Some are questioning their faith, some have marriages that are ripping at the seams, some have marriages they are trying to heal, some are getting over divorces, some possibly entering into divorce. There are some who want to follow their own worldly desires instead of looking to see what God's will is for their lives. Some just have hurting hearts. And I think at some point, we all deal with hard things like these. It just all really saddens me. It is so hard to know that those you care about are hurting.....especially when besides praying for them, there really isn't anything else to really do. I would love to just wipe all the pain away in an instant, ya know...and I can't and it's hard. I mean I know there is power in prayer and I know that with weeping...joy comes......but for some, this joy could be something that is 5 - 10 years away. For others, though, it could be right around the corner. Everything is in God's timing, ya know. But it's hard to help these hearts and it's hard to watch them and know that they are hurting.
Last year, I went through some hard times and made it even harder on myself because I kept myself distanced from God....very distant. Because I knew that that was the only way I wouldn't feel His loving rebuke on me 24/7. It was easier to just keep Him far away, so that I could do things that I knew I shouldn't be...think things that I knew I shouldn't be. Ya know. And it took a friend to say some words to me that I know was God speaking to me through her..because it was just so, not something I think that she would normally say. But she asked me if I had faith in God. And when I said yes. She told me that I didn't because if I did..I wouldn't be making some of the decisions that I was making. And those words really got me thinking and I looked into my heart and realized that my faith was dwindling away because I was letting myself and my will supersede God's. I was taking all the control without seeking guidance from the one I should have been.
Control is definitely something we all struggle with. We want to be in control and think things are better when we are in control. But I can tell you what. I have given control over to God in several areas of my life since last year and things worked out so much better than they would have, had I tried to do it alone. God doesn't want us to be alone ever. He doesn't want us to struggle alone. He wants our hearts to be happy. He wants to carry us through hard times. We are going to all have hard times....but if we let go and let God, the road we are on will definitely be a lot less rugged in areas and the destination will be so much grander.
We also have to remember that things will go according to God's timetable and not our own. In today's society, we are used to instant gratification. And I think many times, we expect God to work in our lives in the same manner. We want happiness now, we want less struggles NOW. And I think sometimes we can focus so much on receiving complete fulfillment right away that we are prone to give up on letting God have control because we begin to think that somehow we can get it ourselves faster. If we focus too much on fulfillment now, we can fail to see how He is working out the situation in our lives. He may be taking baby steps. He may be changing things in small ways. We fail to see it, because we are too busy expecting something big and allowing ourselves to be disappointed that we aren't seeing big changes.
With many of Jesus' miracles, things were done quietly, softly. There weren't fireworks. There wasn't a loud booming voice shouting..look at how I fixed this. Look at how they are healed. Why should we expect the changes in our lives to be in such a loud and big manner?
Another thing we struggle with when distancing ourselves from God, is letting the world dictate for us what happiness is. Maybe we begin to seek luxuries....money....love in the wrong places......we think that the void we are creating by keeping God away, will be filled with these things and then we will be happy. But we won't be. And somehow I think that as believers we know that deep down inside. But it gives us such a temporary fix that we allow that to kind of carry us for awhile. And then of course we realize that we still aren't genuinely and completely happy, so then we find something else to carry us for awhile..it's a cycle that doesn't end and only leads us to more and more unhappiness. If this is happening with you, you need to get back to that fellowship with God. You need to make His will a priority...The priority in your life. He will fill you up. HE WILL!
For those with hurting hearts, please know that God knows. He knows what you are going through and it saddens Him. He wants you to be happy. He wants you to not be struggling. But He can't help you with it unless you let Him. Get on your knees...seriously..ON YOUR KNEES and give it all to Him. Talk to Him like you never have before. Pour out your heart to Him. Let Him know that you are giving it to Him that you are putting your heart into His hands. And my friend, He will help you. But remember, it won't be instant...but you will feel a peace instantly...you will feel a peace as you let the control of it go into His arms. And little by little...day by day...He will give you joy....He will be by your side and He will make everything better. Your tears will turn to smiles..your weeping to joy.
I heard the Song, Cry Out To Jesus, on the radio today. It is by Third Day. I have heard this song many times. But, something that came to my attention last night, made me want to listen to the words in a different way today. And I did..and I have to share them with you.
To everyone who's lost someone they love
Long before it was their time
You feel like the days you had were not enough
when you said goodbye
And to all of the people with burdens and pains
Keeping you back from your life
You believe that there's nothing and there is no one
Who can make it right
There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus
For the marriage that's struggling just to hang on
They lost all of their faith in love
They've done all they can to make it right again
Still it's not enough
For the ones who can't break the addictions and chains
You try to give up but you come back again
Just remember that you're not alone in your shame
And your suffering
When you're lonely
And it feels like the whole world is falling on you
You just reach out, you just cry out to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
To the widow who struggles with being alone
Wiping the tears from her eyes
For the children around the world without a home
Say a prayer tonight
Please, to all you I care about...who are hurting, cry out to Jesus..give it to him and HE WILL MEET YOU WHEREVER YOU ARE!
"You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need...." Philippians 4:19
Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death, but this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God."
2 Corinthians 1:9
"The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble." Psalm 9:9
"Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you." Psalm 55:22
"The Lord God is my strength.' Habakkuk 3:19
"Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." Mark 10:52
"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we may boldly say; The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" Hebrews 13:5-6
"and our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation." 2 Corinthians 1:7
"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
"The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms;..."Deuteronomy 33:27
IN HIS ARMS, THERE IS STRENGTH TO HOLD YOU...GRACE TO SUSTAIN YOU...AND LOVE TO CARRY YOU THROUGH!!
You are all in my prayers
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