Category: struggles
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His Land, or Mine.
Deuteronomy 11:10-15
10 The land you are entering to take over is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot as in a vegetable garden. 11 But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven. 12 It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.
13 So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul— 14 then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil. 15 I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.
I used to loathe the Old Testament. The older I get, the more I love it. It feels so alive and enlightening and relevant…
I look at the many parallels between the Israelites and my life (our lives) and I feel a bit ashamed. Before, I would read their story and roll my eyes at their stupidity. Hello! They had God there with them showing them signs such as bread falling from heaven. He spoke through burning bushes. He parted the Red sea, for goodness sake.
This morning I read these verses as the rest of my family was still asleep. I allowed the words to penetrate every part of me. I closed my eyes and envisioned a gate. A gate that is always there, where ever I go…it is right there. I open it and walk through. I see all the things He has planted and cared for. I am taken care of. I can relax and breathe in His peace. His flowers bloom in their appropriate seasons. I don’t need to water them, his rains fall as He sees fit. But then, I get impatient. I think this flower should have already bloomed. So, I water it myself. I water it too much and it dies. The gate reopens and the winds blow me back into the barren land. I am just as stupid as the Israelites.
He sometimes allows me to stay in the barren land. I grumble just as they did. But then, I feel His presence. He has never left me. He simply waits for me to allow Him to care for the land He has provided. Only He knows how long I need this reminder. When He knows I am ready, the spirit leads me to reopen the gate.
How many ways can you see these verses? There’s literally, of course. That is how I first see it. It is history. Then, I see my life before and after Christ. I see my life now when I try to control things instead of following His lead. I see how humbling it is to let go and allow Him to care for me. I want to stop, be still, and let Him hold me.
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Conflict
For someone such as myself who usually avoids conflict, I have to admit (at the present time) how grateful I am for it. Through conflict I am forced to examine where I stand and why. For without it, my comfort would thicken and thus my growth would lag…
Conflict. One side is right, the other is wrong. Both sides are right, both sides are wrong. Sometimes it doesn’t matter. Regardless of who is right and who is wrong, there is always something for all to learn. If you go through conflict and do not, I would suggest you are wrong even if you are right. You don’t need to be the wrong one to be the one to learn a lesson. Maybe it is that God wants you to draw nearer to Him because of what He has planned for your next step.
I struggled with this recently. I wanted clarity from the other side, the side I feel was/is wrong. I always strive to find clarity to the point it is a strength and a weakness. Sometimes it is not mine to have. Sometimes handing it to God and allowing Him to do His job is what I should be striving for. When I reminded myself of this, I saw why things sometimes linger.
God’s timing is not my timing. I feel as though I need to repeat. God’s timing is not my timing! Some have thicker walls built up around their hearts. It takes longer for them to see the lesson and sometimes it just isn’t their time. Maybe all that was meant for them was to chip away one more layer so that the next conflict or the one after can knock down the rest of the wall.
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We all are struggling with struggles.
We all struggle…
Some eat too much. Some don’t eat enough. Some have health issues. Some think too highly of themselves. Some think too lowly of themselves. Some struggle relationally. Some have too much energy. Some don’t have enough energy. Some think too much. Some don’t think enough. Some abuse drugs and alcohol. Some were raised too sheltered. Some were raised unsheltered. Some have anxiety or depression. Some work too much. Some don’t work enough. You may think this list is redundant. I think it is profound.
Because…
Whether the struggle is controllable or not–it is still a struggle. You may not see it as big, but for the person struggling it can be. Be sensitive. Don’t judge. Don’t make the person feel bad. Help see them through. Pray for them. Pray with them.
Through the Stillness 