DONT LET DOUBT KILL YOU

To those of us to put on the mask of smiling the mask of faking that we are ok. How are you really doing? Are you doing ok? Well, I just want to say three simple words. Don't. Give. Up. 

Oxford defines doubt, "a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction." The verb form is defined as "feel uncertain about." A lot of us try to take the leap of faith but end up falling before we get to the other side due to panic or doubt. We feel that surge of energy to chase your dreams or do to just do what God tells you to do, but that little hole of doubt sets in and you end up procrastinating. You end up sitting in fear because you're too scared to do something. James 2:26 in the Contemporary English Version says, "Anyone who doesn't breathe is dead, and faith that doesn't do anything is just as dead!" If it takes faith to get started, it's going to take faith to keep doing.

It is written that without faith it's impossible to please God. So why do we try to please God with our performance? That's for another post.

When we find ourselves holding on by a thin thread, we got to have faith enough to believe that God can turn that thread into a closet full of blessings upon blessings.  They say watch out for that first step it's a doozie. "Doozie" meaning it's a big step or it's a deep step. The late Pastor Gray would tell me to walk the path that God has set before me. The path is set before you, but you still have to get on the path and walk. 

I know you're nervous, but take the step anyway. I know you're crying but take the step anyway. I know you've been through ups and downs, but take the step anyway. 2 Corinthians 5:7 in the King James Version says, "For we walk by faith and not by sight." Again I quote the late Pastor Gray, "Faith is daring the soul to go beyond what the eye can see." Now that doesn't mean what you see is not there. That means you got to keep going despite of what you see. You got to keep moving. Don't give up. Things may be moving slow, but take the step anyway. Things may look to be in a stand still, but take that step anyway. 

Paul said in Philippians 3:12-14 (New International Version), "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I don't consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus"

We're all taking this one step at a time. It's not wise to drive one way while looking in your rear view mirror. That's how crashes happen. If you're looking back, you're liable to run into a tree. You're liable to run into another car. You're liable to get out of your own lane and go into somebody else's. Don't let doubt of what's coming cause you to go back to what didn't work before. Or it may have worked, but what if God is taking you to new. We got some people letting the doubt of new hold them back. We sing songs like, "You make all things new, and I will follow you forward." But when new shows up it's, "We've never did it this way before." One thing about this Covid-19, is that it made people change. It forced people to think of "new" ways, when you had no time to dwell on your doubt and the doubt that comes from others, including family. Old song says, Keep your eyes on the prize, never mind what you left behind. Take the step anyway.

I thank you for reading. If you got something out of it, could you share please with your people. This was really directed at me. I'm 33. At times I'm scared, but I got to take the step anyway.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson

Thoughts at 4:30 in the morning...

Cue Turning Around For Me by Vashawn Mitchell.

Just thinking about some things and talking to God as well. I have people on my mind all the time. I have certain people that I’ve come to love on my mind all the time. I started wondering about as much as I think about them, am I even on their brain? Like as much as I’m thinking about them, do they ever have a thought about me? Do they even love me as much as I love them? Do we love God as much as He loves us? Do we think about God as much as God thinks of us? Think about it. God always has us on his mind, why? For one, we’re still here. His grace and mercy proves that he’s think about us. But do we think about him? Is God even on our brain?

Why is it that when I pour out my heart it’s not well received? Why is it when I tell that certain female how I feel about her, it seems like I get pitied like I’m a middle schooler trying to go after a college student? Times like these, I thank God that He’s not like man. You pour out your heart to God, and He actually listens. He actually cares about what you think. Thank God He responds when you pour out your heart to Him.

