Battles

I wonder how many times a day people pause to consider how it is we each face challenges. I know of late I have been doing that a great deal. But then again, the conditions of my days have been fertile ground for that kind of pondering.

You know how people say bad things happen in threes? It is a stupid superstition I know. If you look at it from different perspectives one could say it is even optimistic in its approach. In other words it is a bunch of hooie. My bad luck seems to be multiplied by some equation that takes a scientific calculator to get the answer to. Do I sound a bit of a whiner? I’m not sure I am whining as much as I’m starting to think ok, enough is enough already. You’ll know when I’m in a fullblown whine. You’ll hear the tone oozing off the monitor. Actually if I took the time to make a song out of the trials of late it would be either country or blues. Heck, I even have the sick dog.

So how have I been facing the challenges? Well at first I went into that comfortable place called denial. Denial on the surface is a wonderful place. Nothing affects you in the world of denial. Or so we like to think. Peek behind the doors of this sheltered world and you find fear and confusion ready to pounce. Which is where I journeyed next.

Fear and confusion kind of go together. I’ve never known a time they traveled separately. They kind of feed each other really. Making each other stronger and more powerful. Left unchecked they can lead a person to a living hell. The only way to fight them is through the power of God. That means surrendering it all at His feet. Fear will try to manipulate your thinking that if you release this that the outcome will be dire. Only through personal control will we overcome. That is a bunch of bull and don’t let fear “confuse” you. It, fear, is attempting to keep you prisoner to its power and the circumstances. It knows its power is no match up against the power of the Lord’s. So even though the earthly vessel screams in fear, the only way to find peace and freedom is to surrender it all to God and His power to take away fear and confusion. I might add, this is an ongoing process. That is our fault, not God’s.

So, I continue to surrender circumstances, fear and confusion to God. This is a good place to be. It gives me enough strength to move forward. But…..now I find myself fighting impatience. This one is probably even tougher to fight sometimes then fear. Oh to wait for His timing in everything and to do it with a thankful, praising heart. I am so weak in this area and I struggle to find what it is I need to do so His power can take over. How does a person surrender impatience? I try to release it but it seems to be stuck to me with some industrial strength adhesive.
I have even suggested a compromise. It goes something like this. You don’t have to take away the trials I already have….just please stop adding additional ones. Let me just gnaw on these for a while until the taste is gone and then we’ll talk. So far the answer has been no. I’m looking into revising the offer and see what happens.