learning...

I am realizing more and more that there are many things we go through in life to reveal to us that kind of people that we should strive to be. I can recall so many situations that I remember exactly how someone dealt with me or some difficulty and thinking... man, I hope I handle myself with half of that maturity and grace. Those moments are us learning who we want to be.


There have also been moments in my life where I look back and think... man, I will never in a million years handle myself and treat people that way. Those moments are us learning the who we do not want to be. 


Life is so full of both of these types of moments. Odds are that the moments we learn who we don't want to be are difficult moments. It probably hurts and we feel inferior, ostracized, or degraded. And it is those very feelings that stick out in our minds forever. Those feelings make us think.. I will try my best to never make anyone ever feel this way. As hard as it all is, we've learned. We've learned exactly who we do not want to be.

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

when it rains, it pours.

I've heard that particular saying my entire life and thought I understood what it meant- when it rains, it pours. To me, it means that things might not always be bad, but when things get rough, they get real rough. When it is raining, especially pouring, stress level raises, anxieties are heightened, and we as people have a natural tendency to focus solely on our circumstances.  How crappy does life become when we only focus on the bad and stressful circumstances we are constantly in? That's not the life Jesus intended for us. He intended for us to have life to the full (John 10:10).


I recently heard a message at Newspring (www.newspring.cc) that revealed how to me how to deal with the constant stress and anxiety that life throws my way. And y'all, life and the devil is throwing it hard right now. It is, indeed, pouring. So this is my plan of action, hopefully it can be yours too...


First, I must focus on the fact that God is Holy and God is good. Always. My circumstances do not change God's character. He will always be God, He will always be Holy, and He is will always be good. I also must remember that God is the only one who can stand the weight of my worship. Anything else will crumble under the pressure of my worship because it was not designed for that.


Second, I must remember God's promise that I am never alone. I HATE being alone and I am a HUGE scaredy cat, like I won't even walk to one end of our house alone at night (that's a little embarrassing, actually). Anyway, the good news is that I was not designed to be alone and my feelings of hating being alone are totally normal. Yours are too. You were designed to do life with other people and not just other people, but with a Heavenly Father who loves and desires more than anything to do life with you too. 


Third, I must realize that I am not in control, never was, and never will be. Thank goodness, right? The pastor used this phrase in the sermon, "God loves me so much that he will constantly remind me how much control I don't have." Wake-up call, huh? God is always always always in control. When I start to forget that, though, I start to focus on the voice of the enemy. Focusing on the voice of the enemy always results in fear, while focusing on the voice of God always leads to faith. Don't get me wrong, God's plan is perfect and that means perfect in timing too, however, that doesn't mean things clear up overnight. There may be a time when things get worse before they get better. But one thing will always be true.. no matter the circumstance, God will ALWAYS be there and He will ALWAYS be in control.


Fourth, I must open my eyes to the fact that in the middle of my stress and anxiety, He is with me. Most times, in the middle of our trouble and hard times we ask God to get us out of the trouble and out of the fire. Try asking this instead, and I'm warning you, it is a tough question to ask... instead of "Lord, get me out," try, "Lord, let me see You." If we see Him clearly, we will follow Him closely.


Lastly, I have to live like I am free of the stress and anxiety. It is simple. Embrace it.


The past year has brought a great deal of fear, stress, and anxiety. Today has brought fear and uncertainty of the future. What do you do when someone you love gets bad news concerning their health? It doesn't make sense and it is most certainly not fair. When it rains, its does pour. But thankfully, I am living under the umbrella of a God that is Holy, Good, has never left me, is always in control, and desires for me to live a life that embraces the freedom I have in Him regardless of my circumstances. 

"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." -Isaiah 43:1-3