I have been around the block and lived a full life. I have known and overcome pain, and I have lived in great agonies and known the LORD is holding me to Himself as I continue to do next things because of Him --- for Him.
Perhaps some of you could say these very same things, and then others of you have only begun to experience life in all of its joys. Each of us can praise and glorify His name in our joys and in our agonies.
Philippians 4:4-9
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Life is full of emotional ups and downs. Some of these are real, up close and personal, while others are emotionally in our minds and souls. The LORD wants us to capture our thoughts and to think of noble and godly things. When we take our eyes off of Him we can spiral with great speed into our own hopelessness.
2 Corinthians 10:5
We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ
I am not a Super Christian --- who is? I am just His handmaiden with His strength and with my weaknesses dragging along side. I can crash and burn like everyone else.
Sometimes the trials of life continue, we keep our eyes on the LORD, but deep within us the pain and sorrows grow, only to burst out when we are weak and down, or even surprise us when we are strong and up.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us,
let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us,
and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith,
who for the joy set before Him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
How do the sorrows continue to mount when we choose to have our eyes on Him? I can only think it is because we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Humans are complicated beings. If you have ever been ill, and yet not one doctor can figure out your simple symptoms, you will agree that our physical bodies are wonderfully, complicatedly made.
Maybe even more fearfully and wonderfully made is our mind, our soul, our spirit. Our mind can surely do much more than we can imagine. Capturing our thoughts is more complicated then we can imagine also. If we only consider how women are designed by God, we could marvel for hours.
As women, we can think and do many things at the very same time. Managing a home, perhaps a business, various ages of children, grandchildren, honoring and loving our husband, paying attention to extended family and friends --- then add in all the planning we do in the moment, and also for later in the day, and then far beyond the present --- plus deal with our stresses, sorrows - and these things for everyone else we care about!
It is no wonder we can quietly, silently, without realizing it, begin to harbor hopelessness, fears, anguish, bitterness, etc --- only to be surprised when they show their ugly heads --- just when we thought we were conquering the "capture your thoughts" thing!
Come with me, sisters! When you fail, crash and burn, or when you realize the bitterness has grown and you thought you were over it, whatever steals your strength, remember that your story isn't over. You have the LORD in dwelling you! Run to Him! Run to His word! Ask a sister in the LORD whom you trust to pray for you.
God is full of mercies! Tomorrow is another day. We can come to Him anew anytime.
See you there --- I'll be at His feet.
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