It's a good day! After moving in with family, we've had very few things that we've been able to keep with us. I located my one box of favorite books that I knew I could not part with, and got to open them today! More and more, I realize that books are a treasure that I cannot live without! My books are a journal and story of the things that I was learning or found remarkable during the different seasons of my life. I pulled out an old favorite, "The Purpose Driven Life," by Rick Warren and was flipping through some chapters and am quickly reminded why it was so life-altering the first time I read it. Here are a few quotes that jumped out at me:
1) "You'll never know that God is all you need until God is all you've got." This statement I can completely identify with! I have been thinking back to the day when the floor dropped out from under me, once we got here. I can not even describe in words how hopeless and wrong it felt to be in a place that I was alone and under fire. I've never experienced not being able to hold myself up and not being able to control sadness. Over my life, I've had my share of hurt that seeped out as anger. I've rarely allowed hurt to be displayed as hurt. It is too scary, too unsafe and vulnerable, so I hide it away, or so I think. It's kind of like the cartoons where the guy tries to plug the holes where water is spilling out, but only finds that you don't have enough fingers to plug them all. Emotions spill out regardless of how we attempt to control them.
2) "When we're in pain, we don't have the energy for superficial prayers." In one of my earlier journals, I put a quote from Kate Goselin about listening to other women talk about insignificant things in life and not being able to identify, or care, about such trivial stuff. I have encountered this also. Things happen around me and I want to scream....I'M ON FIRE HERE!! CAN NO ONE SEE THIS! Not that I need attention, just that as my life is upside-down, things have not necessarily changed for everyone else. Ultimately my perspective is primarily based on necessity and need right now, and I get that this is about my growth, character building & priorities.
3) "Your focus will determine your feelings." Well, I am beginning to hear this, I wouldn't even go as far as to say, I'm learning it yet!
And 4) "The situations that will stretch your faith most will be those times when life falls apart and God is nowhere to be found. When you feel abandoned by God yet continue to trust him in spite of your feelings, you worship Him in the deepest way." This is the good news! It becomes easy to be critical of myself and think, that my frustrations with our circumstances (and thus God, for He is in control) equal unfaithfulness. I do trust you God, please take my anger and attitude and refine me into a beautiful silver that reflects you.
No comments:
Post a Comment