Down But Not Out

There are times when the truth about life can seem overwhelming. What are some of the truths? Death, betrayal, pain, tiredness, stress, pressures of time and expectations - just to name a few.

Today seems to be on of those times for me. I am surrounded by piles of unsorted mail, dirty dishes, children's school papers, dirty laundry, clean laundry to be put away, unmade beds, a son who needs yet ANOTHER round of antibiotics, and an open house to get ready for that we are hosting in one week and 1 day! We are still working through the struggles of knowing my Father-in-Law's time with us is short as he loses his battle with cancer, and now today we heard the news that my sister-in-law did not come home AGAIN last night because she was with another man.

What should have been my day to get some major work done has become refocused! My husband is now spending 12 hours of his 1 day off a week with my brother to help him out in any way he can (and he is glad he has the freedom today to do that). I will now be toting my sick son with me to my lunch appointment, and when my daughter comes home from school she will be joining us in my trip to an open house that was supposed to be my "away time" where I could just be me and have a few moments alone and not be mom.

I should be depressed, down in the dumps, and whining. But that's the beauty of Christ and living by his Spirit! While it is not my favorite day or even favorite time in life right now, I am not left without hope. Why? Because of a few promises I can cling to.

In Hebrews 13:5 it says that God has said, "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you."

In 2 Corinthians 12:9 God said to the Apostle Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

I am not walking through all this alone! Right in the middle of all this is the very creator of the universe, the one who carefully fashioned me in my mother's womb!

Ps 139:13-14 "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

I just love the first part of that Psalm as well.

Psalms 139:1-10

1 O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.

5 You hem me in--behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast."

Look at verses 5 and 6. How often when things are chaos around you or you are walking through painful events and emotions do you long for a comfy pair of sweats and sweatshirt and want to curl up in a soft blanket? God is the ultimate comfort!
He "hems me in--behind and before; he has laid his hand upon me." Can't you just feel his strength and security? He completely surrounds and holds secure!

I also know that God is merciful and can change ANY heart! I love this passage from Job.

Job 33:26-30
"He prays to God and finds favor with him, he sees God's face and shouts for joy; he is restored by God to his righteous state. Then he comes to men and says, 'I sinned, and perverted what was right, but I did not get what I deserved. He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit,and I will live to enjoy the light.' "God does all these things to a man - twice, even three times - to turn back his soul from the pit,that the light of life may shine on him."

This is my prayer for my Sister-in-Law - that she would pray to God and find favor with him and that he would change her INSIDE and out.

2 Corinthians 5:17-18
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

Ephesians 4:22-24
"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds;"

May God renew her in the attitude of her mind that she be made whole and complete and that her longings be satisfied!

Ah, I really have to get back to life now and dive into those dirty dishes and laundry. This time has been theraputic for me, however, because again I find strength and renewed determination to meet all challenges head on because I know the one who is holding me has proven himself to be Lord over ALL!

AMEN!