Leave it all Behind

I'm hurting.  A lot of people are hurting.  The world is Satan's playground and he is causing more havoc than usual.  From fractured marriages to men and women losing their husbands and wives, or a 25 year old Missionary coming home from Africa only to find out she has a brain tumor.  Those are just a few things I know of personally and then there is the usual fare of murder/suicide, armed robbery, mayhem of all types including senseless violence, senseless abuse, verbal, physical and otherwise....so many things that are bad.  It makes you just want to crawl into a hole and pull it in after you! 

On the days that I feel overwhelmed and frozen, numb to the point that I feel like I can't move forward, I try really hard to remember what Christ went through on the Cross for me, for you, for all of us.  He didn't want us to go through trouble, defeat, sadness, strife or any kind of pain or horrible circumstances alone.  He did what He did so that the Holy Comforter, the Holy Spirit would be there for us to grab onto so that we would feel His protection and His love.  

We must guard our hearts in Christ.  "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." (Proverbs 4:23).  Even when we are pushed passed the limits of what we think we can handle, we have to remember that He can handle anything and He will handle it for us if we just ask Him to step in, hold our hand and walk with us through whatever it may be that holds us hostage from moving forward and living our utmost for His highest!

When you find yourself empty and in despair, just remember that  "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7).  He can do anything.  Even if you're tired of waiting, keep being patient, because He will reward you for it!  "You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised."  (Hebrews 10:36).

No matter what you are going through, there are others on this planet who are going through far worse.  No matter how battered, bruised and helpless you feel in your situation, know that it could be worse and just be stronger than you have ever been before.  "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!"  (Philippians 4:13).  This should be just one verse we bring to our minds on purpose the minute we wake everyday.  The other one is, "This is the day that the Lord has made I will rejoice and be glad in it."  (Psalm 118:24).  These two verses will automatically set your mind on Christ which will change your mindset for the day.  If you learn how to change your "self-talk," you will already have a head start on the evil one!

I've got a lot of issues right now that have me up against a wall, but Jesus is standing between me and the problems I face so that they are not allowed to swallow me whole, destroying me and my ability to witness to others for Christ.  He holds my heart, my mind and my soul, and He is never going to let go.  If you believe that?  Then no matter how tired, no matter how battered you are by this life, just put down your sword, and come and sit with Him for awhile.  Let Him hold you, Let Him know your pain, because He does care.  "Cast your cares upon Him, for He cares for you!"  (1 Peter 5:7).

Talk to the Lord.  I speak to Him out loud like He's my best friend sitting right next to me!  I talk to Him constantly, in order to continue on in this life waiting for the day when He will come and carry me away.  "Pray without ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  

If you need to be filled again because you feel like you're runnin on empty?  Come to Him now.  He is there waiting for you.  He wants you to feel His love for you.  Let Him love you.  He will help you get to the finish line.  "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize?  Run in such a way that you may win."  (1 Corinthians 9:24).

We are all running a race, but when we run towards Christ in every situation, giving Him praise in the good times, and running towards Him as fast as we can in the bad times, the problems will seem to slip away into the ether.  Even if it's just for awhile, He is still giving us relief from the problems that overwhelm us so that we can continue to "run so as to win" the race.

Wherever you may be on your journey, up or down, remember He is there and that He wants you to come to Him when you need Him.  Don't miss out on the greatest friendship you will ever have.  

Come and drink from the wellspring of life and be refreshed so you can make it through another day.  He will be waiting!