I sat for a while today and thought about where my life would be if I had given up on myself. There have been days and nights that were simply unbearable. Plans that I had made were crushed. Certain dreams that I had never happened. Days when I just did not want to get out of the bed. Sound familiar to anyone? While I know each person has his or her own story, I believe everyone has thought about giving up.
If you have or have had those thoughts, I have a question for you. Have you every stopped to think what your life would be like if God gave up on you? Life sometimes can deal us a horrible hand. We make plans and those plans never happen. We love and we get our heart broken. We raise our children and they disappoint us. We get laid off. We get sick. We watch loved ones die. Many days we feel all alone. There are also days when we are striving to do our best to live right and still we fall short and disobey God. Yet and still He keeps right on keeping his promises. He keeps right on making a way for us. Not because of who we are but because of who He is. And today that's the best news in the world.
Psalms 103:13-14 says, 'The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he understands how weak we are; he knows we are only dust'.
Yes, there are times when God must discipline us. Some behaviors we continue to display must be broken. But don't you realize that, even more so than a disciplinarian, he wants to comfort us. He knows how weak we are, even on our best day. Mistakes are going to happen but don't let that discourage you. There are times when I'm rolling along so well. Everything seems to be moving along on all cylinders. I've just had great quiet time or my own little praise and worship session and then I step out of my bubble and life happens. My reactions aren't always the best. When I'm hurt I put up a wall and can be downright mean to the person on the other side of that wall. It's my defense mechanism. When I really want something, even though God has told me that it's not for me right now, I still go after it, bumping my head time and time again. But none of that matters. He continues to love me. He holds his arms out and says, "Come my child and rest on my shoulders. I still love you. You will make it. I'm right here by your side. I never left." And those words to me, at just that right moment, are worth more than all the gold in the world. Simply because the One who is in control of everything is still on the throne and he hasn't given up on me.
My brother and my sister, as a child of the most high, it gets discouraging to know that we continue to let God down. We don't do the best with the talents he gave us. We are going to fall sometimes but we don't have to stay down. The scripture says, "Two are better than one because if one falls the other is there to pick him up." Now don't get me wrong I am thankful for the people who have helped me to get up again. However, let's look at this verse from a different perspective. I concur that two are better than one, especially when the 2nd person is God himself. He has all the power to help us get back up again. And He will continue to be there for us because He will never give up on His children. Thank you Lord!
Dear Lord,
I praise you today. I thank you for loving me. I thank you even more today because you have never given up on me. I've let you down and I am so sorry. Yet even with all my faults you continue to make a way for me. There are so many things that I don't do as I should. So many things I know I need to do better and with your help I know that I can and will do better. I just can't thank you enough Lord for your forgiveness, your compassion. I love you so very much Lord. In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.
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