Tag: jesus

Ignoring the Noise

Ignoring the Noise

by BiancaDuffusOfficial ♥ 0 Leave a Comment
A calm woman with braided hair and patterned clothing holding a cup amidst blurred people speaking urgently

How often have we found ourselves listening to or caring about the opinions of others? I can be transparent and be the first to raise my hand and say that I have done that quite often over the years. For such a long time, I cared what others had to say, what people thought, how people would feel, and to be honest; their words were trusted more than God’s. Now Bianca….make that make sense! I know right…. Here’s the thing: I have always been told that other peoples opinions should NEVER trump Gods guidance. It is NOT okay to go to others before going to the Lord who is the author and finisher of our faith! Yes, there is a such as a wise godly counsel, but lets face it….EVERYBODY NOT GIVING SOUND ADVICE. I had to learn that. Some people only give you what they feel or believe based on what they see and have experienced versus what God leads them to say. We are going to get into scripture here in just a second.

First scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6 ( one of the favs!) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the Lord in everything you do, and He will show you the right way.-GNT (Good News Translation) So you see…a lot of times people tell you what they THINK they know and I have been guilty of doing that myself. You can tell and discern sound advice versus advice from the flesh. Let’s look at another. “The Lord says, I will condemn those who turn away from me and put their trust in human beings, in the strength of mortals.” -Jeremiah 17:5 GNT. This can easily be misunderstood. Remember I said earlier that my mistake was trusting peoples opinions over Gods. So this verse is basically saying not to put your ULTIMATE confidence and dependance on people instead of God. Why? PEOPLE FAIL YOU. GOD does NOT. Your confidence should always be in God FIRST. God does lead people to you but you WILL KNOW that they are God sent and not just merely talking. That is where testing the spirit comes in. You can’t just believe everything you hear or people tell you. This is also where knowing God FOR YOURSELF comes in as well. KNOWING GODS VOICE for yourself will play a big part in your discernment and help you to do what? BLOCK OUT THE NOISE. The noise of others all around you with most if not all of them saying different things that are contrary to what God already told you. Use Gods word to test the people that come to you.

Another favorite is Psalm 1:1-2. It says, “Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people, who do not follow the example of sinners or join those who have no use for God. Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord, and they study it day and night.”-GNT. As I said earlier, everybody’s advice isn’t sound. Some people give you advice with hidden agendas or to purposely shipwreck you or your life. Thats why we block out the noise and DISCERN. If we don’t learn to ignore the noise, we will be tossed back and forth like a rag doll not knowing the direction. TRUST ME, I HAVE BEEN THERE. You will find yourself questioning whether or not you heard God correctly. BLOCK THE NOISE SIS. Trust that I am talking to myself as well. God always deals with the person first before he releases a word through you for someone else.

Establish your relationship with God so that you won’t find yourself relying on man instead of THE WAY(Jesus). Be in DIRECT communication with the Father, so that you don’t have to look to a different hill that NOT GODS for help when all we got to do is ASK. Don’t believe me? Lets look at another scripture. James 1:5-8 says it like this, “If any of you lack wisdom, you should pray to God, who will give it to you; because God gives generously and graciously to all. But when you you pray, you must believe and not doubt at all. Whoever doubts is like a wave in the sea that is driven and blown about by the wind. If you are like that, unable to make up your mind and undecided in all you do, you must not think that you will receive anything from the Lord.”-GNT. Oooooooooooo chile…..I felt that as I was typing it. Sis. BLOCK. OUT. THE. NOISE. INSTEAD, listen for the voice of God to lead and guide you. If anyone comes to you, then discern.

If God has put something on your heart and in your spirit to do, then DO IT. GOD WONT GIVE YOU AN IDEA OR SKILL AND THEN LEAVE YOU OUT TO DRY ALONE. No. He will guide, instruct, whisper, show, and put it place what He needs you to do to make it happen. What He needs is your OBEDIENCE. Obeying God requires you to sometimes IGNORE/BLOCK out the noise from everyone else that deviates from Gods intent and purpose for your life. As I tell you, Im still learning to. Let’s conquer together sis!

Be Blessed.

Signed HoneyBee

Going Through the Testing

Going Through the Testing

by BiancaDuffusOfficial ♥ 0 Leave a Comment
Woman in colorful traditional clothing raising arms on a rocky mountain peak at sunrise

Life has a way of testing our strength, stretching our faith, and revealing who we are in the midst of trials we never expected to face.

Any time we go through life thinking that we are not supposed to go through anything or that life will be a fairytale, we are robbing ourselves of growth. Now you know there is scripture for this right? Let’s get into it!

James 1:2-3 says, “My friends, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure.” GNT That means faith is tested to produce perseverance. What is perseverance you ask? Let me tell you. Perseverance is steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc. especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement. That means no matter the situation, we still STAND.

