Welcome to "31 Days of Words to Love By." This largely unedited free-write is linking up with the annual Write 31 Days Challenge. // indicates the start and stop of five minutes. //

Today's quote: Faithless heart be far from me.

//Confession time. I talk to myself. Often. In fact if I'm home alone, you can often find me jabbering away, narrating what I'm doing and talking myself through the process I'm in. Because sometimes you just have to be real about where you're at and intentional with how you deal with the thoughts that go through your mind; or as the bible puts it you have to take every thought captive.

In the Psalms David says "Bless the Lord, O my Soul". The language is commanding and confrontational. He is commanding his mind, will and emotions to choose praise, to choose to bless God. Someone once said to me that the soul is not to be listened to, but to be spoken to because the soul is so inconsistent that it is ultimately an unreliable compass.

I love this quote because it speaks of choice, intention and responsibility. It says - I am aware of how I feel, I am taking responsibility for it and I am choosing another way and setting my mind on another destination. Instead of self-loathing I choose joy, instead of doubt I choose faith.//

It also speaks of a beautiful understanding and reliance on the grace of God. Because it speaks of the ability to choose... To choose his ability over my inability, the fruit of the Spirit rather than the self centeredness of the soul. This is never more powerful than when the emotion we feel can be justified and you are "right" to feel how you do. The truth is that it is ok to feel... To feel angry, to feel sad, to feel frustrated, but it isn't ok to stay there because victory was won by Jesus so that we could have life and life in abundance and be a demonstration of His life. Therefore, we have the choice to speak against doubt and choose faith, rather than spiralling down into it and giving into fear.

Friends, reading those few words "Faithless heart, be far from me" sparks passion and a tenacity to say no or "be far from me" to anything that is not in line with His authority and His presence in my life. It ignites a will to war against negativity and accusation for the sake of freedom and liberty and the abundant life that our wonderful Saviour won for us. What does it spark in you?

Don't listen to the doubt or give into the fear that wants to silence you. Speak out and say "Faithless heart, be far from me".

I'm so glad you're here.

Thanks for stopping by, K xx

To read more of my 31 Days of Words to Love By Posts, click here

For more information on the Write 31 Days challenge, check out Christina Hubbard’s site!