I guess you can deny it for a while.
You can decide to hold fast and hold tight hoping not to let it slip through your hands- claiming infallibility (which is certainly a farce).
Or you can open wide your hands and let loose your grip on the things that you thought... And ask God to reveal to you Truth. It is interesting how far He will go to remind us He loves us and He sees us. I am constantly reminded and surprised at the lengths He will go to remind me who He is. Thing is, He has always been doing that. I just chose not to see for a while. Many years ago I was offended often at the things He allowed into my life. I didn’t blame Him necessarily, I just chose to believe He was holding out on me because of my sin and my choices. I believed that I was getting what I deserved. But, that is just it... He doesn’t want for any of us to get what we deserve. He calls it mercy - and He desires that we follow after Him in that.
“I desire mercy, not sacrifice...” And again “Walk humbly, do justly, love mercy...”
He loves to love us well. He loves to go to crazy lengths to remind us that we are His, and that He wants to give us good things. So often we just have to take a different view of things. We just have to have eyes that are willing to see His goodness - even through the brokenness that surrounds us. The sin. The pain. The death. The circumstances that seem overwhelming and insurmountable. I want eyes to see it for what it is. I want eyes to see that there is HOPE. There is BEAUTY. There is ETERNITY - where there will be PERFECTION. No more sin. No more death. No more pain. No more overwhelming circumstances (except that we will be overwhelmed by the Glory of God).
Whew.
I needed that reminder today.
I needed the reminder that all of my brokenness will one day be HEALED - and healed COMPLETELY.
I needed the reminder again that this life is not all there is. There is much more. There is life abundant.
To love is so complicated some times. I love to love. But, sometimes you have to set boundaries so that love remains loving - and not enabling. Sometimes you have to love in Truth and know it’s gonna hurt. Sometimes you have to lean into the character of God when you know your character isn’t strong enough to do it right. Sometimes you have to say enough is enough - knowing that it will bring more glory to God to speak Truth in love than it will to turn silently and walk away.
I am confident that I’m not gonna get this right the first time. I am praying for grace and mercy. I am praying that God will hem me in before and behind and that I will listen and do His will. But, alas, I am still in this fleshy flesh. I am still in a sinners body full of selfishness and pride. And, I am confident I will screw it up. But, that is why I need Him so desperately. He will mend the things I break - because my heart is for Him - and my desire is to not bring pain, but bring healing through my new loving actions. It is kind of like when Jesus says He is giving a new command... To love. He is teaching me a new command in love. And, it is shaking me up. I am begging for wisdom - and I know He will give it to me because He promises to do so - without judging me for it.
Oh I am crazy about this God I serve. I am crazy in love with Him... And so very thankful that He is rich in love and full of mercy. I cannot throw anything at Him that He can’t handle. That brings me to a place of rest and peace in my Spirit that I cannot explain. It is a sweet sweet place indeed. I hope in the midst of your chaotic day or week, or summer you have a sweet place of rest. I pray that you will take the time to enter into a restful few minutes with Him and recognize that no matter what is flying all around you - He is for you, and He sees you, and He loves you.
Thanks for stopping by. May Grace go before you today.
