The past few months, I will admit that I’ve let so many circumstances get jumbled up in my brain so much that they traveled into my heart, and created quite a bit of havoc in my thinking! Did that makes sense? I hope so…and not that I would wish the same upon anyone else, but I sure hope I’m not alone here. Just being honest with you.
Why do we that? Why do we take an event, a circumstance, a conversation, a tone or a look, someone’s body language ~ and create an entire narrative that begins to haunt us whether we are asleep or awake. Why do I allow my thoughts to grab hold of something, dig in its proverbial teeth and not let go?
Flippant answer ~ because we’re human.
Real answer ~ because we want control…and we want what we want when we want it…that’s why!
Oh, don’t get me wrong…when I have those sleepless nights and days filled with “what if” scenarios that mess with my mind and confuse the reality of life, I definitely pray. I pray and ask God to take those things from my mind. I pray and ask the Holy Spirit to fight the battle on my behalf. I pray and put on the whole armor of God.
And He does…the Lord has never not answered a prayer. Maybe not always how I want it to go, but He always answers me!
But sometimes, just five minutes later, I’ve let the door of doubt crack open just enough that the enemy throws another log on the fire of frustration & anxiety. {Sigh!}
Most days, I stay in the battle until God relieves me from the issues at hand. And nothing feels quite as victorious as a victory with the Lord against the spiritual forces at play! However, I’ll be honest with you…some days, I just want to curl up and binge-watch InkMaster (don’t judge me people!) and eat some chocolate!
But here’s the best part of all of this…
Jesus IS Enough!
He really is and He can prove it ~ actually He doesn’t have to prove anything to me because He is the Alpha and Omega…the beginning and the end. But He shows me in His scripture, He shows me through “Verse of the Day” texts I get on the variety of apps I have on my phone, He shows me via a text or phone call from a friend who “just happened to be thinking of me in that moment” and wanted to encourage me in my day.
What about those times that we allow ourselves to dwell on actual things that have truly happened and have made an indelible mark on our heart? The intentional harsh word from a friend? The cruel comment made about you by someone that didn’t realize you could hear them? The friend who gossips about you and it gets back to you (because you know…it always does)?
Those are not false hurts. Those wounds happened TO you, and are not because you are trying to control the situation. Those moments of heart-pain are most difficult to process, because they weren’t an accident. They weren’t stories concocted in the “what if” part of your thought life.
But still my friend, even in those times {and maybe ESPECIALLY in those times}, Jesus IS Enough!
Psalm 123:2-4 (HCSB) says, “Like a servant’s eyes on his master’s hand, like a servant girl’s eyes on her mistress’s hand, so our eyes are on the Lord our God until He shows us favor. Show us favor, Lord, show us favor, for we’ve had more than enough contempt. We’ve had more than enough scorn from the arrogant and contempt from the proud.”
The Lord’s eyes are always on us. He is always near to gather us to Him and show us comfort. The Holy Spirit is always available to act as our advocate at the foot of the throne when there are no words that can come out of our mouth. Jesus understands deep wounds of the heart. He knows the damage gossip and untruths can cause. And He knows the frustration of a situation that isn’t going as planned.
Matthew 6:33-34 (HCSB) is a promise that has truly become a comfort to me, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Yes…that is actually quite comforting to me. Living the Christian life does in NO WAY…like ZERO…promise an easy ride. You can search the scriptures but you will never find that promise. Jesus knows that everyday will have troubles of its own ~ some days the troubles are like tiny little pebbles we can easily cast aside, and some troubles seem as difficult to traverse as it would be to climb Mt. Everest! Yet, He is there through it all! While on earth in His human form, Jesus went to spend time alone in prayer and conversation with the Father. If Jesus did this…we have got to make time with God a priority as well!!
This passage from John 14:7-9 is one that I absolutely LOVE! Jesus is enough in part because He is not alone either. He is a part of the Holy Trinity. They work together, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to watch over us and care for us when we are hurting and struggling with life. Read these beautiful words,““If you know Me, you will also know My Father. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.” “Lord,” said Philip, “show us the Father, and that’s enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time without your knowing Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (emphasis mine).
When we see Jesus working in our life, when we feel the Holy Spirit guiding our thoughts and actions, when we know that God is putting the details of our life together ~ we have seen the Father. We have seen the Trinity.
So with all these truths and promises, what do we do as Christians in this life? Ephesians 6:19-20 (HCSB) encourages us this way, “Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough in Him to speak as I should.” The Apostle Paul wrote these words when he was ending his letter to the church in Ephesus. We can have this same prayer as we go about our typical day, or a quite atypical time of life.
We need to be bold in our daily walk, in the testimony of our life, and in our speech and habits. The sinful humanity of life in this world, will do its very best to get in our way every single day. But we already have the victory in Jesus.
Jesus IS Enough.
Let me leave this posting with verses from Romans 12:9-21. If you are ever wondering how we are to act in the face of real (or imagined) issues, here is the answer. With the strength of God who created the heavens and the earth, you absolutely can life out your days with honor as you bring glory to the Father who loves you and wants you reconciled to Him.
“Love must be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good. Show family affection to one another with brotherly love. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lack diligence; be fervent in spirit; serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone. Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord. But If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head. Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.” {Romans 12:9-21, HCSB}
Blessings,
René
Broken & Blessed~Adventures in Gratutide! 