Jehovah was not in the wind. And after the wind, an earthquake: Jehovah was not in the earthquake.
And after the earthquake, a fire: Jehovah was not in the fire. And after the fire, a soft gentle voice. (1Kings 19:11-12)

Monday, April 8, 2013

When You Are Weary and You Must Keep Going

What do you do when you are bone weary and like an active volcano that is simmering deep below the surface that could erupt at any moment?

When signs of spring and new life seem slow to appear?




When you have heard hard words thrown at you from your own flesh and blood, but you know it is the truth spoken, and you deserve every hit?

When you sit down as the late afternoon sun beams through the back door and warms your back and the kids are jumping and laughing on the trampoline and you pull out your pen and journal and you cry out and your heart bleeds onto the pages and you admit that you are just a mess and feel like a failure and you really hate what you've become?

When you are empty and exhausted and broken and you have to keep going?

And then you see the fork in the road?




You need to keep on continuing, but you need to make a change at the same time.

There is a choice to make.

There is a fork in the road, and in life it really does make a difference which one you choose.

You can continue on this road mumbling or you can fight for joy.

But in fighting, you are really surrendering.

The fight has already been won, and you need to live the victorious life.

So . . . 

Stop complaining and choose joy.

Stop grumbling and delight in the goodness of the Lord God.

Stop following after your own heart and follow hard after God's heart.

Stop barely coping and boldly come to the throne of grace and commune with God. 


Stop trying to love others in your own strength and let God love through you.








~~~


My sister told me to listen to this song that night before I turned out my light.
I have been redeemed and I no longer need to fight this fight that has already been won and no, God is not done with me yet!

How about you? Do you need to shake off heavy chains?
And live in the victory ~  recognizing that it is a moment by moment dependence on Him?
And give God thanks that He has redeemed you?



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13 comments:

  1. So beautiful. Stopping and choosing joy, stopping and choosing to seek God, with every ounce of strength, this is what is most important. Sometimes I get stuck in a rut and enjoy myself a pity party. Blessings!

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    1. Barbie! Yes! With all our strength! And heart and soul and mind!! Thank you for choosing with me! And to encourage one another to keep on choosing!

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  2. Nice to have found you over at Emily's ... how good it is to delight in goodness :)

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  3. Letting God love through us--so difficult for those of us with an "I'll do it myself" mindset. But at the fork of the road it's the best choice. A beautiful post that both convicted and encouraged.

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    1. It is difficult to surrender, but always the way to freedom in Christ! Humble thank you.

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  4. Stop grumbling and delight....
    Stop following after your own heart...
    Stop barely coping and boldly come...
    Stop trying to love others in your own strength...

    You are so right. Isn't that just, and always, life?
    One step at a time.
    One step toward God.
    This is not only beautiful. It is true.

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    1. So thankful that God reveals such beautiful truth to our hearts as we seek Him. 'One step more, one step more, give me faith for one step more.' {an old Sunday School song that just flooded back ;)}

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  5. It seems the entire body of Christ is struggling & weary this week! Somehow, I think Jesus understood us well when He said, "Come unto Me all you weary & heavy-laden & I will give you rest". We CAN keep going, He carries us! He loves you so much! Love & prayers, in Jesus, Cynthia

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    1. Thank you for the encouragement, Cythnia! Just, thank you!

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  6. I was just telling my husband how I'm tired of being frustrated - the choices of our country, what's going on in my kid's school - and a list of the big things - and I told him that it's so unlike me to be negative and I needed to know how to stop it - and then I come here, read your post - and you give me the same message I keep giving my senior in high school "Choose Joy." I listened to your song - and the peace of it just steeped into my spirit! Thank you for reminding me straight to my heart!

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  7. Great post! I actually downloaded this song from Big Daddy Weave this weekend. Love them!

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  8. YES. This is truth. Thank you friend.

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