It’s a rainy day. This week has been one of those weeks where if I let it, it can spiral out of control then I start to feel down, discouraged and gloomy, like the weather as we speak.
There’s high winds outside my window but also high winds of negative thoughts in my head. I can hear my guilt creeping in saying “What are you sad about, you are so blessed.” Which I am! I am thankful, I am blessed, God is good to me, and I work hard. But it’s funny that especially in seasons when everything is going “good” there’s always an enemy that is present to try to steal, kill and destroy the joy I have. Am I the only one?
In great seasons in our lives we often are having way too much fun we neglect to continue the good habits, the things that kept us going in the sucky seasons because well, life’s good! When in reality we need to be more on guard and prepared for the one day the enemy will try to creep in.
My mom is a good preparer for seasons. She loves the out of season sales! In the winter she buys summer clothes for cheap and in the summer she buys all the coats we buy at full price for less than half the price, simply because the stores say it’s out of season. But what happens when there’s a random day in summer or winter it’s the opposite you thought it’d be? You better bet my mom has the best coat for that one cold day in summer.
Just like my mom we should always no matter what season be looking out for the good things that will benefit us spirituality, mentally, and physically, even if this season we don’t seem to “need” it or we are “good’ on. I’ve heard abs are made in the winter. People with abs don’t wait until summer to work on them. They are working when no one else is so that when summer comes around they bust them out. I think we would avoid a lot of seasons of gloom in our life if we sowed good things or good habits in seasons we didn’t think we needed it. I heard this quote once that said, “I write down three things I’m grateful for everyday, not because I’m a grateful person but because I need more gratefulness in my heart.”
And that won’t even be easy either. When the enemy sees that you’re out to do something good or change something for the better he will try and come in and steal it, kill it or destroy it. Why do we get discouraged, want to give up, or get “busy” when we are out to do something new? Because that’s what he wants, the devil wants you to give up, get discouraged, and get busy. We need to fight against that. We need to speak truth into our lives.
That’s what I’ve done this week. I looked for a verse that would help me this next month.
“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Isaiah 40:29 (NIV)
I’ve been tired, emotionally, physically and mentally. I’m sure election season hasn’t helped. Lol. My son just turned one and he’s an active expressive child. Working from home and watching him is not an easy task. Leading a church is a whole spiritual battle. So I just been tired. So what I’ve done these last few days is focused on truth. My truth is God called me, He chose me, He knew I’d be here at this moment with a one year old through a pandemic. He knew. I trust Him. And just like the verse above says, He gives me strength and increases my power, because I am weary and weak. He is my strength. Paul says it too in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NIV, “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
What are you feeling this week? Perhaps you are great! If that’s you, I encourage you to stock up on hope, faith and love so next season you can pull from what you been feeding yourself. Keep cheering others up, keep serving people, keep reading your word. If you aren’t great, do not spend another day allowing the enemy to steal, kill or destroy the good that is around you. Speak truth, Gods truth. If you have a roof over your head on this rainy day look up and thank God for it. If you go get a coffee today, pay the one behind you and cheer someone else up. Sometimes that’s all we need to cheer up, serve others. If you feel alone, spend time journaling or talking out loud with God. He is your friend and he cares for you.
I am praying for you.
Vary well said