Bad? Or Not So Bad?

Feel like you've been run over by a truck?

There are days when that's exactly how we feel. We believe that there's no end to our being injured/damaged (by life). However, just remember that our worst days are never so bad that we are beyond the reach of God's repair.

Our House versus God's House

I’m not sure why I am writing this post today but I feel that it is something I need to do. Pain and suffering comes to all - and when it does, we must guard our soul, not allowing ourselves to move away from our Hope and our Redeemer.

"I will say unto God my rock, why hast thou forgotten me? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, where is thy God?" Psa 42:9-10

When suffering, there are times when it is extremely difficult to go to church. You would think in a crisis that the church would be the first place you'd want to retreat. In some cases, Yes. In others, No – and it's not that we don't love God, or want to be a part of His Glory, it's because the services sometimes go in directions contrary to our feelings. The problem is, we have this preconception that we know exactly what we need and when. When hurting, we say, today I don't need to laugh; today, I think I should cry, or vice versa.

Sometimes, if we are in a service that doesn't go as we believe it should, frustration (and sometimes anger) surfaces, and we want to scream "STOP, can't you feel my heartache, my pain? Don't you care?" At this point that we must get a hold of the situation, perhaps by excusing ourselves and stepping into the church foyer, the prayer room, or the churchyard to regroup. Myself, I had to wrestle with the fact that life goes on whether I want it to or not. No, it is not wrong to experience hostilities for it only confirms that we're human. However, it is wrong when we hold onto them and pet them, telling ourselves that we are entitled to them.

We must be careful when pain (and hurt) fills our mortal house. It is then that we must overcome our own self. We need (at least try) to pray even though we don't feel like it. We need to sing although the words ring hollow. We need to smile even though our heart is breaking. We must try to care even though we could care less. Whatever it takes to get our mortal house in sync with His House, we must do. If it means a thorough house cleaning - dusting, sweeping and mopping until we rid ourselves of any pity or resentment (or God forbid, hatred). Please be thankful that God entrusted you with that loved one, possession, job, or leadership role for a season or more. Just having it/them for awhile is better than never having at all. And in so many circumstances, it isn't you or God that removes, it is life. Life has a way of twisting us, turning us, squishing us (you add the rest).

May I say that it would be easier in difficult times to fold up our spirit than go through the motions of praise and worship, of sharing and caring; however, if we will honor God, in His House, during our losses, they will become the most precious times we'll ever know for we are with Him and nothing can touch us. The rages of fear are calmed, rejection is lifted and every evil flees. Our minds will regain control and bring peace (and who cares if it only lasts the length of the service. At least for a small while, we find solace). Eventually, the hour will come when what we feel in service goes home with us for perhaps an hour or two, then a day, a week, a month, then longer. That is, if we let it!

So today, why not allow your mortal house to begin its reunion with God's House. It starts just one praise, one prayer at a time.

Pressure Cooking?

"The only pressure I'm under is the pressure I've put on myself." It's a shame that we pressure cook ourselves for we stand the chance of "blowing our lids".

Turn Down the Heat!
Turn ALL your cares, hurts, and pain
over to the Lord.
It's a lot healthier,
and we chance not overcooking our life.

Living in the Stone(ng) Age?

While blog reading today, I visited two sites that really touched me. Both acted as cautions as to the use of words - our words! Visit their sites firsthand, Jana and Carissa. Thanks to both of you for your honest, thought-provoking writings.

Unfortunately, there's way too much ugliness in our world - way too much - and we, as God's people, must be careful not to add to it. We need to guard our lips from bringing forth hurtful, hateful words. Remember our words set the climate for our self-worth - and we are not worth much if we let our lips speak unkindnesses and falsehoods (i.e., the nice word for lies). My poem sums up my feelings today, although I wrote it years ago (in 1993) when my family was the target of a verbal attack after our oldest son died. To tell you the truth, the persons might as well lined us up and stoned us to death because the untruths in their words brought great hurt and pain.

Gather not stones
For stones of hate cannot love

Defeat cannot savor victory
Despair cannot possess joy
Disobedience cannot breed respect
Evil cannot comprehend virtue.

Gather not stones
For your compassion will conquer all

Your accomplishments will reverse failure
Your happiness will heal pain
Your wisdom will subdue folly
Your goodness will merit excellence.

PS: Please forgive me if you find my words offensive. That wasn't intended. It is just so important that we are careful, too many have been wounded (some fatally) by an unbridled tongue. My prayer is: Dear Lord, thank you for awakening in me the desire to let my words speak of You and your holiness - and reminding me to speak only goodness regarding your people.

