Have you come to the end of yourself before?
Like you have goals or dreams and you strive for them, but you failed? You fell short?
Maybe you’re like me, you’ve been there and didn’t even want to acknowledge that that is where you were. Maybe that’s where you are now?
If you can identify with that sentiment, I hope to encourage you. You’ve been told you’re not alone, and that there are people who have been in your situation. That’s true. In fact King Solomon pointed out that there’s really nothing in the human experience that is new under the sun in the book of Ecclesiastes. I think the problem for me has always been that though the truth is, I’m not alone. Hard times, and failures make me FEEL the opposite. And I’m faced with a choice.
The choice is the part I see people, myself included miss or forget. So pay attention.
You have a choice to go on feeling stuck, feeling unworthy, or feeling like you just can’t go on.
OR
You can choose to trust in God with your whole life. Beleive that Jesus, God the Son, came as a sacrifice, slain to pay for all your shortcomings. God loves you as you ARE. Nothing you do can make Him love you any more or any less. He just wants you. Start there, the rest is added.
God chose not to force himself on us because love is not forced. He recognized your value when he formed you and he recognized mine when He formed me. He made us to know Him. He wants you as his child. As an heir of all good things. He wants the best for us. The best that we often don’t even want for ourselves. I won’t pretend like I understand completely why we don’t always make the best choices for ourselves, but I know it’s true that in all our striving we’ve fallen short of all that we inherently feel called to be. Our condition is universal among humankind. We look around the world and can see that something is off, and something is off in us. So we ask, why? Often not realizing that there has always been a choice. This choice to trust God or live without Him out of our own strength toiling to find the next constantly eluding fulfillments of pleasure that the world God made offers. We can keep trying to find purpose and meaning out of life from all that was made instead of the maker Himself.
Why is a question all throughout scripture that man posits to God. God in His infinite wisdom and power is not obligated to our question, but in His great love for us has made a promise.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NIV
So yea, no need for rose-colored glasses with Jesus. But there is hope in the “trouble”. You can have peace, you can take heart trusting that Jesus who was not only slain, but was risen will help you begin to rise.
I really need to remind myself of that choice today, everyday it’s a choice available to me. I know that I’m loved. I know Jesus paid it all. My feelings, my sin, and all my insecurities don’t define me, though they try. God defines me so long as I choose to let Him. So I pray, Father, continue to remind me of your great love as displayed in the life of death and resurrection of Jesus my Savior! I pray that for you too. Once you choose Jesus, truly, everything changes.
LIFE UPDATE:
I’m still in the partner gaining process to enable me to serve on the World Race as a missionary to 11 different countries in the 10/40 window come August for 11 months. As far as funds go, I’m almost at 10% of my 18,000$ fundraising goal! Praise God!
I also still need prayer partners to be praying for me, our team, and the hearts of those we minister. If you would like to be more involved or help in someway, please contact me I’d love to talk through ways we can partner to complete the work the Lord has set out on the race.
Also, I will be closing the T-shirt fundraiser soon, so if you’d like one, get your order in by the end of next week. T’s are 20$. 23$ for long sleeve. *extra 2$ for sizes over XL. They look like this:
I’m currently also selling paintings for a 35$ minimum donation and a comitment of prayer for the country represented in the painting and the ministry our team will be doing there. Here are two I have painted so far:
Finally, I’m starting to plan a 5k to raise funds. I need lots of prayer as it is a very daunting task. One I know I can’t do alone. Jesus will help me. Jesus gave me friends and family like you. If your interested in helping or participating let me know!
770-296-8242 or [email protected]
Insta: @daniel_peters1
I’m also on Facebook and LinkedIn 🙂
