"But, first, remember, remember, remember"....C.S. Lewis
How many times do my interpretations of trials or hard times distort my view of God calling me to Him? Sadly, most of the time this is the case. A trial will hit and I suddenly feel like God has abandoned me or that I have some how done something that has evoked God's wrath.
God has been calling me to remember the paths, the journeys, the battles, and the adventures, that He's sent my way, but He has also been telling me to not dwell on the pain that was involved in so many of those trials. I had 6 years of very poor health and there was a lot of pain involved. The pain wasn't all physical but emotional as well. So many things were affected and even lost during those years. I have now been on my journey to better health for 17 months and though I feel good physically I have not moved on emotionally. I have been living in the land of "what if's". I mourn and at times deeply grieve the time lost with my children. I mourn what I lost in my marriage. I mourn over how much was undone in our family during that season.
God has been pressing into my heart that I need to let all that go and move forward. There are no go backs or do overs. We can live in the past and it changes nothing or we can be present in the here and now and move forward making new memories. This is my goal this year. A year of new beginnings. To embrace today and not keep looking back, but to not forget either. Our trials are meant to shape us more into the image of our Lord. We need to remember the pain, the lessons learned, and the refining that took place in our life. We need to focus on what we have gained during our trials. If we look hard enough we will find we did gain something! (I have gained so much compassion towards others that are battling health issues!) Most of all I want a healthy memory of the time I lost with my family. I want that pain to cause me to never take for granted those I love. I want the pain I feel over what I've lost to cause me to realize the preciousness of time and cause me to use the time I have been given more wisely.
This year is going to be filled with many new memories and traditions. I look forward with anticipation to see what the Lord has planned for us!
How many times do my interpretations of trials or hard times distort my view of God calling me to Him? Sadly, most of the time this is the case. A trial will hit and I suddenly feel like God has abandoned me or that I have some how done something that has evoked God's wrath.
God has been calling me to remember the paths, the journeys, the battles, and the adventures, that He's sent my way, but He has also been telling me to not dwell on the pain that was involved in so many of those trials. I had 6 years of very poor health and there was a lot of pain involved. The pain wasn't all physical but emotional as well. So many things were affected and even lost during those years. I have now been on my journey to better health for 17 months and though I feel good physically I have not moved on emotionally. I have been living in the land of "what if's". I mourn and at times deeply grieve the time lost with my children. I mourn what I lost in my marriage. I mourn over how much was undone in our family during that season.
God has been pressing into my heart that I need to let all that go and move forward. There are no go backs or do overs. We can live in the past and it changes nothing or we can be present in the here and now and move forward making new memories. This is my goal this year. A year of new beginnings. To embrace today and not keep looking back, but to not forget either. Our trials are meant to shape us more into the image of our Lord. We need to remember the pain, the lessons learned, and the refining that took place in our life. We need to focus on what we have gained during our trials. If we look hard enough we will find we did gain something! (I have gained so much compassion towards others that are battling health issues!) Most of all I want a healthy memory of the time I lost with my family. I want that pain to cause me to never take for granted those I love. I want the pain I feel over what I've lost to cause me to realize the preciousness of time and cause me to use the time I have been given more wisely.
This year is going to be filled with many new memories and traditions. I look forward with anticipation to see what the Lord has planned for us!
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