"A
ruthless giving up of
fear and worry
and a
relentless discipline
of taking on
trust"
There's no end to the variety of things I could give up for Lent and I have toyed with some of these things. But this past Sabbath when I began to seriously think about this aspect of Lent I was in a place of being overwhelmed again with the heavy "burdens" of some that I love. I think I use the word burden to cover up the reality of worry as well as the heavy weight I carry that I MUST in some way relieve the pain. And yes, God has called us to not only love and pray for those under trial as well as tangibly care. This isn't hard for me to do. There seems to be this river of compassion which is always flowing within but so often it floods me in ways which are are not healthy for me.
And so, while it may sound and seem simplistic or perhaps even impossible to give up something which comes to me quite naturally, I can attest that this will not be as easy as giving up chocolate! Worry and fear are a part of my life and though God and I have been pushing back against this for countless years, it's still my default in the dailyness of life.
I don't want it to be this way. I waste so much energy worrying over things I have no control over and being afraid of that which should not imprison me. I so deeply desire to be constantly laying on Jesus my worries and fears instead of marinating myself in them. I feel like this pattern has got to stop! Jesus wants it to stop! He longs for me to live in freedom and trust even more than I do! It would be beautiful if I could default to trust, wouldn't it?? Oh my!!
Some of you may feel it's impossible to slay these ugly dragons. For sure heaven is the place where shalom will perfectly blanket me, but if Jesus is really who He says He is, then He is able to change me, to grow me, to mold me more and more into His image. I believe this. And my part is laid out for me. I use the words ruthless, relentless, discipline for a reason. Because it's what it will require of me. I'm weary enough of the drag-me-down way that worry and fear deplete me, that my motivation to do some serious battle is high.
A friend of mine who is now with Jesus had a beautiful mantra throughout her cancer journey. Despite the way in which her story was unfolding she would say with confidence--"God's got this". The banner at the back of the church on the evening of her Celebration of Life shouted--"God's got this!" And in her husband's closing words at the service he claimed--"God's got this".
I think of her mantra often, but I don't consistently live it. I know that those words were not easy for her or her family to speak. But believing "God's got this" and still experiencing a breathless agony of sadness are not the same. So though I long to live with open hands to this God whom I worship, I will continue to honor the emotions He created me with which include sorrow.
It's time to step into enemy territory with the Trinity by my side. It's time to "ruthlessly give up fear and worry and relentlessly discipline myself to take on trust".
This year I am grateful to share this Lenten journey with a dear friend. I feel honored to take up this battle alongside of her.
Together we will seek to ruthlessly give up worry and fear.
Together we will relentlessly discipline ourselves to take on trust.
Together we will fight to believe that God's got this.
Amen...so be it!
And so, while it may sound and seem simplistic or perhaps even impossible to give up something which comes to me quite naturally, I can attest that this will not be as easy as giving up chocolate! Worry and fear are a part of my life and though God and I have been pushing back against this for countless years, it's still my default in the dailyness of life.
I don't want it to be this way. I waste so much energy worrying over things I have no control over and being afraid of that which should not imprison me. I so deeply desire to be constantly laying on Jesus my worries and fears instead of marinating myself in them. I feel like this pattern has got to stop! Jesus wants it to stop! He longs for me to live in freedom and trust even more than I do! It would be beautiful if I could default to trust, wouldn't it?? Oh my!!
Some of you may feel it's impossible to slay these ugly dragons. For sure heaven is the place where shalom will perfectly blanket me, but if Jesus is really who He says He is, then He is able to change me, to grow me, to mold me more and more into His image. I believe this. And my part is laid out for me. I use the words ruthless, relentless, discipline for a reason. Because it's what it will require of me. I'm weary enough of the drag-me-down way that worry and fear deplete me, that my motivation to do some serious battle is high.
A friend of mine who is now with Jesus had a beautiful mantra throughout her cancer journey. Despite the way in which her story was unfolding she would say with confidence--"God's got this". The banner at the back of the church on the evening of her Celebration of Life shouted--"God's got this!" And in her husband's closing words at the service he claimed--"God's got this".
I think of her mantra often, but I don't consistently live it. I know that those words were not easy for her or her family to speak. But believing "God's got this" and still experiencing a breathless agony of sadness are not the same. So though I long to live with open hands to this God whom I worship, I will continue to honor the emotions He created me with which include sorrow.
It's time to step into enemy territory with the Trinity by my side. It's time to "ruthlessly give up fear and worry and relentlessly discipline myself to take on trust".
This year I am grateful to share this Lenten journey with a dear friend. I feel honored to take up this battle alongside of her.
Together we will seek to ruthlessly give up worry and fear.
Together we will relentlessly discipline ourselves to take on trust.
Together we will fight to believe that God's got this.
Amen...so be it!
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