You have started your race, you are on the way, but things are not going as you thought they would or should. Are you tempted to give up and settle where you are? If you answered yes, you are honest and human. I think we've all been there if we have embarked on a new task, job, skill, relationship etc. If we are in the game of "life", there are going to be set backs, stumbling blocks and disappointments. That is the result of being engaged in life!
So that brings me to what now? How do I survive the mistakes, the heartache, the disappointments and set backs? Where is my hope? Am I built on rock or sand? Matthew 7:24-27, reminds us that to build on rock, we must follow God's teachings, so that when the hardships come we will be able to stand. If we rely on our own strength, wisdom or even others', then it is the equivalent of building on sand.
The bible teaches us that hardships and persecutions will come. The question then is what do we do when they come? Do we have a plan? Do we know where to look, do we panic, run or even hide? If you are like me, the answer is yes, yes and yes! Thankfully God is patient and full of mercy. Like a loving parent, he forgives us, understands us, and is always willing to help us, if we ask.
My own daughter is finding her wings so to speak, and as a parent it is very trying. You would think based on her reactions to my suggestions, that she thinks I wished her harm. It baffles me as a parent that despite the fact that I've invested my life to support and protect her, that she would ever think that I have any intention but good for her.
Are we not like that with God. He says go here, do this and we in our stubbornness, say no, resist or even run away like Jonah. For some reason we think he means us harm? If you think like a parent, you can best understand, how could that be?
So that brings me back to my initial question, what now? We have all been there, we have lost the job, encountered unfair situations, etc. We are hit by the storms of life. What do we do now?
Like the parent to the child, our heavenly Father, loves us more than we can imagine! When we learn to surrender our will to his, we are on the way to an everlasting peace that the world does not give, even in the midst of our storms, our house will stand because it is built on solid ground.
Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K2yuZtVfLg
Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SCorW9r_Is
Sunday, July 17, 2016
Monday, July 11, 2016
In the Eye of a Storm
If you are from somewhere that has hurricanes you are familiar with the phrase the "eye of the storm". If not, it is a brief place of calm after the onslaught of the storm, where the winds change directions as it passes through. You see during this time if you didn't know better you would think the storm was over, you go outside and think okay I made it, but experience tells you the worst is yet to come.
You see in life we also have these storms, where things hit us and then we come to a place of calm even before everything is resolved. We are tempted to let down our guard and stay there, yet life experience says if we're to get to where we aspire, we can rest, but then we have to give that final push which often times is the hardest, to get to where we are suppose to be.
Think of child birth, the third quarter of a game, the last 100 yards of a race, the list is endless. That my friend is "life". How we handle the end of the race so to speak, determines the outcome. Many start the race, and some faster than others, but it's how we finish the race that determines our destiny.
Think about the man on the cross next to Jesus, the woman at the well, Joseph, Moses, David, Mary. This list also goes on. The bible teaches us to put our trust, faith and hope in God.
We are all on a journey, going somewhere, doing something. I read that wisdom is gained by reflection, imitation and or experience. Are we where we want to be, are we tired and wanting to give up, are we depending on ourselves, or looking to the author and finisher of our faith?
Are you crossing the red sea today, are you tired and ready to give up, are you frightened of the unknown? What helps us most in the "eye of the storm" is to keep our eye's on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. In ourselves we will get tired and discouraged, but with Jesus all things are possible, if we trust in him and keep pressing on.
Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw3zIA1NJU0
You see in life we also have these storms, where things hit us and then we come to a place of calm even before everything is resolved. We are tempted to let down our guard and stay there, yet life experience says if we're to get to where we aspire, we can rest, but then we have to give that final push which often times is the hardest, to get to where we are suppose to be.
Think of child birth, the third quarter of a game, the last 100 yards of a race, the list is endless. That my friend is "life". How we handle the end of the race so to speak, determines the outcome. Many start the race, and some faster than others, but it's how we finish the race that determines our destiny.
Think about the man on the cross next to Jesus, the woman at the well, Joseph, Moses, David, Mary. This list also goes on. The bible teaches us to put our trust, faith and hope in God.
We are all on a journey, going somewhere, doing something. I read that wisdom is gained by reflection, imitation and or experience. Are we where we want to be, are we tired and wanting to give up, are we depending on ourselves, or looking to the author and finisher of our faith?
Are you crossing the red sea today, are you tired and ready to give up, are you frightened of the unknown? What helps us most in the "eye of the storm" is to keep our eye's on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. In ourselves we will get tired and discouraged, but with Jesus all things are possible, if we trust in him and keep pressing on.
Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw3zIA1NJU0
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