Weekly Devotional: Do you have ANTs in your Pants??

Just two weeks ago I was given a test.

It was a test of my faith.

I, and I'm sure like everyone else hates tests.

If you can find one person in the world that enjoys taking tests please let me know, I won't to meet that person so I know who to call when I'm being tested lol.

But, all jokes aside, this test of my faith was the worse I ever taken and I failed miserably.

My faith in God for my future was being tried.

It's so easy to say in the good times, when everything is going right, that you have faith in God.

How about those times when things just don't make sense and you can't see where you are going or when everything just looks simply impossible.

Do you still have that unwavering faith that you told yourself you would always have even in the good and bad times?

Or did that faith dwindle into nasty little ANTS.

In church this past Sunday my pastor said that ANTS stands for activated negative thoughts.

These little nasty thoughts literally shutdown the brain to a point where you are no longer walking in the purpose that God has for you.

I can undoubtedly attest to this during my test of faith.

It was during that test that I either had the option to

A. listen to these ANTs that consisted of thoughts like you will never become anything, your future is bleak

B. Listen to that inner voice, the Holy Spirit reminding me of the plans that God has for me and all the things that God told me to do and the gifts and talents he has given me and all the blessings he bestowed upon me that are too many to count

Of course the correct answer would be B. But what did I pick, A of course!

The more I dwelt on those nasty little ANTs the more I became frustrated, emotional, and hopeless.

The bible tells us to dwell on good things. It says,


Philippians 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

- King James Bible "Authorized Version", Cambridge Edition

Even though I initially failed this test of my faith, God intervened just like the loving Father that he is and began to remind me of just how blessed I am and how blessed my future will be because of Him.

I began to dwell on those thoughts and as soon as I did that all the ANTs were gone.

Not having faith, being anxious about your future, stressing over situations, moodiness, and being emotional is not of God.

And honestly it sucks being in that state. You can't enjoy the life that God intended for you to the fullest.

He is a God of peace, wisdom, love, power, provision, meekness, etc. Whatever you need it's all in God.

Leave the ANTs out of your pants.

Hannah
Stay in God's Peace not in pieces