Arrived? Not Yet!

Life is so unpredictable. Just about the time we think we have most of the answers, a situation comes to say, "You've not yet arrived." The trick to understanding what is happening to us is in observing the absolutes of nature. God, in His plan, created many variations for us to observe and learn from - lowly valleys, towering mountains, powerful rivers, and meager streams. Each is set as an example. I enjoy observing nature and its creations and try to tie it to my life. The Lord truly made no mistakes in His creation. Often our days start in solitude and peace high on the mountain top, only to end in sorrow and pain deep within the valley.

Unfortunately, opposing experiences are not necessarily ones we go through once to never appear again. Sometimes, a lowly valley makes its way into our hearts a dozen times or more. You…me…have no guarantee of what will happen, when it will happen, and how many times. We are nothing more than a lesson of life.

Take the mountains with peaks rising endlessly into the heavens. A wonderful place, the mountain top - high above every care; but we can't stay there, for excessive days on the mountain top cause us to take our eyes off what's truly above and we start looking downward toward the valley. Ah, those valley experiences. Not an enjoyable place; but at our low points scouring the valley floor, we note every tiny bit of greenery, the small delicate flowers hidden behind the towering plants and bushes, and we delight in the chatty little brooks listening to their every chirp. Sometimes the valley floor is covered in fog and so damp and cold that we are numb; however, just about the time we think we'll perish, the sun peeks through, just enough to give us warmth to keep going. The valley is where our eyes behold hidden beauty, and our ears listen to every sound. Here, we create a friendship that will move our mountains and soothe our broken hearts. The valley rescues our souls from unknown harm - and unknown shame.

Believe it or not, the valley makes us better people. Strangely, at the end of our valley experience, a peace is often found - a peace not known to all, but gifted by an understanding God. It is here that we never walk alone for the God of Heaven walks beside us; and sometimes when the devastation settles, He is the only one there. Right? I am today what I am because of my valley walks. No, I don’t mean I am anything special, for I am not. However, because of the valley I know His voice and have a personal relationship with Him.

Have I arrived? No, Not Yet! - but I have a pretty good feel for the territory.

Be A Mountain Mover

When will our mountains be removed? I really don't know. However, there is a Chinese proverb that says, "The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones."

How true that is. It speaks volumes of how we must remove each obstacle a piece at a time in order to accomplish victory's results. Everyday, if we pick up a small pebble of hurt, discouragement, or whatever stockpiled in our heart and put it in God's wheelbarrow, He will carry it away. And in so doing, our mountains will soon become ant hills.

However, on occasion, an unseen Hand will remove a boulder or two without any assistance from me or you. He does care, and will move our mountains if we take the first step. It is our responsibility to take the first step; that is, if we want our hurts removed and not continue to dwell on them. The choice is ours.

"Remove hence to yonder place and it shall move…" Matt 17.20

Got Ou-ees?

A band-aid is a fix-all for almost any child's hurt. I always looked forward to having grandchildren. My plans being to keep a various assortment of band-aids on hand to soothe any "ou-ees." There would be various types for various hurts in various colors, sizes and shapes - ones displaying animals, birds, cartoon characters and who knows what else. I felt that band-aid dispensing was a requirement of "Nana-hood". Oh what fun! Me, gladly heeding each grandchild's request for an adhesive strip stuck here or there; in fact, a whole box, stuck everywhere, if they'd like.

I would then visualize their parent's reaction when picking them up from Nana & Papa’s - a ribbon of "hurt helpers" running up or down an arm or leg, or maybe both. Best of all, I wouldn't have to remove the sticky marks left behind after the band-aid was removed - that would be their mother’s job (i.e., mothers know how to remove anything with a little rubbing and scrubbing until the skin is medium rare - right?).

Amazing the comfort band-aids are for a child’s hurt. As adults, many of our hurts cannot be taken care of so easily. I have often asked the Lord, how many "ou-ees" are required in a lifetime? Hurts that can’t be fixed by applying an adhesive strip - deep wounds with the potential to leave tremendous scars. The psalmist David wrote, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous . . . " What kinds of afflictions was he talking about? Afflictions to the mind, the heart, the soul, and the spirit.

Maybe you have an "ou-ee" that isn’t healing - its open sore is daily causing you pain. Well, the Great Physician is available. He makes house calls (day or night), charges no fee, and has never had a malpractice suit. And, believe me, His assortment of band-aids is far beyond any we could ever imagine.