God has been working on my heart. Continuing with the theme of living a life of purpose.
Sunday night a team that recently traveled to Guatemala shared about their experiences. I also got a comment yesterday asking:
Jill, can I ask you a question? Did you ever just have one of those days where EVERYTHING seemed to go wrong and you just want to sit down in one place and barely breathe for fear of another unfortunate thing happening? What do you do on those days to survive?Some days it seems like that is all I am doing 'surviving', not thriving and certainly not living the life of abundance. At least not abundant joy. Maybe abundant opportunity, or abundant laundry, or abundant children, but not abundant joy.
The Guatemala team shared about this sweet little deaf girl, who given a different set of circumstances would have been able to hear. Of course I immediately thought of Kate and was brought to tears. But really given another set of circumstances it could be any of us. But for the grace of God.
How much time do I waste on the trivial? As I contemplate whether we should sheet rock our basement, there are people going hungry, people without homes, children without parents, people suffering and hurting. While I am trying to figure out I picked the right shade of brown for the bathroom, someone is wondering where they will spend the night. It makes my "issues" seem so small, and they are, at least most of the time.
I find that when my eyes are in the right spot even in the place of chaos and confusion there is peace. A peace that passes understanding (right, Jamie ;o) But so often I get my eyes on the wrong thing. The trivial, the non-essential.
I have no idea what is going on with mholgate, and I certainly don't want to belittle what is going on in her life. Sometimes life is so hard that all you can do is keep breathing and trusting in the One that holds you in the palm of His hand.
God, keep working on me, give me your eyes.
6 comments:
Jill, thank you for your kind words, and your post. Not by coincidence, I'm sure, I heard that song on the radio while cleaning my kitchen today. God is really teaching me how to look past my own circumstances and be thankful for what He has given me. You are an inspiration to me to keep on running the race.
I love that song. I too have been thinking about similar things you have Jill. Why is it we really don't care about the eternity of those around us? I mean, I do care, but not enough apparently to risk talking to them about the Lord. That is why I love that song. It so echoes my heart. There is a lady I am trying to be a witness to, but it is difficult because I sense her lack of interest in God or church. Will you pray for her? and me to have an opportunity to share? I only get to talk to her if I call and she's home. I have to be real intentional, which translates into work, ya know?
I also think we do get caught up in the here and now way too much. I think because of our abundance and need to accumulate and have fun, we miss out on the Father's joy at times. I was reading this week of a family that spends their Christmas vacation going on a mission trip somewhere with their whole family. They really are kingdom minded. I think that's one of my pet peeves with gift giving. Even if I'm doing the giving, the people I buy for don't need anything! How many gifts do we receive that we then have to figure out what to do with because we really don't need it? Can you tell gifts isn't my love language? I am not trying to be cynical, but I would love to spend my Christmas or summer vacation with my family on missions somewhere. Of course, that still takes money, but if everyone in my house had the same like mind (I really don't know if they would or not), I'd do it in a heartbeat. Well, there's all my thoughts for now. Thanks for this great blog.
P.S. Can we get the pear bread recipe sometime???
Excellent post, Jill! It's my prayer, that I see things with HIS eyes. Sometimes life gets a little chaotic, but it's my desire that those times would lead me to a place of living a life completely dependent on Him.
I haven't heard that song before, thank you for sharing it. I am trying to be more purposeful in SEEING where God is at work and now I am challenged to SEE humanity around me. I am guilty of asking God to help me make good food choices. Sounds trivial when there are so many out there who have no choices.
Thanks for always sharing your heart with the blog-world, my friend.
You musn't diminish that as a ministry for Kingdom growth.
I , too, love that song.
Who is it?????
Might I suggest that you consider disaster relief in your future????
Only "kingdom minded persons" need apply.
;0)
Thanks for the encouraging words Jill, as always God uses your little "life lessons" to speak to my heart...
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