Do you ever have rough days? I know the answer.
What do you do? Hide, sleep, graze, medicate? There may be a time for any of these...and I have done them all. You have too. Today I did something else. I called out for help. It isn't my intention to boast, but rather boast in the Lord.
1) In one situation I offered someone love, and they returned scorn. I felt rejected and hurt, God said.."put your hope in me". Somehow...I needed more. I let a couple of close friends know, and they immediately e-mailed back the most encouraging words and helped me look at the situation from God's perspective...It was like letting air out of a balloon.
2) In another situation that seemed like a huge knot of events that could not be untangled, I offered an apology for being angry. The man's response was tepid at first, but later he came back as a partner and a friend.
3) Sunday morning Tony suggested we ask that God give us a desire for Him. Today it seemed right to skip the sugar in my coffee, and all the other sugar, to remember he is my delight. We had doughnuts at the staff meeting...and someone asked why I wasn't having any, I told the whole staff. Later, someone told me their dream at a checkout line about forgetting their baby when they were buying shirts for their dog, then I told them that I was trying to skip something today to remember what was really important.
4) Best of all, a friend called me, crying out for help. I was reminded that there is no burden, but the Love of Christ in helping others. Those situations can provide everyone involved with deeper insight into why we were born and the high privilege to which we are called (Romans 12).
In all it was one of those days when God was showing me just how much he would fill my day...with meaning, if I would let him.
Brad,
ReplyDeleteIf only we could get out of the way and let Him take over.
Rough day for me today. There was a weird rumor circulating about me (nothing bad..), and I finally let it get to me. Tonight, God not only revealed the source of the rumor, He also used a friend to comfort me and put a stop to it. Isn't He good?
Elom,
ReplyDeleteThe short answer, yes. He is good. Sometimes I need the long answer. Glad you got the long answer too, good friends are priceless.
I wish I had something wise to say or some clever way to describe how I enjoy your pointing back to God as your strength in difficulty (or joy). But its late, so I will leave it there. Thank you. :)