This time here in Honduras has been difficult. It's been a struggle. Some days I've wanted it all to be over. Sometimes I didn't wan to face the day and others, I didn't know if I could. My fantasies, dreams and desires of what our time might look like left me in a blinding cloud of reality. Reality that sometimes life is hard and makes you wanna give up, that sometimes it makes your heart hurt so much you don't know what to do with yourself. Amidst the struggle I see a few twinkling victories. Stars in the night sky of struggle, given as reminders. Reminders that there is hope. A reminder that our struggle, our hurt, tears and grief aren't all for nothing. There is a bigger plan, a greater purpose. The black sky is all our difficult situations blurring together so that we can't pin point the individual struggles as easily, we just see struggle. But what we can see more clearly are tiny, shimmering dots of light. Each victory perfectly defined. They are the focus. Some even join together to create a bigger picture.
When you look up into the night sky of your life are you overwhelmed by the spanse of darkness or do you let your eyes use the black sky to contrast and illuminate the twinkling victories and joys?
If life was all a blue sky we wouldn't have the darkness- struggle and strife to hold our stars against. The question is: Will you chooose to let God use your struggles and victories create a beautiful picture for you to admire and enjoy?
Hi Ashley
ReplyDeleteThat is so beautiful what you wrote about the darkness and the stars. How you related it to lifes pain, hardships and hurts. Its very true what you wrote. I have learned when we are suffering and things turn out differently then we planned that God is up to something good!! Sometimes we get to do something where we feel we are going to help out someone and God is using that situation to use us, but what it really ends up being is God growing us closer to him and pruning us to be more like him. The process is never comfortable and at times in my own life I thought I would never get through. Then after I'm through it I see what Glory came through it for God. How I have changed and grown to be more like Jesus. In Job his wife tells him to curse God and die and Job says why would I always accept the good God has for me but not the hard times. I think about that when I am faced with struggles and hardships. God did amazing things through you. You are so much stronger for what you did face and you didn't crumble and come home you trusted God and stayed your time there. You encourage me so much by doing that. I'm ashamed to say if it were me I'm not so sure I would have stayed. God gave you the Strength to do it!! I'm so glad and happy for his love, protection and him being more concerned about you then your comfort. Its not an easy place to be in the Potter's hands but after we are refined in the fire the beauty of God shines that much brighter.
You are in my prayers! The bracelet you gave me I put it on that day and I have never taken it off. Everytime I see it I offer up a prayer for you. I'm so thankful for God's faithfulness in your life. I'm so proud of you for staying and letting God work through you. This verse is always one that reminds me of how God is with us in hurts and struggles.
"But blessed is the man(woman) who trusts in the Lord, who's confidence is in him. He(She) will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8.
My answer to your question is yes I will chooose to let God use my struggles and victories to create a beautiful picture for me to admire and enjoy. What a beautiful picture you have made Ashley.
Love to you sweet child of God
In my prayers
Aunty Emme xoxoxo