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Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Uncomfortable Seat Belts

I am feeling like a rookie juggler these days struggling with rhythm and balance. I'm pursuing my normal day to day duties as a mother and wife as well as working hard to use my God given gifts in this world to make a little extra money. As well as, preparing for my third son to come into this world in about 4 weeks.

Juggling along, I'm also noticing the seat belt I strap into each day is getting a bit snug and uncomfortable. I cannot deny it...my heart is overwhelmed and I ‘m struggling to not crumble as I want to utter the words, “What am I doing?” Stress.

Do you ever feel the same way? Does stress rise up in you as you seek to do your best each day?
Some days are just hard…some days are just so full of discouragement without even being able to pin point the exact source. Some days my head falls to the pillow in utter exhaustion at the end of the day and I am tempted to wonder what good I brought to the day. It’s these days I easily succumb to the lies and feelings of defeat, forgetting all the good God brought to me and all the ways He equipped me to succeed the hours prior to my slumber.

I’ve been struggling to keep the balance lately and have had some hard days…the days that I just want to cancel every appointment, every responsibility and hire it done while I take a long nap. I realize right there in my emotions my desire to give up and I know that this is not God’s desire for me.

His burden is easy and His yoke is light and He desire for me to not throw off my confidence and to find rest in Him.

My body is in need of rest and nourishment from Him continually, not just physical rest but spiritual rest and rejuvenation.

As I try to sort it out I hear and see things that I must only attribute to my Lord. He is beckoning my heart to cry out to Him….beckoning me to draw near to Him and ask for help…desiring for me to seek Him and rest.

I heard Him today as I stood in the grocery line watching another mother juggle her own tasks at hand with a little one in tote that was fighting to sit still in the grocery cart. The toddler sat buckled securely in the grocery cart and even though he was too young for words, he was communicating very clearly that he wanted out of his situation. He was tugging at the belt, looking with desperation at his mommy and then even pointing adamantly towards the strap of confinement.

I identified with the toddlers frustration and remembered what I pictured after reading in Genesis 37 and Psalm 105:18 about Joseph being shackled into slavery. Oh, how Joseph must have felt strapped in too and Joseph must have also struggled with emotions of wanting to give up.

I continued to watch this quiet spoken toddler fidget as the mother calmly put her hands on the child and snuggled and kissed him.

God must have done the same and comforted and snuggled Joseph when he was stuck in bondage and sold out by the very ones placed in his life to love him and care for him.
God must be doing the same for us!!!

Sometimes we are not ejected from our current uncomfortable situation as our desire for a remedy undoubtedly increases, causing us to fidget like this toddler. Just like this boy was not immediately taken out of the seatbelt, neither are we rescued instantaneously. Just like this toddler resolved to quietly sit through the moment, we too learn to sit still and endure.

During these times that we are learning to endure, may we see the loving hands of our Father reaching down to comfort us and give us the strength to keep going—to endure.

And when we can’t see or feel Him near, may we keep crying out and asking Him to reveal Himself and His love.

May we remember His miracles, and may this encourage us to keep living close to Him through whatever seatbelt in life may be confining us.

May we remember to Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.” (Psalm 105:4)

Do you see Him reaching down to snuggle you close today or are your eyes fixated on an uncomfortable seat belt?

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