How often do we convince ourselves that we can fix our problems? How often do we use things to cover or numb the pain of it all? Whether it's at the bottom of a bottle, in a man or woman's arms, on a plate or even through manipulation, it's always nothing more than a temporary fix or feel good to a deep down problem or issue. So my question is; what good are we doing, what are we really accomplishing? At some point we have to stop and realize that we can't fix these issues on our own because they always seem to rear their ugly heads again.
I can tell you from experience it has done nothing for me but create more pain and often times more problems. When my marriage was in trouble I tried everything of my own will to fix it. Changing things about myself, giving into this or that, I even tried to manipulate certain situations to make them turn out the way I thought was best. Honestly, it did nothing but make things worse. Well, ok…sometimes it was a temporary fix, but it never lasted and created a "me" that God never intended me to be. It's nothing but a vicious cycle that repeats itself over and over again. Making us tired and filling us with feelings of incapability and worthlessness. This is NOT what God created in us nor did He leave us here to deal with it on our own.
I believe if we put as much effort as we do into these things that we think will solve our problems into serving and praising God that our pains, heartaches and issues will become less and less. Now I'm certainly not saying we won't face some hard times because they come to make us strong. To teach us as well as change and transform our minds into what He created us for, but they will be less and easier to go through when our Mighty God is our focus and on our side.
Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV) 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Taking on His yoke is to join together with Him. Our burdens become lighter because He is carrying the load with us. Through this we find peace for our souls because He is with us, He is guiding us and showing us the way. I know this is hard to do sometimes when we feel like we are at our wits end and just can't take it anymore. We have to continually cry out to Him for guidance, for peace and for rest. He is not a man that He should lie…He can't lie!
If you will, say this prayer with me. Dear Heavenly Father, I humbly come to you giving you all the glory and honor, recognizing that without you I am nothing. I pray that you will forgive me of all my sins and teach me to walk away from anything that is not of You. I give you thanks for all you have done for me, for your grace and mercy that has kept me even when I didn't realize I was in trouble. Father I ask that you will reach out and touch each and every one of us, that your Mighty hand of comfort and peace will rest on our heads. Praying that you will teach us to give our burdens to You, that we will learn to follow Your will for our lives and rest in Your loving arms. Teach us to come to You and pray to You without ceasing, teach us to trust You fully with our whole lives and the lives of our loved ones. We praise and thank You now for what You're going to do in our lives. In Jesus Name, Amen!!
All of us at one time or another has been through this in our lives. we try to fix our own problems which begins a snowball effect. as this problem gets larger, we go to family, friends etc, who's not equipped to handle them, and every time, Jesus is at the bottom of the hill waiting to bail us out. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light. He's our bread, when we are hungry, our shelter in the time of our storm. In my life I have learned not to ask God to fix, but to restore. Let me explain. If I broke a vase, I could go to the store, buy some crazy glue, and put it back together. Now the problem is not that it's put together, but that you can still see the cracks. A lot of us are walking around with cracks. People can still see that you used to be broken. But when God restores you, he takes you back to the place before you were broken...You are brand new. I pray that God restores everything in your life.
ReplyDeleteHe created us, so only He can restore us when we finally decide to surrender Him. Very well said Marcus!
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