I have dealt with some problems in my life that have thrown me for a loop. These things have made me feel inadequate, depressed and angry. I have let these things make me feel resentful. I ultimately had to realize that at least some of the resentment I felt was toward God for letting me be in this hurtful situation for so long.
Maybe people who don't know God, or who don't have a lifelong relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit don't even fall into the prideful sin of blaming God. Maybe they blame themselves or luck or other people. But, for me, God is part of all the things in my life. I confess that He is Lord of my life, so how is He not part of the problems?
I have felt trapped in a box by the situation where I had no way out and no way to get to heaven while I was angry and resentful. After some gentle guidance, I took it to Christ. All of it. I took that pain and sadness and anger and resentment to Christ. I gave it to Him and told Him that I couldn't handle it. All I wanted was to get to heaven and this thing was throwing me into sin again and again. I didn't know who He thought I was, but I wasn't equipped to deal with it anymore, to deal with it ever. And He said--Give it to Me, My burden is easy, My yoke is light.
I found myself singing that old song--"I have decided to follow Jesus...No turning back, no turning back." And I realized that the problem I faced was a gift to me, a calling and if I trusted Him, I was equipped to handle it. I wasn't sure how that could be, but--no turning back. Either I follow Jesus or I turn back.
And I pulled myself up by the bootstraps, so to speak and called on the Lord to be my guide. I have prayed with renewed energy. I have been offering the pain of the situation to the Lord. I have developed some new insights and strategies to deal with it. I have come to accept the painful situation as gift, as grace, as blessing.
It is all gift. Life is a gift. The good, the bad, the ugly is all gift. While my description of all this is inadequate and lacking details, I assert, I have decided to follow Jesus....
Maybe people who don't know God, or who don't have a lifelong relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit don't even fall into the prideful sin of blaming God. Maybe they blame themselves or luck or other people. But, for me, God is part of all the things in my life. I confess that He is Lord of my life, so how is He not part of the problems?
I have felt trapped in a box by the situation where I had no way out and no way to get to heaven while I was angry and resentful. After some gentle guidance, I took it to Christ. All of it. I took that pain and sadness and anger and resentment to Christ. I gave it to Him and told Him that I couldn't handle it. All I wanted was to get to heaven and this thing was throwing me into sin again and again. I didn't know who He thought I was, but I wasn't equipped to deal with it anymore, to deal with it ever. And He said--Give it to Me, My burden is easy, My yoke is light.
I found myself singing that old song--"I have decided to follow Jesus...No turning back, no turning back." And I realized that the problem I faced was a gift to me, a calling and if I trusted Him, I was equipped to handle it. I wasn't sure how that could be, but--no turning back. Either I follow Jesus or I turn back.
And I pulled myself up by the bootstraps, so to speak and called on the Lord to be my guide. I have prayed with renewed energy. I have been offering the pain of the situation to the Lord. I have developed some new insights and strategies to deal with it. I have come to accept the painful situation as gift, as grace, as blessing.
It is all gift. Life is a gift. The good, the bad, the ugly is all gift. While my description of all this is inadequate and lacking details, I assert, I have decided to follow Jesus....