Dec 21, 2013

Perspective and Hope

I am so blessed, and so thankful for my life! I am healthy, my family is doing well, and we'll get to see all of them at Christmas (except one). I have a rewarding job and work with great people, I have faithful and caring friends, and to top all that off, I have the best husband on the planet.

Most importantly, I am thankful that I have the Creator of the Universe as my Daddy, my Savior, my Counselor, and my Lord. I'm thankful that Jesus was born to die for me so that I could have eternal life, and live life to the full here on earth.

But I haven't always felt this way - I haven't always appreciated the life I've been given.

Looking back over the years (as many of us do during the holidays), I can see God's hand at work in my life through all circumstances and seasons to get me to where I am today. I also see myself kicking and screaming along the way, resisting out of fear and just plain old rebellion: I wanted *my* way. I often looked at how God blessed others, and measured His love for me by what He gave me...or didn't give me. The term "spoiled brat" comes to mind. That was me, all right!

And yet, here I am today, healed and transformed, thankful, and at peace. Despite all my resistance efforts, despite times of trying to "help" God, despite ME, God worked in my life. And He blessed me with a life I surely don't deserve and didn't do anything to earn. I still don't have everything I want - Don and I never had children - but I trust God has a reason for that. He knows what's best for me and is well able to provide anything I truly need. 

"He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good."  (Romans 8:26-28, end of the paragraph, The Message, emphasis mine)

If you are struggling right now, don't give up hope. Jesus is with you, He loves you, and He knows what you need. Just ask Him and He'll invade your life with His love, His comfort, and His perfect peace that passes all understanding. 

And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.”  (Luke 1:35-37, New King James Version, emphasis mine) 

May the God of miracles - the God who created the miracle birth of Jesus - bless you this Christmas with the miracle of a changed heart: yours!


2 comments:

  1. I'm finally catching up and loved your posts, Mary. Especially the one about wives respecting husbands. Yes, I'm guilty of that more than I'd like to admit!

    I love this post and am so glad we got to be friends this year. I pray this is your merriest Christmas EVER!

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    1. Thank you, Susan, and ditto!! You and your family are in my prayers during your transition times. Looking forward to hanging out with you next year too. Merry Christmas!

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