How many of you woke up today and thought enough already?
Today is a new day and I am ready for a new beginning. You have been going
through your life and day after day it seems to be the same rehashed story just
a different day.
Today is a new day and I am ready for a new beginning. You have been going
through your life and day after day it seems to be the same rehashed story just
a different day.
Have you ever seen the movie Groundhog Day? Bill Murray, the
star of the show, wakes up and it is the same day over and over again. At first
he is so down and out; he thinks I cannot live this day over again and refuses
to get out of bed. It is just an
unbearable situation.
star of the show, wakes up and it is the same day over and over again. At first
he is so down and out; he thinks I cannot live this day over again and refuses
to get out of bed. It is just an
unbearable situation.
Have you been there? Waking up to start a new day with a
grumble, with an, “I cannot take another day like I had yesterday.”
grumble, with an, “I cannot take another day like I had yesterday.”
Recently, in my life, I had those days over and over again. I
wasn’t refusing to get out of bed but it was really taking a toll on me. It was
really beginning to take a toll on my family and friends because they had to
listen to my grumbles. My heart and attitude to say the least was sour. If that
was you, I am sorry.
wasn’t refusing to get out of bed but it was really taking a toll on me. It was
really beginning to take a toll on my family and friends because they had to
listen to my grumbles. My heart and attitude to say the least was sour. If that
was you, I am sorry.
I felt like my grumbles were legitimate. I am still not sure
that they were not legitimate, that is not the point. My grumbles were being
poured out to the wrong sources.
that they were not legitimate, that is not the point. My grumbles were being
poured out to the wrong sources.
I am the type of person to wear my emotions on my sleeve. I
feel so deeply, that I quickly get hurt. This hurt was driving deep down into
my soul. I kept thinking today is a new day. I can brush off my feelings from
yesterday and start over today. These feelings, however, didn’t want to give up
so easily.
feel so deeply, that I quickly get hurt. This hurt was driving deep down into
my soul. I kept thinking today is a new day. I can brush off my feelings from
yesterday and start over today. These feelings, however, didn’t want to give up
so easily.
I would try to wrap my brain around this, sometimes all
day. It began to consume me until it was
almost eating at every heart-string that I have.
day. It began to consume me until it was
almost eating at every heart-string that I have.
Look back at the last few paragraphs, do you see yourself
there? Do you hear yourself there? Now look carefully at how much I tried to figure this all out.
there? Do you hear yourself there? Now look carefully at how much I tried to figure this all out.
I would cry about this. I would talk about it to everyone
that I thought could help me change it. I was putting all my greatest efforts
at making my situation different.
that I thought could help me change it. I was putting all my greatest efforts
at making my situation different.
As I looked back at all my efforts, they seemed to fade with
each passing day. I would wake up the next day to do it all over again.
each passing day. I would wake up the next day to do it all over again.
I was becoming so busy at laying it at others feet and well,
they couldn’t fix it. I certainly couldn’t fix it. Now I realize God didn’t
want me to fix it.
they couldn’t fix it. I certainly couldn’t fix it. Now I realize God didn’t
want me to fix it.
Don’t get me wrong I was praying about this situation. I was
asking God to fix it the way I wanted Him to and in my time. My prayers and
thoughts were not entirely selfish, but I was praying that my will be done and
not God’s. I was praying as if He is
some sort of fix it my way and we can all move on, happily ever after, kind of
God.
asking God to fix it the way I wanted Him to and in my time. My prayers and
thoughts were not entirely selfish, but I was praying that my will be done and
not God’s. I was praying as if He is
some sort of fix it my way and we can all move on, happily ever after, kind of
God.
Until the moment, listen to this carefully, until the moment I prayed for Him to
change me, and for Him to align me with His will, did He answer my prayers. I surrendered
it to Him. Please read Lay Down All Your Heavy Burdens to get more insight on
surrendering.
change me, and for Him to align me with His will, did He answer my prayers. I surrendered
it to Him. Please read Lay Down All Your Heavy Burdens to get more insight on
surrendering.
