Sunday Thoughts

I've been re-arranging my house this past week, as you know, and it's been an eye-opening and humbling experience. In the past, I can't tell you how many times I have moved the furniture from one room to another...by myself. I do not recommend this as I believe doing stuff like that is one of the reasons that I have the back problems I have now. However, my point is, I used to do this regularly and I would work all day long. Now, I have to work in short spurts and moving furniture is out of the question. It forces me to depend on others to help, not an easy thing for me.

Yesterday, I was feeling particularly sorry for myself and also feeling like a burden. My focus was what I used to be able to do, how I didn't have these pain issues in the past, how I now have to ask for help when I didn't have to in the past...the past, the past, the past. Do you see a theme here? I felt the nudging of the Holy Spirit reminding me about this Scripture, 

"But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14 

I was sitting there, focusing on my past. I was thinking about what I couldn't do, instead of what I can do, and most importantly, I took my eyes off the prize. My prize in this instance is my home looking wonderful and welcoming in the end. Yes, it won't get done in a day or a week, or possibly even a month, but it will happen. My problem is that I want it done now! It's not going to happen that way, though, so I have to change my attitude about the whole thing. I need to look at what I have accomplished and what it will look like in the end. Not what's left to do. I have to just take one little area at a time and focus on that and keep doing that until I'm done. Plus, I have to be willing to ask for help. 

Our walk with the Lord is like this. We want to understand what we read in the Word of God, now. We want to have a clear understanding of where God is leading us, now. We want to know why we're going through what we're going through, now. That's not how it works, though. God works through us at the right time and at the right pace for us. We have to go through the hard times so we grow closer to him. We have to have faith that all will work out to grow our faith and have hope in Him. Our eyes have to be on the end result...when we stand before Jesus and we pray that He says, "Well done, good and faithful servant." We can't look at our past, which will bog us down and make us feel bad. We have to look to our future with Christ. That is our hope, that is our future. We also have to be willing to ask for help from the Lord. We need to be humble enough to get on our knees and pray for guidance and help when we need it.

It makes it all the more sweeter that we worked so hard to get there. It makes it all the more sweeter in my home as I look around and see how much has gotten done. I know when it's all done and I'm enjoying it with my family and friends, it will seem all the sweeter because I had to work longer and harder than I would have in the past. 

Do I understand why I have to do things with this kind of pain? Do I understand why I live with arthritis so severe that it inhibits what I can do? No, I don't, but I know it's all part of the Lord's plan for me. I know it humbles me and makes me look to Him for help. I know that through my perseverance, I gain hope, and there's nothing greater than that. Hope for that prize waiting for me, and you, in our future!

Have a very blessed Lord's Day!

God bless you - Julie