I wasn’t even going to do this blog because I had nothing. Nobody asked me to do a blog so I figured why continue to do them? But Steve Harvey said something one time, “A gift is something you do well with the least amount of effort.” Blogging is something that I felt like I was good at. Letting thoughts flow from my head to my hands to the computer has really never been difficult for me to do. Now I have learned what thoughts to put down and what thoughts just to leave in the brain. But it’s like I was letting this thing that I can do die because nobody wanted to see it utilized. How many people have let gifts and talents die because of the initial response? Most people are not going to like what you do. Judging by the responses to my blogs, I can assume that most of the folks I’m connected to through social media don’t like my stuff, but that shouldn’t stop me from doing what I’m good at, know what I mean? The more I do these the better I can get at them. If I stop doing them, I can’t become better. I just become worse. I love playing the drums, but my time of playing the set, I don’t do much. But just about every time I get on a set, I get better. One of the major things that hinder me on the set is doubting myself. Every time I doubt myself on the set, I play like that little boy that plays after church and gets told to get off. Doubted my skills on the blogging, hence no blogs in weeks. Doubt is a hindrance. It hinders you from doing what you know you can do. Don’t let doubt take over. Have confidence in what you know you can do, and just do it. Now, please know what you’re good at. Don’t be like these folks on American Idol and other shows like that and go on and say, “I know I can sing. I know I can sang,” and end up sounding so bad that you’d rather listen to static on radio. That’s why I said KNOW what you’re good at. Have confidence but also have common sense.

Sometimes you think about a person and that person doesn’t even know your first name. If you’re like me and care about people that don’t seem to really care about you, I say keep on caring. Don’t let their attitude affect yours. Family Matters, remember that show? Steve Urkel cared about Laura, but Laura didn’t care about Steve for the most part. Of course later on in the series, Steve and Laura ended up together, but the point I’m trying to make is Steve didn’t let Laura’s attitude affect his. Keep on caring. Keep on thinking about people and praying for them. If you let them know that you’re thinking about them and they brush you off, keep on doing what you’re doing. I’ve had that happened to me time and time, but they’re still on my mind, and I’m still praying for them. Keep on keeping on because they’re on your mind for a reason.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson
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Confidence

Ok, so this past Sunday at church, or for you dated readers 1/24/10, the first lady, got me up to the front to sing "How Great is Our God" lightly during altar call. For one let me say, that I hate singing lightly. To me, if I got to sing light, I might as well hum. Anyway, I started out singing, and I didn't realize the mic was off. So I turned the mic on, and started singing, and I saw expressions change. I got through it, and that was that. But for some reason, when mom and I headed to the car to go home, my mood changed for the worse. I felt like my joy was gone away just that quick. At first I thought it was that I was rubbing people the wrong way. Which is something I never want to do. I understand that not all people is gonna like me, but I don't want to purposely give them a reason. Talked with mom and tears were shed. (Side Note: BTW, if anybody on Earth has the spirit of discernment, it's a true mother. For some odd reason, they always see through you.)Later that night, I was watching, don't judge me, Alvin and The Chipmunks. As they were singing, I realized what my problem was. It wasn't the fact that I was worried about rubbing people the wrong way, although that didn't help. It was the fact that I've never really been confident in my voice. I'm confident I can play drums, and write like this, but singing is something I just can't get confident in.

Deuteronomy 31:8 say, "And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed." Another word for dismayed is discouraged. With the Lord with me, I should've been confident in the gift He gave me in the first place. Doubt is a heck of a drug.

Psalm 73:26 says, "My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." This is the problem of singing to the crowd and not singing to God. You forget that God is the strength that gave you your voice in the first place, so you choke and can't figure out why.

Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." What's sad? Most of us know that verse by heart, but don't take time to apply it and believe it. We don't think about this while we feel under pressure.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus said, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Now we had just talked about that in Sunday School that morning. Crazy how we read the Bible, but don't apply it. (Preach Daniel)

If you read Philippians 4:13 in the CEV, it says, "Christ gives me strength to face anything." It is written in the Bible that nothing is to hard for God. I have to accept the fact that God gave me this voice that I have. You have to accept God gave you your gift, and he also provides you with strength to face any negative situation you might be in. Now I said that I felt like my joy was taken out. You let the devil steal your joy, you feel weak. That's why the song says, "Don't let the devil steal your joy. Joy in the Lord." Notice I said let. All the power the devil has, you give it him. Simple is that. Jesus said that all power is given unto him. So the devil has no power, unless you give him some over you.

1 John 3:20-21 say, "For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God." That says it all right there. God is greater than our problems. He's greater than our feelings or heart. When they say, take it to the Lord and leave it there, they know that God is greater than the it. Put your confidence or full trust in God, and He'll take care of you. Some how or another, I forgot that.

Stay Saved,

Daniel Richerson