In Matthew 11:28 Jesus
says, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
says, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Do you have those prayers? Are you praying regularly for God
to fix the situation that you are in? Are you treating Him like some sort of
genie God on your knees day and night trying to get Him to do what you are
asking Him?
to fix the situation that you are in? Are you treating Him like some sort of
genie God on your knees day and night trying to get Him to do what you are
asking Him?
In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul, who became one of God’s greatest missionaries,
tells us about a thorn that he has in his flesh. This was not an actual thorn.
What he was saying was he had this affliction tormenting him so much and he pleaded
three times for the Lord to take it away.
tells us about a thorn that he has in his flesh. This was not an actual thorn.
What he was saying was he had this affliction tormenting him so much and he pleaded
three times for the Lord to take it away.
I felt like this was me. I was pleading with God. I was
crying out to him. When He wasn’t fixing it the way I wanted Him to. When He
wasn’t laying out the path I wanted Him to, I pleaded in torment.
crying out to him. When He wasn’t fixing it the way I wanted Him to. When He
wasn’t laying out the path I wanted Him to, I pleaded in torment.
My heart was breaking. I thought that since my heart was
breaking for the things God wants our hearts to break for, like the injustice
to his people, this was okay.
breaking for the things God wants our hearts to break for, like the injustice
to his people, this was okay.
This is what Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that God
said to him, this is what God tells me, and this is what He is telling you
right now in the midst of your tormented days. Paul says, But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is
made perfect in weakness,” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my
weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
said to him, this is what God tells me, and this is what He is telling you
right now in the midst of your tormented days. Paul says, But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is
made perfect in weakness,” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my
weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
God does not promise us an easy life free of burden and
affliction. He promises that He is enough for us in the midst of the burdens,
if we lean on Him.
affliction. He promises that He is enough for us in the midst of the burdens,
if we lean on Him.
God can fix His own situations, I can’t.
I can
surrender. I can ask for my thoughts and actions to be aligned with His will,
and not my own.
surrender. I can ask for my thoughts and actions to be aligned with His will,
and not my own.
Seems simple? That’s the tough part. It means surrendering
myself, taking up my cross daily (Luke 9:23), and living in alignment with the
will of God.
myself, taking up my cross daily (Luke 9:23), and living in alignment with the
will of God.
Are you in what seems like an unbearable situation, in a
state of personal torment?
state of personal torment?
God wants you to draw near to Him. He wants you to give it
to Him. Look back at 2 Corinthians 12:9 He says, My grace is sufficient for
you. It is enough for you. It is actually all you need. He also says His power
is made perfect in your weakness.
to Him. Look back at 2 Corinthians 12:9 He says, My grace is sufficient for
you. It is enough for you. It is actually all you need. He also says His power
is made perfect in your weakness.
Are you feeling weak? Are you feeling like you cannot do
this again today? Give it up. Ask God to take your heavy burdens. Ask God to
help you draw closer to Him and to live in alignment with His will. He will
then show you His awesome power.
this again today? Give it up. Ask God to take your heavy burdens. Ask God to
help you draw closer to Him and to live in alignment with His will. He will
then show you His awesome power.
Please share this with a friend, you never know someone’s
real heart or the personal struggles that they may be going through. And guess
what, you can’t fix them anyway, but God can. May you extend to them that opportunity?
real heart or the personal struggles that they may be going through. And guess
what, you can’t fix them anyway, but God can. May you extend to them that opportunity?
Please share in the comments below how God has made His
power perfect in your weaknesses. You can also encourage us with comments about
how He has lifted a heavy burden when you have surrendered.
power perfect in your weaknesses. You can also encourage us with comments about
how He has lifted a heavy burden when you have surrendered.
So grateful that He steps in and is more than enough on the days where we struggle to "do it again." Thank you for this beautiful reminder! Blessings! #livefree
Thank you for the encouragement! We are living proof of His constant grace and mercy, if only we would always be able to see it and see it with gratitude. Thanks for stopping by.
Thanks for joining me in #livefreeThursday!
Thank you for stopping by my site and the opportunity for being part of a community. Love your story and sending prayers you way.