My statement about life: "Why does life have to be so hard?"
"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. "Habakkuk 3:17-18
So, if Habakkuk had no grapes and no crops and no food and no sheep and no cattle, and yet could still rejoice in the Lord and be "joyful" in God, then what is stopping me? I have drink and food to eat more than enough and my troubles seem small in comparison. I must remember not to complain about my troubles, but to look toward God. And I've got a lot of troubles right now.
There is no situation that is hopeless.
There is no problem too big for God to fix.
There is no darkness so dark that Jesus cannot overcome.
So, what would happen if I rejoiced in the Lord during troubles? Will He give me the strength and wisdom I need? Will He fix my troubles? I know that I cannot change other people and can only pray that God will change them if it is His will. Waiting on God is hard. I have to try to shift my thoughts toward Jesus instead of my troubles and rejoice in Him as He knows what is best. I did read my Bible this morning (in 1st Corinthians), but I don't feel "joyful." How do I feel joyful in troubles? I cannot force a feeling I'm not feeling. I do feel peace knowing that He has forgiven me, but I don't feel joyful as if I want to jump up and down and smile. How can you smile when going through troubles? I don't feel like smiling. Ah, alas, all I know to do is to think on Him and pray.
I have learned something about myself this week, so God is working in me a bit this week. Someone was sharing with me how my son ignores all stress and problems in relationships and pretends everything is okay until it all builds up on him and he explodes. Hmmmm. Who did he learn that from? This has been the one thing I've complained about my son in the past year as he quiets up and walks away in anything that bothers him negatively (which seems as if he is being rude to his parents). God revealed to me this week that this is my own habit, but I never realized it. We do really develop our parents' habits, don't we?
Let's pretend nothing is wrong and treat everyone with love, even when things are wrong. That's what I do in life. Aren't we supposed to just love. Period.
However, isn't it good to recognize that we cannot change other people, that only God can, and to just walk away from it and wait on God? That's always been my practice. Maybe God is telling me its not always right by showing me how my own habits as revealed in my son make me feel.
Maybe both things (to avoid drama and confrontations and to wait on God to fix the problem/or to address them head on as God can work through me) are the right thing to do, but in different situations. So, maybe I should pray to God for wisdom to know what is the right thing to do in which situation.
If you have read my ramblings thus far, thanks. It is not easy sharing my personal thoughts in public on a blog, but I am hopeful that at least one other person will read my thoughts and be helped by them. It helps me to write and organize my thoughts, so maybe if I share them, it will help others. I could hit the delete button right now---but--God can and does work in odd ways.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Phillippians 4:4
2/27/2008