Giving Up on “Easy”

“For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!”

2 Corinthians 4:17

 

This was the verse I needed after a rough couple of weeks.  My sweet, patient husband reminded me that “God has a plan for us.” And my response was, “I know but it doesn’t make it any easier right now.”  I didn’t want a plan…I wanted easy.  I didn’t want a fight…I wanted easy.  I didn’t want an uphill climb…I wanted easy.  I didn’t want unknowns…I wanted easy.  I wanted the kind of easy that other people seemed to have and not even realize it.  I felt entitled to easy. 

          Sitting in church on Sunday, I replayed our conversation back.  Then it hit me that I’m not entitled to easy.  He didn’t promise easy…He promised to show up when things got hard.  He didn’t promise easy…He promised to help carry our burdens.  He didn’t promise easy…He promised to stand on the battlefield beside us. 

          This is part of the song we sing at church by the Crabb Family:

So many times I question the certain circumstances of things I could not understand.
And many times in trials, my weakness blurs my vision, and my frustration gets so out of hand.
It's then I am reminded, I've never been forsaken.
I've never had to stand one test alone.
When I look at all the victories, the Spirit rises up in me.
It's through the fire my weakness is made strong.

He never promised that the cross would not get heavy and the hill would not be hard to climb.
He never offered victories without fighting but He said help would always come in time.
Just remember when you're standing in the valley of decision and the adversary says give in,   Just hold on.
Our Lord will show up
and He will take you through the fire again!

            So right now, I’m going to trust His promises, even though they don’t always include “easy”.  I’m holding on, knowing that he’ll show up.  I know that the tougher the trial the more His glory shines and so for right now, I’m okay with giving up on easy.

Purpose or Accident?

           Purpose or accident?  That is a question I find myself asking a lot on a daily basis.  Dealing with 6 and 7 year olds, it’s a question that needs asked quite a few times a day.  “Did you hit him on purpose or accident?”  “Did you hurt her feelings on purpose or accident?”  Rarely, I have a first grader say that he/she did something on purpose…it is most always an accident.  Sometimes though, there’s a little on who will admit that they purposefully did something wrong.

A couple weeks ago, it was one of those days where I had asked that question all day long, more times than I cared to count.  I was on my home from school thinking about our day.  I was tired and grouchy as I recalled the events from the day.  I felt the Lord put the question back on my heart, “purpose or accident”.  I was sick of that question, but the Lord kept placing it in my mind.  “Purpose or accident”?  As I thought about the question, I examined its application on my own life.  Do I do my actions in regards to my walk with Him on purpose or accident? 

An accident is an event that is unplanned and has lack of intention or necessity.  Are my prayers and Bible reading that casual…no real plan…haphazard?  As in any relationship, my relationship with Jesus is a two way street, give and take.  Jesus does nothing by accident, everything is on purpose.  To do something on purpose is to have a goal.  When He was born, it was a necessity.  He didn’t “accidentally” end up hanging on a cross and dying.  He willing placed himself on the cross with intention, He had a goal.  His goal was to save my soul.  He expects that same level of purposefulness from me.  He expects me to live for Him with purpose.  A goal to share His love with others.  Intention to glorify Him.  Determination to make it Heaven one day. 

Purpose or accident?  It’s a simple little question with profound meaning.  So what’s your answer?  Is your walk with Him driven by purpose or accident?