision I ALWAYS follow the way of peace, sometimes that peace comes only in weakness. What I mean by that is you said it makes you feel so weak. That is how the Lord is infact found , when we can no longer rely on everything we know or thought but just simply fall on our face and realize that others will have to be strong, and that you need to be carried (in prayer or in other ways). That by way is exactly where the LORD wants you!!!! I am so excited for you !I really sense this, you might be scared right now, because "flying" for the first time can be scary (and exhilerating) but it IS going to be alright, because He is in control. He has not nor will not let you go!
Bless you!