My Only Hope

Ever had one of those crappy days where your day was going bad and every time you tried to get over it, something worse had to happen? Well, maybe the "worse" things weren't ACTUALLY worse, but in your eyes, all you could see was the negative aspects.

Sometimes, it's something small, like getting stuck in traffic, being late to work, or just feeling moody for no reason. Other times, it's something more serious, like maybe you are struggling financially, or maybe something bad has been going down with a relationship or friendship in your life. Maybe a family member of yours is sick and has taken a turn for the worst. Maybe you don't like your job, or you feel like no one loves you. Maybe you are struggling with depression or mourning the loss of someone you cared for very deeply. 

It's times like these, when everything seems to be going wrong, that WE, OURSELVES, can make it A WHOLE LOT WORSE. This is something I have always known to be true, but I have always swept this truth under the rug. I never REALLY knew that I, myself, a human, was genuinely disobeying God by continuing to think negatively and not focusing all of my energy on His love and His power. Does this sound cliche? Because whenever I heard people talk about this issue, (about how our minds and outlook are a direct reflection of what we believe about God's sovereign power) I have really just wanted these people who preach on this whole issue to leave me alone. Well, here I am now.....on my little blog soapbox, screaming this to you because I was a person who couldn't even begin to think like this. I was the person that could not relate to this whole thing. I was the person who was in UTTER DENIAL that I was denying Christ and sinning against Him, by not always stopping for a moment and realizing.....He's got my back. He's got a better plan. His thoughts aren't my thoughts. His thoughts are way higher. Here I am on earth...a little mad, a little sad at these life situations. There He is on the throne, looking down begging me to wake up and CAST MY CARES unto HIM and TRUST IN HIM.......because there is NO other way. Let me rephrase that....there is another way...but it won't give you peace. It won't give you joy. It won't give you fulfillment. Oh, it breaks my heart to think about people who don't have this HOPE! Sure, you can keep doing it your way. You can keep living in this horrible jail cell where you call yourself a Christ follower, but you don't really believe His word. Or you can keep reading the Bible and read about all of the crazy miracles that took place, but not really believe that God would provide a miracle for you. Or you can keep thinking that when you're praying you genuinely believe that God will provide or do whatever it is you are asking Him to do, but in your heart you know that you're just checking prayer off your list for the day. As I share this, I realize I am really putting myself out there, and I am being vulnerable...but I know someone has to read this and need it, because I know I needed someone to share with me how their life was different when they started genuinely putting God first...they saw all of the crazy ways that He will drastically come to your rescue....IMMEDIATELY!

We are all here for each other, as believers. The cool thing is that when we truly seek after the Lord, it is evident to people. Your friends and family will quickly notice your faith really coming to life and really at work. Am I making sense? What I'm trying to say is that we have to lead by example. There is someone in my life that has reached out to me and who has made me WANT to believe the Lord. She hasn't just told me about her experience, and she hasn't just preached to me, but she has literally opened her Bible with me and shared what God's word says. I am the type of person who CANNOT deny the word of God. I just can't. I might not like it sometimes, but I can't argue with truth. What better way to reach out to others then to simply show them what God's word says! God only wants us to share....He will take care of the rest.

I hope this post brings you hope. I hope it brings you a little encouragement. I know that I am someone who loves an encouraging word, so I just felt called to encourage anyone who is going through a difficult time and trying to navigate through life. Don't give up! You are not alone. God is here, and He wants to love on you. Please feel free to message me if you need someone to talk to. After all, why else would I have shared this with you? :)

  "You will keep in perfect peace
   those whose minds are steadfast,
   because they trust in you."
   -Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)