Today is a fresh, new day. Yesterday's hardship and tears are washed away in the light of a new dawn. Thankfully.
I am reminded of my need to be more vigilant in the season I am in to cultivate my faith like a mother bird spreading her wings over her newly-birthed babies. I need to pursue peace, and to keep my mind focused on Jesus and His goodness and faithfulness, His largeness of power and presence, to keep a mindset of purity, prayerful in belief, my heart pressing into love, moment by moment if need be.
TRUST: not in any human, not in myself, especially not my feelings, which dictate so much of what I do, but in God alone.
REMEMBER: His unfailing, tender guidance of my life thus far, and my path led by His light. I can let go and be filled with a complete sense of tranquility even in the midst of confusion, uncertainty and turmoil.
PRESS ON: you cannot go back and live in past triumphs (though they encourage and build up from what they did for me in that time), nor can I dream incessantly of what if's and maybe's of the future- but I have control only over what my attitude, choice of thoughts and mindset will be, and my response to life's up's and down's in a spirit of love are. I embrace His grace in my weaknesses, which are constant. I will bless the Lord at all times, choosing obedience to Him even when it is painful or humiliating. I will love fiercely those dear humans who He has entrusted to my care, trying to keep at bay offense, anger, and complaints so that instead I uplift, bless and elevate them to higher places.
I choose to be free like a child. A child does not analyze everything seemingly suspicious in a deceptive effort to self-protect. They entrust themselves fully to the mature adults in their lives. How much more, if I really believe God is good and He is for me, can I submit myself with abandon to His loving care and keep the hope alive that He will do what He has promised and work all of these "impossible" kinks out to His great glory?
He keeps reminding me of how much bigger He is than any of the obstacles or losses this world present. He holds Chris in His hand still, His love pouring out on the lost ones, the wanderers, seekers,sleeping amnesiacs, and the ones He calls His own, and He will have the final word. And it will be great indeed!
Here is a paragraph that has given me a lot of comfort and joy today and in my past:
Delayed answers to prayer are not refusals. Many prayers are received and recorded, yet underneath are the words,"My time has not yet come." God has a fixed time and an ordained purpose, and He who controls the limits of our lives also determines the time of our deliverance."
There is no guilt or shame when you are His. When you know Him, you start to know this fully. That the more you think you know of Him, the more mystery seems to evolve. But there He is, in between every thought and pressing against our hearts gently, no further than the echo our heartbeats make as they thud on the inside of our chests. He is there in the breath, in the tears, and in the gasps we make while laughter fills our mouths. Closer still than any friend or any THING. I am so thankful that He never leaves me.
