The old saying “everything comes in three’s” seems to ring true right now. Although I am not superstitious what-so-ever but currently I am in stage three hoping the 4th isn’t lurking right around the corner. My eyes have been unveiled to a lot of pain and reality the last 7 days. I do not have the right to share some of the tragedy as they are not regarding me to the fullest but the reality is tragedy has hit and hit hard affecting me and those around.

I turned on the TV this afternoon while Cooper was napping and I had to immediately turn it off. Talk shows are feeding our selfish desires and how to act on them. “We deserve” better. This lie is so prevalent within our society and is the essence of self absorption and pride wrapping itself around our brains forcing us to think we deserve revenge.

What has happened to society is we are easily allowing ourselves to be influenced by what we see and hear rather than what we know to be true. My heart is broken! This is the basis of where I am lately.

This song “While I’m Waiting” has been my song of the month and continually reminds me to wait on the Lord as each day these past 7 days has brought three major events of life to light. I currently have the choice to respond with humility asking the Lord to give me strength and wisdom when circumstances as these tend to arise. It’s easy to walk away, sweep our problems under the rug, cope in ways that are dangerous and unhealthy and simply shut down. My deepest desire is to engrain these words from this song on my heart and take my own advice that I share on a continual basis with you all about trusting the Lord. I can tell you tell I get blue in the face to trust the Lord but the outflow of my life needs to reflect this exact thing. While I am human and will forever make many mistakes while I am here on this earth, my deepest desire is to live a life worthy of His calling. To influence those who are in the midst of tragedy themselves. Simply meeting you right where you are; where we all are, if we are honest.

Thanks to “Got Prayer?”

Having a discussion with my husband two nights ago, I was realizing the depth of our sin is beyond powerful and self consuming, even to the point of death at times. When death arises we tend to ask ourselves “why could they never figure it out?” Why do we wait until death knocks at our door to simply attempt to put our lives back together again. Why do we wait? Why do we tend to look at other people constantly hoping and praying they “figure it out” when reality is why can’t we figure it out ourselves. Sometimes death knocks and sometimes the door is open for healing and redemption while other times we turn to coping mechanisms that are even more destructive than where we were before our door was knocked upon. How come we can’t humbly lay our life down and beg for understanding and healing? We tend to resort to the habits of our mind, believing this is who we are rather than accepting our habits are unhealthy and need to firmly be addressed. We can change the patterns of our mind if we truly sought to change them!

We cry for help without accepting the hand reaching down to pull us up from the muck and the mire. We turn a back looking for that “quick fix” in the way we see fit, not the way that’s going to bring about change and healing.

We have a long list of excuses, ways we justify our decisions and thinking we know what’s best. These are lies that need to be unveiled to each and every one of us. What lies are you believing about yourself? Earlier this week in Bible study the discussion was “resolve to resolve.” Set out to resolve our own heartache rather than mask our problems that will only worsen and deepen over time. The enemy tries to come and divide families and friendship and drown out the light. But why succumb to this, Christ already defeated evil on the cross. So with the power of Christ you can defeat any and all of these masks we wear depending on which masquerade party we are currently attending. We wear a different mask with different people around but reality is we need to tear off the mask to allow the ugliness to shine through only to bring about true healing. The more we cover up the deeper our sin goes.

John 11:40 states “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” I don’t really know how else to say to this rather than try it. Test and see that the word of the Lord is true, active and alive. I know you will see His glory.

We pray for blessings, healing, peace, redemption, prosperity and the list goes on. We simply want our suffering to end. I’m not suggesting that trusting the Lord will take away our heartache. Blessings come in many different forms. Trials of this life tend to be God’s mercies in disguise. We hate to admit this as heartache usually tends to bring good from our circumstances. What Satan meant for evil, God turned to good. Again we have freewill and our circumstances will never be delightful but we can choose to seek the good apart from accepting the evil. Sometimes God allows us to be in the ‘pit’ until we have nothing left of ourselves but to seek God. That unfortunately can inflict pain on those around us simply by our choices that seem so small at the time, that actually are dragging us further into the pit. Before we know it our lives are public to those we walk with and eventually you have a choice; let redemption in or run away to the masquerade party wearing yet another ‘different’ mask.

Moment of Truth: Don’t attend the masquerade party, let your light shine. I struggle to find good in these past few days, but I have to trust and have complete faith that something good will eventually shine through. I believe God is trying to heal our relationships in one aspect or another and unfortunately it’s taking a lot of heartache and pain to accomplish this task. I believe when we look back maybe even years from now, there will be an epic journey we will have traveled having not gone through this. I believe it will be turned to good just as Christ says it will.