Reason #478
For 478 nights, I have done this. I have typed out my thoughts. Really, that's all it is. At first, it was my therapy. A way to put things in to perspective and get them off my chest. 1000 reasons is quite a challenge, but I promised myself and the Lord that I would do it. I just asked that He would use, and more than anything, He has used it to teach me, to remind me of His love, and to heal me. Well, 478 days later, it has turned into a habit. My nightly ritual. And I have to just say, I couldn't be more grateful that I did this. I'm one of those people who can remember things if they write them down, and it's amazing how He has brought back so many things to my mind over the past 14 months to show me His goodness.
Have you ever caught yourself thinking, "I could never do that," and I mean in the sense of, "I could never face that. I could never walk through that. I could never achieve that. I could never experience that."? For example, you see someone with an illness and you think to yourself, "Man, what a strong person they are. I could never go through something like that." Or maybe someone you know loses their job and you think, "I don't know how the world I could handle that. That would be one of the toughest situations to deal with." Maybe you see a family fall apart and you think, "I couldn't live through that if that happened to me. I wouldn't be able to make it through that tragedy." You see a friend's loved one passes away and you think, "Oh my goodness, I would be a total wreck. I can't even imagine having to face that situation. I'm not strong enough to walk through that." Or, on a positive note, you see someone rising to a challenge, taking on a difficult role, doing something that requires a lot of faith, trust, and guts and you think, "I'm not brave enough for that. I could not do what they are doing for any amount of money in this world." And so we completely undermine ourselves and what we are capable of. But more than that, I think we expect God to keep us from these situations. It's fine if you want to put someone else through them. I can pray for them, send them an encouraging note, give them a shoulder to cry on, or spur them on. But what happens when you're pretty sure that you wouldn't ever be able to handle a certain scenario and the next thing you know, you're staring it right in the face?
This happened to me tonight. I had been praying for a long time that God wouldn't make me face certain situations, yet there came a few that I still had to face. But there was this one scenario that I was hoping would never actually play out because I didn't think I would be able to handle it. I really didn't. I thought to myself, "I couldn't do this. I don't know how I would react or what I would do, and I just don't think I could handle it." And, for a long, long time, the Lord was gracious to grant that request. Patient with me and with my emotions, He knew what I could and could not handle. But I realized that one day, sooner or later, it was probably going to happen. This scenario was going to play out and I was going to have to face it whether or not I wanted to. Slowly but surely the Lord began to ease me into it, as He has done with everything. He prepped me, prepped my heart, let me get my toes wet, and tonight that very thing happened. You see, there have been a few situations where this scenario almost played out and each time it did, an overwhelming feeling of dread mixed with nausea consumed me. God knew full well that I couldn't handle it then. He knew full well that it wasn't the right time to face that scenario and so He waited on me. Waited on my heart, on my emotions, on my circumstances, and as He waited, He worked on all of those things.
Staring it straight in the face, and I could do it. I did it. I handled it just fine. It didn't phase me, it didn't upset me, and it didn't cause any negative feelings to rise within me. And as this little scenario played out for a few whole seconds, the first thing that came to my mind was "thank you, Lord." Holding the hand of the man I love, the Lord not only walked me through a situation I didn't think I could handle, but He allowed me to walk through it with the one who is going to walk through the rest of life with me. Yet this is how it's happened every time. Because when I've come to face certain things, feeling as though there is no possible way I could possible do it, I've been able to. He has helped me through each one, been right beside me the whole time, and He has given me the strength and courage to make it through. There's nothing special about me, nothing extraordinary. I'm normal as they come, sometimes kind of silly, fragile and weak and far from perfect, and I've come to see Philippians 4:13 play out in my own life. I really can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. You can, too. It doesn't take a really strong, brave, wise, perfect person to face these things. It takes Christ's strength, and if you will allow Him to walk you through it, you, too, can get through any and every thing even if you aren't so sure you can.
#478 - Because He prepares us for and walks us through those things we think we can't get through.
"Praise the Lord! For he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. The Lord gives his people strength." - Psalm 28:6-8
Have you ever caught yourself thinking, "I could never do that," and I mean in the sense of, "I could never face that. I could never walk through that. I could never achieve that. I could never experience that."? For example, you see someone with an illness and you think to yourself, "Man, what a strong person they are. I could never go through something like that." Or maybe someone you know loses their job and you think, "I don't know how the world I could handle that. That would be one of the toughest situations to deal with." Maybe you see a family fall apart and you think, "I couldn't live through that if that happened to me. I wouldn't be able to make it through that tragedy." You see a friend's loved one passes away and you think, "Oh my goodness, I would be a total wreck. I can't even imagine having to face that situation. I'm not strong enough to walk through that." Or, on a positive note, you see someone rising to a challenge, taking on a difficult role, doing something that requires a lot of faith, trust, and guts and you think, "I'm not brave enough for that. I could not do what they are doing for any amount of money in this world." And so we completely undermine ourselves and what we are capable of. But more than that, I think we expect God to keep us from these situations. It's fine if you want to put someone else through them. I can pray for them, send them an encouraging note, give them a shoulder to cry on, or spur them on. But what happens when you're pretty sure that you wouldn't ever be able to handle a certain scenario and the next thing you know, you're staring it right in the face?
This happened to me tonight. I had been praying for a long time that God wouldn't make me face certain situations, yet there came a few that I still had to face. But there was this one scenario that I was hoping would never actually play out because I didn't think I would be able to handle it. I really didn't. I thought to myself, "I couldn't do this. I don't know how I would react or what I would do, and I just don't think I could handle it." And, for a long, long time, the Lord was gracious to grant that request. Patient with me and with my emotions, He knew what I could and could not handle. But I realized that one day, sooner or later, it was probably going to happen. This scenario was going to play out and I was going to have to face it whether or not I wanted to. Slowly but surely the Lord began to ease me into it, as He has done with everything. He prepped me, prepped my heart, let me get my toes wet, and tonight that very thing happened. You see, there have been a few situations where this scenario almost played out and each time it did, an overwhelming feeling of dread mixed with nausea consumed me. God knew full well that I couldn't handle it then. He knew full well that it wasn't the right time to face that scenario and so He waited on me. Waited on my heart, on my emotions, on my circumstances, and as He waited, He worked on all of those things.
Staring it straight in the face, and I could do it. I did it. I handled it just fine. It didn't phase me, it didn't upset me, and it didn't cause any negative feelings to rise within me. And as this little scenario played out for a few whole seconds, the first thing that came to my mind was "thank you, Lord." Holding the hand of the man I love, the Lord not only walked me through a situation I didn't think I could handle, but He allowed me to walk through it with the one who is going to walk through the rest of life with me. Yet this is how it's happened every time. Because when I've come to face certain things, feeling as though there is no possible way I could possible do it, I've been able to. He has helped me through each one, been right beside me the whole time, and He has given me the strength and courage to make it through. There's nothing special about me, nothing extraordinary. I'm normal as they come, sometimes kind of silly, fragile and weak and far from perfect, and I've come to see Philippians 4:13 play out in my own life. I really can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. You can, too. It doesn't take a really strong, brave, wise, perfect person to face these things. It takes Christ's strength, and if you will allow Him to walk you through it, you, too, can get through any and every thing even if you aren't so sure you can.
#478 - Because He prepares us for and walks us through those things we think we can't get through.
"Praise the Lord! For he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. The Lord gives his people strength." - Psalm 28:6-8
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