 Rainy days are easy days to get down in the dumps-- it's dreary, probably a little cold, and the rain comes and goes. The past two days have been a little bit of dreary with the occasional ray of sunshine.
Yesterday it started as a beautiful morning- the sun was shining and I sat outside to eat my breakfast. I made a pit stop at Bigby to get an iced coffee before I went into work and I was all gung-ho and ready for the day. Then the clouds came, then the rain. It got me thinking about how quickly the rain and storms can come out of nowhere. Similar with life, things can change in the blink of an eye. Everything can be fine and dandy one minute, then with a phone call or a conversation or just anything, everything can change. It's easy to get frustrated, down, and go about life with a negative attitude when things turn out differently than we'd hoped. Maybe we didn't get the job we'd hoped for, the grade we wanted, the date didn't go as well as we'd hoped, the tears came, the hurt consumed us, the bad overshadowed all of the good and we got lost in the negativity that life was throwing at us. I've been there- I've felt emptiness, pain, regret, fear, insecurity, self-conscious, not good enough, defeated, torn, sadness.. Haven't we all? Different moments breed different emotions and they're not always our best. I've been consumed by it- i've let it overcome me and there's been times throughout my life when I've actually had no words to pray or say and I didn't even know how to pray because I couldn't come up with any words to say. That's the beauty of Him, the beauty of having a relationship with someone who literally doesn't need you to say anything, because He knows what your heart is feeling and He knows why and He knows what's going to come out of your situation. Philipians 4:7 gives me peace in moments like that. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. We might not understand how He can do it- but He is there, and he is protecting us and guiding us and using moments in our lives to mold us into the person He created us to be. So when the rain comes and you feel like you just can't go on anymore- remember this.. He's using the storms in your life to strengthen you. He doesn't allow anything to happen that you cannot handle and you might not understand why right now, or even in this lifetime, but you will one day see what He was up to. He created the world, he healed the sick, he walked on water.. don't doubt that he can't give you the things you need to get through what you're going through. If you want a good song to listen to about how a-m-azing our God is, listen to Chris Tomlin's "Impossible Things." If you don't wanna listen, here's some of the lyrics that ring so very true. Though I walk through the valley Darkness surrounding me There You prepare a table, hmm-hmm In the presence of my enemies, yeah-eh There is no healer Like the Lord our maker There is no equal to the King of kings, oh-ohhh Our God is with us, we will fear no evil Next time the sun fades into clouds, the clouds bring the rain, and you're feeling like you're stuck in the darkness and you're searching for the sunlight in the dead of the night, just look up. Go out and dance in the rain and be grateful that whatever trials you're going through will bring you new perspectives, they'll mold you, and no matter what, God knows your heart and He is always there to cry out to. Like the thunderstorms and rain that falls, it doesn't last forever. Nor do the tough times and moments you feel like giving up. Push through knowing that you are loved infinitely and that God's purpose for your life is so much more than you can even imagine.
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 I sat outside on the deck and had breakfast this morning- the sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the trees are in bloom! After church yesterday I realized how much everything is really starting to come to life and when I was coming home from the gym this morning, it seemed like they were even more alive.
It's ironic how the timing of that works- how the timing of life all works out in the end. Easter service this year really hit me right with the feels. 2017 has already been a year in itself. There's been changes on top of changes, but what I was reminded yesterday is the consistency and completeness of God's love for us. No matter what we're going through, no matter what we're struggling with.. all of the good, bad, and ugly inside of us- we're loved infinitely. When you feel like the world is all walking out on you, there's One that will never ever leave. And you know the cool thing about Him? He knew long before we were ever an idea in our parents head, that we were going to mess up. He knew we were going to be sinners on a daily basis. He knew we'd struggle with lying, lust, temptations, envy, hate.. all of the ugly stuff, and that's just a short list. He KNEW we were going to get caught up in it. He knew there'd be days when we take our bodies for granted, that we'd take our friendships and marriages and jobs and health as something that we deserve and think we should have. He knew we'd lie, cheat, steal, cover up this, cover up that, compare our lives to others and not be grateful for what's right in front of us, and that we'd do what we have to to get to the top. He knew we were going to all struggle with things like this and so much more. That didn't stop Him. He was faced with all of the same temptations as us. Yet, He didn't sin. He lived a perfect life, and then He was nailed to a cross and died for OUR sins. What kind of love is that? It's a love that is perfect, never-ending, pure, and strong. If He knew what all of our shortcomings were going to be, but still died for us, how can we go through life thinking we can hold grudges and be envious and rude to other people? How can we do that when we're all in the same boat. We're all a bunch of sinners in need of a Savior. Shouldn't we be trying to practice the grace that Jesus showed us? Shouldn't we want to love one another, our family and our friends, the same way? Shouldn't we try to forget what happened 10 years ago, a few months ago, yesterday, that's keeping us caught in the past and holding on to something that's only causing everyone pain and contempt? Sure everyone isn't always going to agree with one another on everything, but that doesn't mean we need to hold grudges for years upon years, or months upon months because someone hurt us in the past. It's really a much more freeing feeling to just forgive and move past it. What good is it to hold on to something that makes you so so unhappy? No good at all. Forgive, forget, love, smile, wrap people up in hugs and positive vibes, send words of encouragement. With the blooming trees and spring upon us, it's a good time to start fresh. Let go of the pain, heartbreak, unforgiveness, hate, struggles that you've been dealing with and hand it to the One who loves you regardless of what you've said or done. He died so we could experience life and live again. Let go of all the negativity and things that are holding you back from living a life well lived and well loved that you are completely and utterly passionate about. |
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