Scripture doesn’t stop there! 1 Peter 1:6-7 says, “Be glad about this, even though it may now be necessary for you to be sad for a while because of the many kinds of trials you suffer. Their purpose is to prove that your faith is genuine. Even gold, which can be destroyed, is tested by fire, and so your faith, which is more precious than gold, must also be tested, so that it may endure. Then you will receive praise and glory and honor on the Day when Jesus Christ is revealed.” GNT. This means that this is where God refines us! I know I know….it doesn’t feel good…….but it is where God refines us. Trust me when I tell you the refining is needed. The growth is needed to become who the Lord needs and wants us to be.

Romans 5:3-4 says, “But thats not all. We also brag when we are suffering. We know that suffering creates, endurance creates character, and character creates confidence.” GW. If we don’t go through anything, we won’t know what its like to endure. Endurance comes through suffering.

Psalm 66:10 says this, “For You have tested us, O God; You have refined us as silver is refined.” AMP. God will test our hearts. It will show us where our heart REALLY IS and whats REALLY IN IT as it states in Deuteronomy 8:2. “Im a good person.” “Why am I being tested if Im living right and doing my best?” Honey..The Lord tests the righteous as well. Psalm 11:5 says, “The Lord tests righteous people, but he hates wicked people and the ones who love violence.” GW. Living right does not exempt you from being pushed to grow. EVERYBODY has to grow. Those who are willing to grow WILL GROW. Trials and tests develop the maturity in us as James 1:4 states. If we want to grow and mature, we have to be willing to go through some things.

THERE IS ENCOURAGEMENT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL. Romans 8:28 tells us that “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God—those whom He has called according to His plan.” GW. God uses all things for our good. Life doesn’t happen without trials and tribulations, but it does make us stronger in the end. We can’t miss out on your own lives and happiness being so wrapped up in the things we go through when God already told us that all things WILL work together. We got to trust the process.

Bianca HoneyBee Duffus

Breeding Anxiety

Breeding Anxiety

by BiancaDuffusOfficial ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Have you ever thought to yourself, “Do I create my own anxiety?” If you have not had that thought, how real are you being with yourself? If you have had that thought, you are not alone. My blogging is designed to help those out there, especially women be real to be real with themselves, to think/examine themselves, and to come to the realization that we are not alone. This blog is meant for ENCOURAGEMENT and the nudging for SPIRITUAL GROWTH. Now of course, my blogs come with scripture. I wouldn’t being doing you, me, or anyone any justice if I didn’t. So, let’s start with this one: “Do not be anxious about anything–but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.“-Philippians 4:6

We are believers and devoted children of the most high right? So WHY do we struggle to obey Philippians 4:6? We are anxious when it comes to our education, family, children, marriage, health, you name it! Let me be real. I am one who honestly STRUGGLES with anxiety. I have gotten so much better in some areas but the anxiety has remained. Why is that? Let me tell you. In all honesty, WE CAUSE OUR OWN ANXIETY by the things and thoughts we put into our minds and the things that we speak. The word of God tells us “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any virtue and if there is anything worthy of praise—dwell on these things.”-Philippians 4:8 Isn’t it funny how these words come after the Lord telling us not to be anxious about anything? It took me a long time to realize that I cause my own anxiety and it is because of what I am meditating on? Ask yourself what are you meditating on? Instead of feeling our minds with and focusing on how people act towards us, what people say to us, what bills we have, if we are good wives, if we are good mothers, if we are good children to our parents, if we are worth anything, what people think of us, if we are good employees, what if you are sick, if we are doing enough, how are we going to get certain things done, and the list can go on and on for ANYBODY. The bottom line is those are NOT THE THINGS that we should be focusing on. Whatever concerns and worries we have, we are instructed to take them to God. Unfortunately, we do not always do that, or we do it but then pick it back up instead of leaving it there. I am at the point in my life where I am choosing to focus on WHO GOD IS, His LOVE, His GRACE, His WORD, my loveable and loving son, my husband and the good things he does and says, the career God has blessed me with, the home and family God has blessed me with, the transportation I have to get to my place of employment, the food God provides, I HAVE A LIST. Focus on the things that you know you do correctly and with a pure heart. Do not focus on your shortcomings. Focus on what you have accomplished, YES even the smallest things like completing your laundry for the day. Choose to meditate on the positive impact you make on the lives of others, because believe it or not you ARE making an impact. As a mother, wife, daughter, son, sibling, teacher, advocate (whatever your career entails), you ARE making an impact. Choose. I choose to meditate on those things that are worthy of praise, the lovely things, the pure things, the commendable things. I am choosing to speak life over my life (Proverbs 18:21). You have to decide what you will choose to do. Will you speak life or death? Will you meditate on the negative or the positive? Will you fill your mind with the things and love of God or the cares of life? Whatever choice you make, there is fruit that follows. Be Blessed!