Do you feel stuck in life? Like there's no way out? The pressures remain along with disappointments and on top of that ready made temptations to bail out and leave the status quo behind? Don't get out!
This is the time when we need to hang our heads in prayer and submission to God and accept and even learn to embrace our lot in life.
Easier said than done, surely, but with God's help in Christ we can and must do this. It may mean leaving our own dreams behind, including our own vision of how things ought to be. Instead we wait for God's word and his will, whatever that may be, to be worked out over time in our lives. This is the way we're to go; this is the way in following Jesus in our lives. Don't get out but trust in God to get in and do his good work in and out through our lives.
What about you? Are you tempted to get out? What helps you stay in?
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12 comments:
Hi Ted,
I recently heard a pastor say that the biggest problem facing Christianity today is atheism. This rang true in my own life and manifested itself in my not being able to come to grips with difficult circumstances as they arose in my life. When I began to truly believe that there existed an all-powerful, all-knowing, everywhere present, loving Creator, I started to be at peace with, embrace and even give thanks for those difficult circumstances. Peace to you, Kim
"It may mean leaving our own dreams behind, including our own vision of how things ought to be."
Words that, right now, hit me where I live.
Thanks!
stuck right where i should be... in LIFE with God.
only one way out... and that is with Him.
get out? where is there to go? well, where? where would i be without God? i have a good enough reminder of this that i do not ever want to go anywhere without God ever again. ever. for now it is more like giving OVER. continually giving MY WILL to God. continually. let me tell you...there is nothing better...nothing. With out God there is nothing. And nothing is a very dark black deep hole...you do not want to go there...no matter how wonderful the temptation looks now. truth,baby!
Kim, Good thoughts and testimony. We miss out because God is not in our thoughts or not in them according to who he is and his revelation to us.
Allan, Yes, me too, brother.
Nancy, You're so right. When we "get out", we lose out on God's presence. I like your emphasis on giving your will to God's will and doing so continually. This needs to become our habit and practice.
I like what you're saying here, Ted. It applies to all people, of all ages but I think it's particularly relevant for the middle aged person.
When you get to your 40s and 50s, your dreams you had when you were younger meet the harsh reality of your limitations and circumstance.
The testing of what we've built our lives on occurs. And, as kim noted, at times it reveals that we operate under a functional atheism.
ESI, Good words and I've been through that, and probably am just working to get all the way through that, though I think I'm almost done- hopefully. ha.
I like your point about the testing of what we've built our lives on occurs. This hits home for me right now.
Ted,
I think the book "Lost in the Middle" by Paul Tripp may help you on your journey.
I did a book review on my blog that you may want to check out but I think everyone entering middle age will find it insightful and helpful. Here's the link to my review -
http://everysquareinch.blogspot.com/2006/07/book-review-lost-in-middle.html
ESI, Thanks for that book recommendation. I read your post and the insights there are quite helpful.
I certainly think getting older is a reality check for us and a means of us waking up to truth about ourselves that we were oblivious to, or taken in by, before.
Ted, one of the desert Fathers wrote about 1700 years ago, "Stay in your cell, and your cell will teach you everything." They taught that there is an especially deep kind of learning that happens when we stop trying to always busy ourselves or escape.
The ability to sit, where we're at, and find God within the often seemingly godless moments of our lives is a step towards wonderful maturity.
Your reminder here is very timely. Thanks.
Paddy O.,
Thanks for sharing that. Very good thought and surely timely and important for all of us. We too often think of escape in a way that is not according to God's will for us in Christ.
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