Hi friends and happy Wednesday! I was sitting down at my computer answering messages and I got to thinking... I wish social media and blogging was like it used to be. Everything now a days has to be so filtered, edited, informative and meet expectations of a brand or product, your audience, etc. Don't get me wrong I love teaching and creating helpful content but the amount of time that goes into these posts is insane and I miss the days of just posting. Majority of my business is online and don't get me wrong I am thankful for social media but I find myself more anxious, tired, worried and consumed. I find that I worry about the traffic to my page, how many likes, how many comments, what people think, and the list goes on and on. Today I was reading Psalm 55 and that passage just talks all about casting your burdens on God because he CARES. You guys He cares! The creator of the universe cares about my wants, worries, fears and dreams. He wants to relieve my burden and pain, if I will allow Him. I find I get in the way a lot, what I mean by that is I like to take control. This is a trait that God has given me and used in the right way is a blessing but when I take it into my hands I make it something not so good (to put it simply). So today, I am choosing to take a break, breathe and reflect. I am posting and not looking at the stats or numbers. I am thankful for whatever platform He gives me and my prayer is that it glorifies and honors Him in every way.
My prayer for myself and you today my friends is that we do as Psalm 55 tells us to. Cast all of the "junk" that is weighing you down onto God. Take that peace that He promises to give you instead of that burden. It is so freeing, I find that I have to stop and say, "God please take this _______" because its in my nature to take it on myself and not stop and give it to to Him. I am working on making this a habit, I want prayer to be my first nature and not my second. I find my relationships and the content that I post flows more freely and I am not worried about all the things I listed above. I need to put Him first so that everyone else in our life gets the best version of me. I am a better, wife, mom, sister, daughter, business women when God is in the center. Again, this doesn't come easy to me but it is something I am working on. Grace not perfection people. I pray that you feel His peace today and that your heart is not anxious or worried. Don't let the news, social media, acceptance, fear, etc. steal your joy. You are loved my friends! I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your week.
XOXO,
Kayla
Psalm 55 ESV
Cast Your Burden on the Lord
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Maskil[a] of David.
55 Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy! 2 Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan, 3 because of the noise of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked. For they drop trouble upon me, and in anger they bear a grudge against me.
4 My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me. 5 Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me. 6 And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest; 7 yes, I would wander far away; I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah 8 I would hurry to find a shelter from the raging wind and tempest.”
9 Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues; for I see violence and strife in the city. 10 Day and night they go around it on its walls, and iniquity and trouble are within it; 11 ruin is in its midst; oppression and fraud do not depart from its marketplace.
12 For it is not an enemy who taunts me— then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me— then I could hide from him. 13 But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. 14 We used to take sweet counsel together; within God's house we walked in the throng. 15 Let death steal over them; let them go down to Sheol alive; for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart.
16 But I call to God, and the Lord will save me. 17 Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice. 18 He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me. 19 God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old, Selah because they do not change and do not fear God.
20 My companion[b] stretched out his hand against his friends; he violated his covenant. 21 His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.
22 Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.
23 But you, O God, will cast them down into the pit of destruction; men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in you.