A Caregiving Plan: Listening to God - Living Free - April 10

A Caregiving Plan: Listening to God
Friday, April 10, 2020

Living Free Every Day®
A ministry of LivingFree.org

Today's Scripture
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.”James 1:5-7 NIV

Thoughts for Today
We should never make caregiving decisions lightly. When we need wisdom, we need to ask God. He is never annoyed when we come to him in faith to ask for wisdom. As today’s scripture promises, he gives to us generously.

George Müller was a Christian pastor whose life spanned most of the nineteenth century. He was known for his close walk with Christ and his desire to follow God’s will. He lived what he taught.

God used Müller to provide excellent care for many thousands of orphans, most of whom had been terribly neglected. He depended totally on God’s supernatural provision. Although he never solicited any funds, during his lifetime the equivalent of $120 million (in today’s dollars) were donated to his work. Read more on The George Müller Foundation website. 

Consider This ...
As caregivers, we can learn much from Müller’s instruction on how to listen to God’s leading when making decisions:

• I seek at the beginning to get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to a given matter.
• Having done this, I do not leave the result to feeling or simple impression. If I do so, I make myself liable to great delusions.
• I seek the will of the Spirit through, or in connection with, the Word of God.
• Next, I consider providential circumstances. These often plainly indicate God’s will in connection with His Word and Spirit.
• I ask God in prayer to reveal His will to me aright.
• Thus, through prayer to God, the study of the Word, and reflection, I come to a deliberate judgment according to the best of my ability and knowledge.

Prayer
Father, help me learn from George Müller’s example. Help me believe and not doubt. Help me always commit to your will ... your plan ... your timing. In Jesus’ name ...

These thoughts were drawn from … Caregiving: Caring for Aging Parents by Charles Puchta. The purpose of this curriculum is to provide hope and direction to those concerned about the health and well-being of aging parents or an ill spouse or relative. We address predominate issues most families face. Each session is designed to discuss a specific area of concern such as the purpose of a caregiver or end-of-life planning. It will become clear to participants that the Bible provides encouragement and direction to help them through this caregiving journey. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups, and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a study for individuals or couples.

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