Do you ever notice themes in your life?
For example, this past weekend two recurring themes seemed to be God's Sovereignty and living in a Spiritual High all of the time.
While at music practice discussion broke out
about the subject and our expectations.
I mean, who doesn't want to feel that cuddly closeness with our Creator from morning to night?
The euphoria that comes with a great time in worship or prayer.
But then we turn around to find that the dog has had an accident in the hallway.
Blam!
Happy Feeling gone!
So, does this mean that we are no longer close to our Lord?
Or that he has taken one whiff of our doggy pile
and taken one big step back?
Nope. Not at all.
He is just as close as He was when we were
enjoying the bliss of the worship times.
I kind of look at those mountaintop experiences like exercise.
They are very good for us but we can't do it 24/7.
The young people of our church have a Bible Study together many Sunday afternoons.
Yesterday their chosen subject was the Sovereignty of God.
Afterward they were still talking about it and as I was making some copies in the
office area different ones wandered in and we chatted.
(Love this!)
Anyway, I was taken down memory lane to the days after our first child was born when we were fully aware of our powerlessness. Jonathan was born with a major birth defect and we had to wait three days to find out if he would live or die. I shared with the young people that it takes experiences like this to build our real understanding of the concept of Sovereignty. Up until that time we were still kind of acting and thinking as if we had control of our lives. I mean, if we wanted to move to another area, we moved.
We had not yet truly been challenged.
It just seemed that we would make a decision and it would happen. But when Jonathan was lying in the intensive care and prayer was "all" we could do we came to a better understanding of our helplessness. I don't have the time here to tell you all of the ways God showed Himself to us in that year, but oh, He surely did. A lot of it I railed against until much later when in the rear view mirror I saw the kindness of my Heavenly Father. I saw how much better His plan was than mine would have been.
(To read more about that click on the link in Jonathan's name)
There have been a few very deep in the valley experiences in our lives. We have been pretty blessed when it comes to easy living. But the valleys have been d-e-e-p, let me tell you. But here's the thing. Deep valleys make the bright mountain tops amazing. I told the young people that they may have to see some time in the valley to truly appreciate the fact that God sometimes takes us through things in a way that we wouldn't choose. However, every time it is for our good and His glory. They'll see it later. Right now, for most of them, Romans 8:28 is just a memory verse. For the more seasoned saint is the cry of our heart. Said in desperation as we face hard things.
So putting these two concepts together has seemed to be the theme of my weekend. How about you? Have you experienced the looking back and being blessed by how much God's plan was better than what you would have chosen?
What about mountaintop experiences? Do you expect to stay there all of the time or are you comfortable with the knowledge that Your Heavenly Father is just as close whether you feel like it or not?
7:29 AM |
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Comments (9)
That is going to give me something to think about. Thanks Becky.
And I love that mirror you chose, now I am singing that song ♪♫♪
Thanks Becky. Lots to think about in there.
beautiful Becky, thanks for sharing.
Reminds me of James 1...Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
And Romans 5....Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. The highs are wonderful, but the lows are too if we allow Him to let them be wonderful.
Becky, we are connected. This morning I was reading back my journal and thanking daddy God for the highs, and the lows, and how he is always there, even when I am distracted, and for the always good endings to our lives. I love this! Thank you for sharing it.
This is going to require lots of thought and I will be back to comment again.
♥♥♥
Sue
God never promised life would be smooth sailing (or always happy), but He did promise to be with us through it all. Life has valleys, but we must stay focused on Him, and in so doing, we will experience that "peace which surpasses all understanding."
Thank you, Becky. Glory to God.
I found out a long time ago the the Christian life is more like a roller coaster. If we had nothing but mountain top experiences we wouldn't grow. We grow in the valleys.
Valley experiences create humble hearts and strong spirits. Without our valleys, we would be "like our reflections in the mirror"...forgetting, as soon as we turn away. I don't necessarily welcome the valleys, as the mountain-view is much more pleasant.(Smiles)But, I know that I would not have the mercy and grace(provided through my valley-times)that I possess, today, if I hadn't been tossed and helpless in my storm-times. I rejoice the most, the hardest, more intensely, in the Lord while in my valleys. Oh, this makes the the storm clouds as rainbows and the floods as cleansing balms, for I know my Lord holds my hand. Thank you, for this wonderful post of remembrance...for my valley-times. ~Cynthia