Just For Me

Just for meJust for me (just for me), You came down because You loved me.
Just for me (just for me), never knew someone to care so much me,
(I never knew someone could care for me); just for me now I'm praying,
(and I adore You, living just for You)


The words of this song remind me as we get ready to celebrate Easter, that 'greater love hath no man than this, than to lay down His life for a friend'...John 15:13.  Have you ever been so overwhelmed with the circumstances of life that you just want to scream. It's not even that any thing out of the ordinary is going on, just day-to-day life. You look at your calendar and you realize everything that is ahead of you. You may have some tests at the doctor. You haven't been feeling well and so you are trying to find out what is going on. It is time for your annual performance evaluation and they are in the process of cutting jobs. You have been doing your best work but there has been a high level of office politics going on and you refuse to play the game. You may be taking care of a sick relative. You may be having problems at home and are contemplating a major decision. Your unemployment just ran out and you are wondering how you are going to pay next months bills. I can name a million other things but I think I have made my point. What lies ahead can make you want to pull your hair out sometimes.


But can you imagine the days leading up to cavalry? Jesus knew what was about to happen. He knew the pain that he was about to endure. And what did he do....he went to the garden to pray. What did he say while he was praying? He asked if God could remove the cup from him. I don't blame him. After all, he was human. He wasn't going to be exempt from the pain at cavalry. He was going to feel pain everytime they struck the nail with the hammer. Not only was he about to suffer physically but emotionally also. He was going to be betrayed. The very people who followed and listened to him daily would turn their backs on him. What pain in his heart this would cause. All of this would be too much for anyone to bear. Of course this doesn't make your issue seem smaller because only you really know your pain.

Why did I bother to tell you all this? By now you know that I am a big advocate for prayer. I believe in its power. I believe it adds light to the darkest circumstances. It has the power to change things. So if you are feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of life then you should pray about it. I know that prayer doesn't seem like much when you are looking for an immediate solution of just a little relief, but your prayers set God in motion. It gives him the go ahead to know that he is free to work. And when you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed out it is okay to ask God to 'remove this cup'. But if you ask this part of the prayer you must end it with the rest of the prayer, 'but not my will but your will be done'. You see, everything we go through serves a purpose and unfortunately we don't see what it is all the time. God may be trying to tell us that we need to pray more. He may be building up other characteristics in us so that when we look in the mirror we see more of him. As children of God we are not in control. The car is in neutral and God is at the wheel. He is making us into what he would have us to be. And what does it hurt to pray? You never know when he may give you some temporary relief. But even if he doesn't, it is still better to go through pain with the Lord than without him. He will give you the strength to 'go on though it' but you have got to 'let God do it'!

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,
I'm tired. It feels like the walls are closing in. If it ain't one thing then it's another. Right now I have a problem that is just to hard for me to handle and it is starting to take a toil on my life. It would be great if you could just take this away from me but I know that may not be possible. Please give me what I need to make it through this situation and in the end I will give you all the glory. In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.