Ever have one of those days, weeks, months where everything seemed to be going wrong. You couldn't even have a successful walk to the mailbox? Everywhere you turned stressors were piling upon you ready to break the proverbial camel's back? If you are like me the first decision you make is to find someone or something to blame (other than myself). If you aren't able to find someone to blame, Murphy surfaces and you can always blame him. I do. Life is not always kind to us. The Bible says that God will never put anything on us that we cannot bear up under. It continues. AND when we are burdened he will make a way out for us. God provides a light at the end of the tunnel and it's not a gorilla holding a candle! I've had plenty of very long tunnels and often wondered if others did as well. I'm 62, have talked with, read about and complained with LOTS of people who find themselves in my situation or worse. Sometimes all it takes is a drive to the VA or the downtown homeless gathering area to be reminded of just how blessed I am. With that in mind I approached life pretty much every day of my life. Complaining and thankful isn't what God had in mind for me though.
The problem I have is focus. My core belief is to focus on Jesus and all that he has done, is doing and will do for and with me. Don't make it there all the time. Wish I did. But, no, I don't make it there. Reality sets in when things begin to go wrong. But which reality do we choose? Is this something that will work out and God will be glorified and we will be blessed? Is this something that I can REALLY get through and praise God while going through it? When will this be done so that I can rest? When we are in the midst of this time trial we wonder all of these things. We, like the Israelites long to go back to Egypt where everything was wonderful. Sorry, that didn't work for them and it certainly doesn't work for us. As much as I THINK things were better back when; I know that prior to becoming a Christian things weren't all they were reported to be. Even after receiving Christ we have very tough times. Some of those times get us so mired down that we don't think we can ever move forward and out of the grief, anger, depression and confusion. If you aren't associating with this please let me know and I'd love to talk with you.
My main vocations in life have been in helping people. Daily taking their burdens and trying to find ways to lighten their load. Sometimes I was successful and sometimes I was not. Sometimes peoples situations and personal stories sidelined me almost as much as it did them. Regardless of the situation we are called upon to function for the Christ and the body of believers. So, we get up the next day and do it all over again. Without Christ this task would be overwhelming and sometimes impossible to accomplish. Focus on Christ become a key in this blog today. Admitting that which is going on in our lives that is good or bad allows us to be grounded in reality. It also helps us to lower our expectations of ourselves and others to realistic levels. It's important to not stop at the admitting of what is going on. As Paul states, "I die daily" so that Christ may be glorified in my life. Dying daily means realizing and embracing what Christ has done, is doing and will be doing in my life today. Not yesterday. Not tomorrow. Just today. Dragging the past into the present and the future is like trying to herd cats. It just doesn't work for any of us.
What is essential in my life is a moment by moment focus of Jesus living life through me. My life and your life would be so much simpler if we did this. It will be Jesus dealing with the car being broken down or out of gas. It will be Jesus who is dealing with a strained or broken relationship. It will be Jesus mending that hurt you are feeling. It will be Jesus rejoicing through you for all the positive. It will be Jesus reminding you and your world that things are working out just as he planned. It will be Jesus living our his peace in your life. You will go through the storm with Jesus, through the hurt with Jesus and live victoriously with Jesus. What's right in your life? What's right in my life? Sometimes all that is right is we have Jesus. That's enough.
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