“I can open your eyes, take you wonder by wonder
Over, sideways and under on a magic carpet ride...
Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling through an endless diamond sky”
Life ain't simple. There are good days and bad days. Hopes crushed and dreams fulfilled (Prov 13:12). Friends made and friends lost. Plans made and plans unraveled. It's pretty complicated at best.
Sometimes even, life feels like a straight up washing machine, a big wave that keeps taking you out – like you’re tumbling round and round, not making progress and semi drowning – i.e. not a fun time.
This does not mean Jesus has bailed on you. He is still there in the washing machine; He is there through the storm. Sometimes it's just that over, sideways and under is part of his journey for you. In Matt 14:22 Jesus sends his disciples in a boat across the lake, full well knowing that they would be facing a storm on the way. The rough time was not outside of God's sovereign and perfect will for their lives.
So the question I ask myself today is: what am I going to do with the hard, topsy-turvy moments of my life? Am I going to let them sandpaper me more and more into God’s shape? Or am I going to drop my lip and hop off the carpet, thinking my way is better and easier? Will I choose to learn from my mistakes or will I shrug my shoulders to the correction and conviction and keep on making the same mistakes? Will I push into Jesus in the adversity, or will I push him away? Will I hold on tight through the rough patches, through the motion sickness and nausea, knowing that God’s beautiful will for my life will prevail (Jere 29:11, Prov 19:21), that he will complete what He has started in me (Phil 1:6), and that he is always in control (Romans 8:28)?
This does not mean Jesus has bailed on you. He is still there in the washing machine; He is there through the storm. Sometimes it's just that over, sideways and under is part of his journey for you. In Matt 14:22 Jesus sends his disciples in a boat across the lake, full well knowing that they would be facing a storm on the way. The rough time was not outside of God's sovereign and perfect will for their lives.
So the question I ask myself today is: what am I going to do with the hard, topsy-turvy moments of my life? Am I going to let them sandpaper me more and more into God’s shape? Or am I going to drop my lip and hop off the carpet, thinking my way is better and easier? Will I choose to learn from my mistakes or will I shrug my shoulders to the correction and conviction and keep on making the same mistakes? Will I push into Jesus in the adversity, or will I push him away? Will I hold on tight through the rough patches, through the motion sickness and nausea, knowing that God’s beautiful will for my life will prevail (Jere 29:11, Prov 19:21), that he will complete what He has started in me (Phil 1:6), and that he is always in control (Romans 8:28)?
Sometimes we will soar and sometimes we will tumble. Keep going. Keep fighting the good fight. Keep running with perseverance the race marked out for you. Sometimes you will freewheel and life will be effortless. Other times it will feel like you have to push through miles of chin deep mud. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God you will receive his promises (Heb 10:36). Fix your eyes on Jesus and push through.
The endless diamond sky of eternity with Jesus will be so absolutely worth it!
The endless diamond sky of eternity with Jesus will be so absolutely worth it!
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