This blog, I miss it.
I feel like I haven't touched it in so long and in that time so many things have happened. So many thoughts have been bubbling in my mind and things have been placed on my heart. And I think today, it finally came to the point where I knew I had to share.
I've been reading this book called Anything with an awesome group of ladies, and it's been shaking me and my mentality up when I really felt like I was entering a little slump. There's this line that says "It should not surprise us if life is hard, especially if we love Jesus. We are at war - not in heaven. And yet it always does surprise us... There is freedom in understanding that heaven is coming and we are not there yet. We're called to live, instead, aware that we are at war with a ruthless enemy who is trying to destroy us if we are living surrendered to Jesus."
Isn't this true?! It's crazy how entitled I can feel when problems and hard times arise, when I should pretty much be expecting them to be knocking at my door.
It goes on to reference Ephesians 6 saying "First, remember who you are fighting. You are not fighting flesh and blood, the people hurting you- their sting- you are not fighting them. You are fighting rulers and authorities and cosmic powers over this present darkness. You are fighting the forces of evil in heavenly places."
Again, how true is this? How often do we let ourselves get wrapped up in people and the hurt they cause us? Allowing ourselves to build resentment or anger towards people when they aren't even the true problem at hand. It gets so easy to focus on the pestering things in front of us, and take our eyes off of God Almighty, who resides within the hearts of those who love Him. Which makes me think about how we are so quick to downplay the gravity of that word. ALMIGHTY. Mighty and able to do ALL things. Wow.
Then, in visiting The Upper Room and hearing Psalm 46 again last night (which was so soothing to my soul) I was reminded of these words:
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging...God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at the break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; The God of Jacob is our fortress."
Sometimes it's easy to forget just how BIG He is. The zillions of things he watches and tends to and heals every second of every day. It's truly amazing. Like really, what is more amazing than Him and what He's done and continues to do every day? And to be able to have HIM reside in my heart tells me that I can do a lot more than my mind tells me I can.
I've been reeeallly blessed to have some amazing women praying over me the past couple of weeks and helping walk through all of this and unfold these realizations. Not everything is going to make sense. Not everything is going to be easy. But with the insatiable knowledge that we were made for so much more than our carnal minds can typically fathom, it's kind of a really incredible honor to be able to partake in something so grand. On top of this, I see that I'm so blessed to be reminded that through hiccups, and less than pleasant feelings is an opportunity to receive so much grace, more understanding, and more of Jesus.
"Count it all joy my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." James 1:2-3
So I leave you with this. Words Jennie Allen, the author of Anything, felt the Lord was telling her at a particularly difficult season in life.
"You protect yourself with me. You bind truth to the front of you so when darkness comes you remember me. You remember I am bigger. You remember I win. You remember I am with you today and forever; even if you can't see me, I am there. You put my Word, my truth, in front of you. Protect yourself with me and my righteousness. And then, you run. Let your feet carry you into battle, building my name, sharing my love, telling my story, showing my glory. Go. Run. Fight. Do not just sit there feeling sorry for yourself. Run and fight. Let your shield be faith. See, if I am real to you- if you believe you stand behind the God of the universes- you won't need to be afraid. You may get tired but you won't forget why this war matters if you don't forget me. You'll fight bravely, like someone who knows she fights for a cause worth dying for. You'll keep fighting if you see me. You have me with you - I am in you. Fight bravely because I am for you and I am with you."
