I was talking to a good friend of mine at church Sunday. It's 'been a year'. She and I were both praising God for His healing of her body. A year ago she almost died and hung by a thread for a bit. I sat in the waiting room with a little girl Boo's age and we didn't know what was going to happen to her mama. My friend. Thankfully, God healed her. And then continued to heal her. She was rejoicing Sunday that it indeed has been a year and she finally feels strong and can do things like walk to the back of a department store and was just praising God for it. That was a rough patch last January.
I am also currently in the midst of a very spiritual (although people tend not to see things in a spiritual light and 'blame it' on other things) struggle
I couldn't remember if I fed the cat early this morning and her bowl was nearly empty so I fed her... again? She's probably making out like a bandit today! A fat bandit, that is!
Interestingly Sunday morning there was discussion on finding joy. We watched a video and the speaker was describing a joyful moment he had with his daughter where she was just happy and reveling in that moment. And then urged 'us' listeners to look for moments to find joy. I can understand at some level what he is saying. And there are times I do that. It's a nothing day and rather than just be ho-hum, I chose to be happy and see the mundane as something delightful. But what if the things I see aren't mundane.. or happy in the least. Yesterday was such a day. By the end of it, I was bruised and beaten emotionally and spiritually and was crying out to God for comfort and contemplating joy as it had been presented to us in the video. Joy has to go beyond that. Joy has to be because of God and who He is rather than my ability to manufacture a nugget of happiness. Because sometimes life is not a season of happiness. But it can be a season of joy. Not by seeking 'it'.. but by seeking Him.
I was reading the Andrew Murray book in my sidebar today while mulling in my heart recent events in light of this 'challenge', if you will, to find joy. And found this:
Therefore, soul, only believe. Do not seek joy--in that case you will not find it, because you are seeking feeling. But seek Jesus, follow Jesus, believe in Jesus, and joy will be given to you. "...and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory" 1 Peter 1:8
Only believing today.
4 comments:
What a mixed bag is life!
For me, early December arrives with it's own agenda; one totally disconnencted from Christmas. It was then that my father died while I was but 16. August, too, wants to tether me to a dark place dating back to 1989.
God bless you as you wrestle through, and onward, and upward. The higher ground is always the destination, but I know the path that leads there is often difficult, if not altogether treacherous.
Kathleen
God bless you, in the times of feeling His loving presence, and in those times when you just have to trust it. I know you have known both. Sending you a hug for encouragement!
Oh Sweetie, on days like these, I just crawl up on His big lap and let Him hold me...BELIEVE ME, THERE IS JOY THERE!!
Prayers for you although it's a day late! I watched my mom go through tough year after year after loosing my little brother. She would cry when she needed to and be sad on some days...now that she's gone I have really dark times at the end of Dec./ first of Jan. ~ and I do what she did, when I need to cry, I cry. It's the getting my joy back that's slippery for me, so thank you for your encouraging words on joy...I'm gonna think about this. (I needed it)
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