Over the past few weeks it has become apparent that I've somehow traded my personal faith in Christ for a personal faith in Santa Claus. I've spent less time being humble and more time determining what exactly I need to do right to justify more grace. I've even made a list of the things I need to happen by the time summer is over. (Nothing crazy, just stuff like make sure my job will pay the bills while my husband is in school and have the money to pay for tuition... stuff like that) In itself the list isn't what I find frustrating... it's my attitude. Now I'm even treating Santa Claus like my own personal assistant thinking, "Get to it, Santa!"*
Sometimes when I feel like I am losing perspective on things, I spend a little time thumbing through my tattered copy of the New Testament. Usually I manage to stumble upon something that strikes a chord but occasionally I come up dry. With the up-side amounting to increased faith, and the down-site being 30 minutes of dry reading, I figured I'd take my chances. So last night I ended my day with a little time rummaging among my favorite verses. Not sure why. Just hadn't been there in a while and thought I'd take a quick peek to see if anything new happened to fall out. I bounced through the usual stuff... running the race... press on towards the goal... He who began a good work in you will be faithful... and then I found it... that little piece of writing where you slow down and back up to read it again, that little bit of writing that causes you think for just a millisecond, "maybe that's what I was supposed to get out of this".II Cor 4:8 "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair..."
After reading it for the third time I thought to myself, "That sucks. Not too terribly encouraging."
*
Now, having thought about that passage for nearly a day I find it comforting, really. Not that I'm going to type it up and post it on my fridge or anything... but it's comforting in just the same way when my dad will respond to my gripes and complaints with, "Yup Jo, sometimes life just sucks... but you'll make it through." So I guess for now I will be content in being a little pressed and perplexed, with the assurance that I won't be crushed. Just like my father said, "you'll make it through".
1 comment:
Some good wisdom there, my friend. Some time ago, I came to the realization that I don't grow unless I'm put under some pressure to grow. It's far more comfortable to stay the same. When your perspective changes to see the pressure as a growth opportunity, it IS comforting... that God tells us he won't give us more than we can bear. We won't be crushed.
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