Ever had one of those days where your sleeping pad deflated in the middle of the night, you woke up on the concrete floor, a mosquito decided to take up residence in your tent with you, and the water still hasn’t come back on making it the 5th day in a row with no shower and you just want to pitch all the fits?
Have you ever been through a painful season knowing that God was requiring more of you than you wanted to give and giving you less than you wanted to have?
Do you have something you struggle with that you just can’t seem to shake, sin you just can’t seem to overcome, or are being called to sacrifice something that you just want so badly?
This morning I was reading in John 18 and I was struck by the account of Jesus’ arrest. When Peter grew angry and desperate and cut off the guards ear, Jesus was the first to speak up. He said, “Put your sword away!! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” After reading it, I sat back and began to think of all the times Jesus’ sacrifice came up in scripture and how Jesus was the one to fight for Gods’ will in His life. He knew that it would be costly (which is an understatement) and painful but never once do we see Him speak against the Father. We never see Him ask why or complain bitterly about it. The closest thing we get to it is when He is in the garden and asks, “If you are willing, take this cup from me.” but He is quick to follow it with “Not my will but Yours be done.”.
I see wallowing in the hard times and self pity throughout the psalms and I believe David was most assuredly a high feeler and although I can only hope one day to be a woman “after God’s own heart” it is not David I hope to resemble. I believe David gives us the reality of our flesh and comforts us that it is ok to stumble and fall, to wallow, and to bring out the decorations for our pity party. BUT, I set my eyes on Jesus and want to be more like Him and in Him I see a man that chose the path that God had for him even at the cost of His own life.
I believe that He knew how good the Father is and how deep His love goes for us. I think when He considered the cross, He did not ask, “why?” or spend His time mourning what He had to go through because I believe He spent His efforts in leaning His whole being on who the Father is. He is sovereign and faithful and if He calls us down a dark path, it is not to watch us bend and break under the weight, it is because it is the best way.
Are you struggling today? Do you have something going on in your life that feels unbearable and you ask, “Why me?”. Know that we have Jesus, who was tempted in every way, but fixed His eyes on the Father and His heart and didn’t push away from the will for His life but always fought to walk the road He was called to. Let us also “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1)
I am currently celebrating God’s continuous support through all of YOU GUYS!! It is a honour and privilege to continue to serve Him and there is NO way I could do that without your continued support, encouragement, and donations. I am SO close to meeting my financial goal (only $2,369 away!) and I have to have that in 10 days!! Will you pray about supporting me in that way? My 31st birthday is coming up and I have calculated if 75 people gave me $31 I would be right at the mark!!
