Struggle

"Sometimes we forget what's important.  We struggle so long to establish ourselves that we become addicted to the struggle.  We begin to think that if we are not struggling we are not alive."


~Anne Wilson Schaef, Meditations for Women Who Do Too Much


How true is this?  In personal relationships, professional relationships, faith-relationships... the list goes on.  We all know that person - sometimes we ARE that person - who always seems to have some sort of something going on.  It's not to say that the "right" way out is the easy way out, but I think we really need to take a step back, or help those around us to step back, and try to see a bigger picture; where does the real focus belong? 


"Sometimes we have to struggle... sometimes not.  The issue is not the romance of the struggle; the issue is who WE are as we engage in it."


Are we creating the struggle because it's where we think we need to be?  Has it become our comfort zone?  Is the issue at hand a true conviction for you, or is it more of a matter of pride? 


Reuven Hammer says "It is prayer that restores to us the ability to feel, to see, and to appreciate."


When we find ourselves in a pattern of struggle, we must pray.

Think... Think... Think....

I know there's people out there reading my blog, I see the stats every day...

What would you like to read about?  I've hit a bit of a dry spell & could use some suggestions....

As always, praying for you, my gentle readers!

~ Melinda <><

Verse of the Day

James 1:22 - Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.

We've all done it... gone to church, listend to the Word, and on the way out the door done or said something in sin.  Even something as little as stubbing your toe in the parking lot and saying "Jesus!" or forgetting you needed to get groceries on the way home and let a curse word drop nice & loud as you turned the car around.  Or this one.... I know we all do this.... while greeting people & watching the crowds exit church, we start thinking, maybe saying something to our friends or family there with us, about how so-and-so did such-and-such, and can you believe it... passing judgement. 

We're human.  We make mistakes.  That's what forgiveness is all about... But it's not an excuse to not be diligent about living God's words in our day-to-day lives.  As you prepare yourselves for church this week, or weekend- rather, I challenge you to not only be receptive of The Word, but hold yourselves accountable to it.

Flabby Faith & Spiritual Love Handles

I recently joined the worship team at church, and realized that I do not know many of the contemporary Christian songs... DOH!  While I enjoy the challenge of sight reading every Sunday, it's better to actually know some of the music, especially when you're on a mic in front of the congregation...  So I've been listening to the local Christian Rock station, Spirit 105.3.  While I tend to get incredibly sapped-out by some of the "feel good" stories and DJ's, and while the "family friendly sound" of the child laughing makes me think more Children of the Corn instead of Children of God, I really enjoy the music. 

Today they were talking about giving thanks, and what were callers thankful for.  And I'm not quite sure how this story ended up there, but the morning DJ was talking about someone who had been in a 2nd or 3rd world country, spreading the word of God, and when he left the people hosting him said, "We're praying for you."  He turned to them and asked, "What are you praying for?"  And they were silent... eventually, they answered him that they were praying for persecution, so he could become stronger in his faith. 

That almost seems like a completely horrible thing to do, pray for hard times so someone can become stronger!  But then the DJ said something along the lines of how, in America especially, our Faith was flabby.  Indignantly I said to myself, "Ha, my faith isn't flabby, look at the personal struggles I've survived over the last 15 years!"  But really?  I think all of us have our little flabby-faith "love handles". 

Just like any other workout, start simple- a little prayer here & there.  Start with a new routine- give thanks as you brush your teeth every morning, say a prayer for a safe commute as you buckle your seat belt.  Eventually you'll find that you don't have to remind yourself to do these things, you'll just do them.  Then step up to the next, Spiritual-Cardio.  Be there for someone else while they're having hard times... ask if you can pray with them, pray for them, and commit to doing it every single day.  Even take it a step further, see if there are any peer-support programs in your area!  By helping others to carry the load they bear, you're helping to strengthen your faith and love for God, and God's children! 

Be that spotter than helps someone lift their new max-weight on bench press - quite literally help to lighten the load on their heart!!!

Strength in Weakness

2 Corinthians 12:19 "...My power is made perfect in weakness..."  That's one translation- and I must say, a much less confusing or conflicting translation than what I grew up hearing, something about how God's power is made stronger in our weakness.... I always hated the way that made me feel.  I hated that the bible asked us to be weak, made it sound like God glorified in it, that He was rejoicing that we were so powerless....

But now, looking at it, and reading the whole context around 2 Corinth 12:19, I see things a little bit differently:

"But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest in me.

I love it.  I LOVE IT! 

But how do you explain this to someone who hasn't felt Christ's Love, who hasn't felt God's power surging through every bit of their being?  How do you say, "I know it sucks right now, and nothing makes sense, but if you trust the Holy Spirit- yes, this invisible mist-of-a-travel-guide, the Spirit will pray for you when you don't know the words!" (Romans 2:26)  How do you explain Faith to someone who feels like the World has slammed the door on their hand, trapping them there with pain throbbing?

I pray.  I pray that the Lord uses their heart as a conduit even if they don't realize it, and that they feel the Spirit moving in them. 

Pray.  Trust that the Holy Spirit knows what prayer you need....