It is real. We need to quit feeling like we are failures. We need to quit feeling unloved. Our God loves us so much, He put a piece of himself deep in the center of us when He created us. Now that’s love. Lean into Him. That’s where the peace comes from. That’s where we are empowered to overcome – to His glory – forever.
It’s easy to fall into the trap and believe the circumstances around us. After the third or fourth time of interviewing for a job and the phone calls stop – it is easy to believe the message seeping into our minds and trickling into our hearts. The message reads like this – “Well, what’s wrong with you? Why can you get such positive responses and then nothing comes becomes tangible?”
It’s easy when you know you made the right decision a year ago to move to a new area and it wasn’t a fickle decision based on emotion or knee jerk reaction to a situation you were tired of dealing with. It’s easy to feel discouraged when pieces of your life aren’t coming together.
It’s easy when you watch the positive energy you have worked so hard at maintaining – the facade you present to the family you are responsible to – slipping down the slippery slope that feels like failure.
When the promotions and the raises go to the people you watched make decisions that were less than honest or inappropriately managed. It is easy for the outcome to become personal.
When you have followed protocol with the plan set forth by your doctor diligently and yet the results are not what you told yourself they were going to be when you denied yourself to comply with the plan and gave it all your energy and everything you had – it is easy for discouragement to darken the room. It sucks the life giving oxygen from you and fills you with dread and fear of the future.
Watching a loved one as they walk or are wheeled into rehab one more time – promising this is the last time we will ever do this – for this time – it’s different – this time it’s all going to work and we will be back together soon as a family – “I love you”.
The list could and does go on.
I have learned and continue to learn – there is only one thing I am in control of and that is – my response.
If only I had learned many years ago that jumping in and trying to fix or change the outcome for someone else was going to fail.
If only I had learned many years ago – the only constant and truth in any situation – is where I choose to place God.
Am I going to be the hero jumping in and doing the human thing of “fixing” the mess?
Is God even in this process?
Are the problems and challenges ever going to quit? Probably no. Is life ever going to become easy? There will be seasons of rest and yet when we give ourselves to others and engage in life with love and commitment – the world will be right there to remind us of all the negatives.
I’m committed to speaking hope into these seasons. I’m committed to speaking God into these and all seasons we move through.
It changes me.
And that’s where the change needs to begin.
Deep in the places where I think I’m pretty good – I neglect to see how much better I am when God is leading and I follow.
He is like the snowplow – as we attempt to trek through snow drifts over our heads – it isn’t long until we exhaust ourselves. We lose our way because we can’t see. We lose our bearings and don’t even know if we are heading in the right direction. If we follow Him through the drifts of life – the path is clear. The plan is not ours to determine – the plan is for us to let Him love us like He promises. The plan is for us to follow Him to eternity. The plan is for our paths to be made straight and for us to fall into Him – trusting, believing and knowing He is always there – He is not seasonal – He is forever.
Psalm 23:2-3 He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.
“Lord, You know how real our struggle is. You know how much human effort we put into living these lives. You walked this earth as the son of God. You struggled. How much more difficult is it for us. Then You showed up and offered to travel through this season of life with us. Never leaving us alone. Never expecting us to do life on our own. You also gave us free will. We get to choose. Will we live in fear and worry, wearing ourselves down until exhaustion is the only season we know. A season that has no end. Lord, please enter into the hearts of all of us reading this today. From every corner of the world – from places we will never go and with people we will never meet – Please God fill us up. Please God hold us close. Please God remind us we do not have to walk this season alone. Our season can be full and productive. It is a constant motion of living life and living it well – with You.” In Jesus’ name – Amen