Are You Pressing and Straining into the Unknown? You need Not Go it Alone
I sit at my desk looking out at what is a tropical storm, now Hurricane Debbie. We are faring well despite feeder bands of gusts, wind and rain with a bit of grumbling in the form of lighting and thunder just to retain our attention. Despite the soggy lawn and some minor flooding; our yard has never been so green. It made me think of the medical mayhem that seems to have flooded our life this year. I wonder if this flooding, too, can help green up and enrich the soil that is my life. If so how?
If the mayhem wasn’t mine it was Thad’s. And it comes in like the feeder bands of this tropical storm. The analogy of the storm and the race are not lost on me as I try to grapple with what has happened, what is happening, and what could happen in the future. I try not to look at life these days from a secular perspective because I have learned in my almost 7 decades of life that that view only causes me anxiety. I need to look at it from a higher altitude – from God’s perspective.
The first phase of the storm is where I prepare as best as I can. I am anxious to have to take it on for fear of what is to come. In the first phase I do all I can to center my life with Christ by building a relationship with him through faithful and constance spiritual practices of prayer, fellowship, study and worship.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26 NIV
The second phase of this run has me settling in somewhat, knowing that the storms will intensify greatly. I need to slow down if I am going to make it through. While fear can immobilize; it also can plunge us into a need to being doing which leaves me winded, tired, aching, and in pain with blows threatening to take my breath away. I persevere nonetheless. I find a “new normal” which of course includes propelling myself into the “to do” list I create on the excuse of organization will help all ills. Rather than using this time to reach out and share God’s word with family, neighbors and friends, I begin to relax some of the spiritual practices like attending church weekly, reading my devotions and spending time talking and listening to God’s word. Life events begin to encroach. I get busy with the “doing” in life and not the “being”. Medical mayhem, financial worries, family concerns, death, loss (place your concerns here) distract me and I wonder if I can handle this for any length of time. It is in this time where I need the spiritual practices the most and yet I fail to do what I know I must do.
For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing…For in my inner being I delight in God’s law… Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! Romans 7:19,22
The third phase finds me at the pinnacle of the storm that has taken over my life. I am swirling and blowing in the wind, struggling both physically, emotionally and even spiritually to persevere, to strain and to press on. I am gasping. My lungs feel like I have hit a wall and they are about to explode. I am numb emotionally and spiritually but forcing myself to get to the other side of the mayhem even as I am unsure that I can or even will. This is exactly when we need not isolate ourselves but be cheered on by fellow Christian brothers and sisters in Christ to encourage us to strain and press on towards the goal of winning the race to eternity with Christ.
Are you there? Can you relate?
I know that fear does not come from God and allows Satan to rule my thoughts and guide my actions. Fear floods my world when I forget His power and love are working in my life through His word, and His people.
We cannot withstand the tropical storms without the Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth (B.i.b.l.e.) on the way to eternity. We cannot do this without a faith life. This is where we learn about joyful suffering. Despite the suffering the future is pure joy with God. There is joy in the life of the world to come. Like Christ and because of Christ we have victory over death. We must use this joy against the devil. Our faith life reminds us that The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; but the name of the Lord be praised Job 1:21. Our storms refine our character, drawing us closer to Him and reminding us that it won’t last forever. Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter series states “The cross represents suffering; but the Son represent joy”. How wonderful!
This is where we remember that our source of peace is knowing that God will carry us, will sustain us and will rescue us (Isaiah 46:4).
This is where it is pure faith that is not of this world that pushes you forward – straining and pressing on.
This is where God’s embrace can be felt as the debris of this life is swirling and hitting us throughout the storm. That no matter what the storm in your life is right now it cannot out last God’s love, God’s constant protection, and God’s promise to calm our fears and walk us through the unknown to eternity.
This is where pure will and power – not ours – but God’s that moves you to a transformed life of freedom, joy, sacrifice and the ultimate renewal of life everlasting with God.
Can you see the green grass and rich soil that comes through the pain and suffering of a tropical storm? Can you keep straining and pressing on through faith knowing that there will come a day when the storms of this life will no longer be a part of our lives? Where are you on this journey and how can you gain strength to persevere? Please share so other might be strengthened from your experience.
“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Phillipians 3:13-14 NIV
Thank you for reading my post. If you have found it encouraging please consider liking, commenting or sharing it. Feel free to even re-blog – may these words take flight!
I have additional insights I’d love to share with you found in the pages of my debut book: Surviving Medical Mayhem – Laughing When It Hurts. To order a copy or learn more go to my website at www.lorettaschoen.com
Blessings for Health & Wellness.