If you're like me during a typical day, I normally experience times of highs, the best of those when I'm singing a song, like yesterday, when I was singing this one. These are times of grace, and sometimes high points are just times of fun, as well, as when I was laughing yesterday, hard to say the least at this.
But also I can and do encounter those low points, usually daily. And sometimes those seem more prevalent than the highs. Like when I'm tired of this and that conflict over, say for example, political differences, or differences in nonessentials made to be important. Or just being tired and discouraged when much seems lost and I'm just holding on.
I think an important point for us to remember in the low points, the desert places we walk through, is that God's grace is in those places, as well. We need to persevere in faith, even in the midst of weakness, knowing that the Lord is ever near to help us through, and glorify himself in the process. And that's always good, and great to be a part of. Even as we simply sense this to be the case.
Remember: It's never about us looking good, but about God being glorified in us through Jesus. And God will often be so, in the midst of our weakness and what others see in us as truly unremarkable. This is one major way and place in which God wants to do his work through us in Jesus. And an underrated, undervalued place, as well. I'm a slow learner in this, but I think I'm getting it a little better.
What about you? What do you see in your highs and lows which can help us better glorify God in our everyday living?
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10 comments:
Ted, you wrote this post just for me! It is hard to balance the highs and lows..and that takes such an emotional and spiritual toll. During low points I try to step back and see God, and sometimes that isn't easy. My low points at work deal with people getting a long and I am slowly learning how to balance peoples' moods, emotions, reactions against my own..and not over react to a situation. I hope that glorifies God!
sometimes i forget to go to Him ... to speak to Him. thoughts and feelings get dammed up inside and i become bloated with the excess. when that happens, i also become myopic. vain imagination is a terrible waste of a mind and creativity. BUT when i go and i speak ... i not only empty out of what is stagnant ... i also fill with living, moving water.
Good thoughts here.
As a pastor, I hope that the low times of life help me to be more sympathetic and empathetic toward persons in the midst of their difficulties.
very nice post, ted.
i totally agree with you.
God's Love and grace is ours even though we don't always feel it.
Rachel,
It sounds to me like God has put you in a place not only to grow yourself, but to be a light in Jesus for others. As you do what you so well describe here, I think you'll be living that out and really glorifying God.
But yes. I'm wiped out this evening myself, as I encoutered more of the same today. In answer to prayer it ended well. But one is still tired when all is said and done.
Laure,
Good words. I much agree. We need that living, moving water, for sure. I am automatically stagnant, otherwise. But even during those times, I seek in the Lord to go on, seeking him. I have to try to take in that living water of the Spirit by faith. Rivers flowing out from us, Jesus said.
Allan,
So very true. That helps me alot. When I'm down and barely holding on, it can bring not only a healthy needed humbling and humility, but can help me identify more readily with others who are struggling and maybe down and out.
Thanks.
Nancy,
Yes. Feelings we must never go on, but on the truth of God's word, by faith. Feelings certainly come and go. Nice to have them, but we must not live by them.
Thanks.
I'm learning that the highs don't last and neither do the lows...and God is master over both.
ESI,
Very true. Christians can be living on experience rather than on God's word, and for such, highs are everything and lows are to be avoided.
At the same time there are those who for whatever reason live in strong lows, which seem to last longer than for most people. Jeremiah might be a case in point from Scripture. Whatever the reasons, it's good to know that God is present and Lord over all our highs and lows.
Thanks.
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