One of those days
Have you ever had one of those days that you want to end right after it begins.? Where everything is just not going your way. I had that kind of day.
Nothing was going the way it was supposed to today. I needed to write small group material and I was drawing a blank on everything, I was trying to fix a sink and it was leaking, I was trying to help one of the other leaders hang something in our youth room and I drilled the wrong size hole.
On the race side of things. I have been getting more nervous about training camp. ( 2 days away) What to pack, are we all going to get along. We have to hike three miles in 50 minutes, that’s not hard if you are just walking but throw a 40pound pack on, and it’s not so easy.
In Matthew 14:26-33 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus Immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come out to you on the water.” “come,” He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind and waves, he was afraid and beginning to sink, he cried out “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, “you of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?” and when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying truly you are the Son of God.
We all know this passage but it still rings true for me. I step out of the boat things couldn’t be more awesome. It feels like I am walking on water I’m focused on Jesus and the task he has for me. The first few steps are great I am reading the bible or I talked to someone about God and they listen! I am seeing victory. But then just for a second, I take my eyes off of Him. I get mad with how things are being done at church, or I become angry with God because something happened that doesn’t seem fair (seeing the storm in other people’s lives,) someone snapped at me so I am going to snap back, people around me complain about something so I start to look for something to complain about, sinks leak, and I drilled the wrong size whole in the wall, and when I take my eyes off of Jesus I start to sink. Sink into depression, self-pity, most of the time I hide what is going on, tell the world that I’m fine when I am drowning, feeling like I have a rock tied to my feet pulling me to the bottom of the ocean. Till I cry out save me! Till I let go of the rock that is pulling me down, let go of the negativity, let go of what is outside my control let go of the worry, let go of the hurt that others have caused. and reach out my hand and cry save me! I can’t hold on to what is pulling me down and reach out to Jesus to lift me up at the same time.
Being the rough day it had been, like being out on the waters without staying focused on God,
Here are the parts of the day that were amazing! I am getting ready for training camp by taking a friend’s dog running twice a week and one of the kids was walking home from the bus stop right as I was getting back. We got to spend time together and he told me about his marching band performance. He is really good.
Later that evening I was at church getting ready for the Wednesday night things we have and a few of the kids wanted to play with me so we went outside to play Ga Ga ball and one of the girls asked what baptism was and what it was for. This girl is around 9 years old and one of the other girls that was baptized a few weeks ago started to tell her about it and I got to watch God use a 9 year old lead someone to Christ. In the mist of all the things I saw as a bad day God was still there never changing reminding me that it’s not about me it’s about keeping focused on him.
