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Real tears

October 21, 2011 in Life, Spiritual with 2 Comments

As I ran today I was listening to some music and thinking about God’s goodness and felt convicted to share this post. All too often in my own life I have gone through some really good times then some trials and times of growth where I feel the Lord is growing me, testing me for my faith to grow, for knowledge of him to increase. For some reason as I ran, worshiped, reflected I was thinking of how relieved and grateful it always feels when the Lord blesses me. That feeling of gratitude, when your soul recognizes the Love of God and can really “see” his hand of providence, provision. Then I realized, just then, why oh why does my soul worship with deep, sincere gratitude when the Lord pulls me out of something, when I feel he has delivered me?

I had to stop running. I stopped. Shook my head in disgust with myself, my selfish sinful nature that always wants but never appreciates. In my own conviction right there under the blazing sun, hot and dehydrated I just told myself “How could I not be grateful right now? How could I be waiting for something when I have Jesus, HE is my salvation, HE already gave me himself?” I started seeing his feet, nails, blood, his hands, nails, blood, then I would see him in Glory, glowing, in white, Holy, shining and I am thinking and telling myself, what am I waiting for? Why can’t my tears fall down right now and cry real tears for a very real love, a real savior that gave it all for me, do I actually have to be blessed with something to shed tears, am I that selfish?

My circumstance doesn’t change the character of God, Jesus is worthy of glory, praise and adoration no matter what I may be facing and that is the beauty of worship, my tears should and need to be shed in joy or sadness because my entire hope is found in him even if my life is great or it’s falling apart, if I am healthy or if I am dying of sickness, if I have much or little, he remains in glory, he remains in power, he remains the way, the truth, the life and the one who came down and chose to be crucified so that I could be free. THAT is something so amazing, mind blowing it makes me want to cry every time I stop and think about it. Thank you for letting me share it with you today.

Learn from the journey

October 19, 2011 in Family, Life, Spiritual with 2 Comments

More and more I find myself stopping along the way these days to look around and appreciate every moment, every conversation, every new relationship and lesson learned. I used to be so obsessed with a “destination” it wasn’t funny. All I could see was an end point, just results and once I got started I was so good at ignoring the in-between that I got lost in the mechanics of it, my heart became a machine, it wasn’t beating anymore, it wasn’t pumping blood it was pumping diesil because I was living my life like a machine. I put everything behind me in my pursuit of destination, relationships, family, peace of mind, spiritual maturity, awareness, growth, health- Things that we can’t by with our accomplishments, things we can’t get with all of our results, things that our pursuits and destinations won’t offer us.

When was the last time you took a road trip? Just drove, no agenda. No rush. Stop and talked with people. I have learned more by slowing down my pace then I ever did when it was flashing me by, this is about getting balance back in life. If you don’t enjoy the journey now, you will soon realize the destination is very short lived and it’s never what you expected it to be. Rushing to get there will leave you with no memories, no new relationships, only brief excitement that goes and leaves all too soon. Learn to enjoy the moment, live in the now, sure keep pushing forward, press ahead but don’t forsake where you are, God places you around people for a reason, for a season and all of it matters in the end.

Are you enjoying the Journey lately or in a rush to get to the finish line?

 

Godly Peace

October 17, 2011 in Family, Life, Spiritual with 2 Comments

I used to have a rushing problem. Well, let me re-phrase that, I was a product of my environment (NY) so I loved to go fast and expected everything around me to go just as fast, when ever it didn’t I was always a bit frustrated. Even when I had time off I had to do extra stuff, it’s like I didn’t even know how to enjoy my time off. With God’s help I have finally learned to find balance, I know now how to relax, that’s because God has taught me to trust in him more. Wanting to be in control, wanting things to go faster or expecting things to go a certain way were all part of my issue not to be able to trust God enough. THe more I learned how to sit in the presence of God, just sit, do nothing but sit, with my spirit try and listen to his whisper, with my soul try and feel his touch, the more I did that, the more I read his word and understood all the power and undeniable grace, mercy and faithful love he has for those who love him and serve him, my pace for life changed.

I slowed down. I suddenly realized God was in control of all things and if I left the office, guess what, God was still in control of the world. When I slept, God was in control of the world, when I woke up, oh yeah, God was still in control, every time I repeated this process of sitting in his presence, I was reminded of two distinct things- He LOVES me, he WATCHES over me. So, what was all my running around proving? Nothing really. It was stressing me out. Draining me. It was robbing me of my time with my wife and even worse, from sitting in his presence again. I found a verse that I love and memorized immediately because I just seemed to capture all that the Lord has taught me during this process, it’s found in Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace, all who trust in you, all who’s thought’s are fixed on you“.

One more thing, every time you read scripture and you see where it reads “I the Lord have spoken or I AM the Lord”, that’s God trying to remind us that we aren’t God’s, we aren’t super human, HE is God, HE is Lord, we need to be reminded that real peace and real joy come from recognizing who he is and who we are in him.

Are you in need peace these days? Share your thoughts? 

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