Imagine you’re running in a race,
there are people whizzing past you and others lagging behind. You’re trying to
keep a steady pace and breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth
to slow your heartbeat, but you can’t help but feel like you need to either
speed up or slow down. Everyone around you seems to know what they are doing
and you begin to feel helpless. There are temptations of voices all around you
telling you to ignore your pace and hustle up so you can pass everyone and
everything around you, or to just give up and shut down. You become unhappy with
your pace and stamina, and are getting tired of trying to keep moving, and now you
are beginning to think of giving up…
Okay PAUSE, now I know what you
may thinking, pshh Cass I don’t run in races…its summer! I just love to watch
re-runs of Friends while eating some rad chips and queso man! And if that’s the
case, we should be best friends. Just sayin. But just play along with me here
for a little bit. Notice that during this “race” many of your thoughts were
about everyone else’s pace and trying to beat them, but also notice that those
thoughts only slowed you down making you want to give up, and ignoring the pace
that was set for you. This can be very applicable to our own present lives, and
how we can often ignore the daily calling Jesus has for us. We often focus our
thoughts on how others are achieving/receiving things that we may not have and
want. This way of living, comparing ourselves to one another and trying to
catch up with them in a negative way is unhealthy. The daily calling of the
Lord tells each of us to keep our own pace, and to give thanks for the pace He
has set in our lives.
Step
one to solving this problem is to realize that the Lord is TIMELESS. He lives
forever and always, so within His timelessness we are called to thank Him by
living out His will in the PRESENT. Allow Him to work in you and through you
DAY by DAY and MOMENT by MOMENT. Some days and moments may seem pointless, like
they are leading nowhere. However, I encourage you to TRUST in how the Lord is
working in your life. He is present ALWAYS. You may feel stuck, frustrated,
confused, disappointed, tired, or neglected but open your heart and know that
the Lord is ever present in EACH of those moments. He is constantly lifting us
up and teaching us things in each day we face.
Those days and moments are so precious to the Lord, for He has great
plans for every detail of your life. So I also encourage you to take those
ordinary days that seem pointless and seek the Joy of the Lord in every moment.
Okay, so now you’re probably thinking: “But Cass, how the heck do I do that? My
life isn’t that exciting.” And I would say to you WRONGO!
(okay
I couldn’t help but quote the Grinch, but just stay with me) When I say EACH
moment of your life is blessed, I’m not exaggerating. I mean, I’m not saying that
as you’re biting into a taco and it depressingly falls onto the floor you need
to yell out “I’m #blessed man!” But I AM saying that even the most ordinary of
days are full of moments that the Lord is calling you to be a present disciple
and serve Him. He is calling YOU, yes YOU, to be present in each moment He
gives you. If you are not open to this message He has for you, you may miss an
amazing opportunity to serve Him. (add a little more)
Lastly, another step to allow
yourself to receive your daily calling from the Lord is to know your limits. By
this, I mean to know how much you can do and what is out of your control.
Always be aware that the Lord is good, and that if something is truly upsetting
you but you know that there is nothing you can do to change it that it is
completely out of your control. Let go of those feelings of helplessness or
regret and move on to what He is trying to teach you RIGHT NOW. If you continue
to dwell on the negativity of the situation, that will only lead you to feel
more helpless. Through that experience of not having control of a situation,
Jesus wants you to walk with Him and see just how that situation is allowing
you to TRUST in His daily plan and allow Him to dwell in your heart forever. Each
day is different and SO blessed in the eyes of the Lord! He doesn’t want to see
any of His beloved children upset over something that is out of their control.
Instead He calls each of us to pray to Him and ask for guidance as simple as
this: “Oh Lord Jesus, I feel helpless and restless, like I can’t do anything to
help this situation. Lift my load Lord, and allow me to find peace in the fact
that this is out of my control and forever in your blessed hands. Jesus I trust
in You. Amen.”
Second lastly…of course I have a
song that I feel can speak to any of you who are struggling with anything I
have mentioned, or if you know anyone who may need to hear this please share
it! It’s a song called “Take A Moment” by Will Reagan and the United Pursuit. It’s
so simple, yet beautiful! Here’s a little quote from it to finish out this
post: “Take a moment to remember, who God is and who I am…there You go lifting
my load again.”
“I’m in love, I’m in love and I
don’t care who knows it!” (With Jesus) (Courtesy of Buddy the Elf)
Love and Blessings
Cass
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