Peacefully Wasted

Wow, I am wasted.

Maybe it's all the travelling. Maybe it's spending most of the day in the hot sun today. Maybe it's just the pressure of needing to make a buck.

I'm not totally sure what God is trying to speak to me in this season, but, there seems to be more than one thing He's after.

One thing I am trying to do better is to "go with the flow," or maybe the better way to say it, take it a day at a time.

Of course, that is easier said then done.

I want so bad to know the answers to life's questions, to have my life nailed down, figured out, you know? If I had my way I would have my whole life written down (at least the high points) and planned out before any of it happened. That way if life threw me a curveball, I could just go to the "plan" to see what was next.

Of course, therein lies my problem.

I like to find my comfort in my own understanding. You know what? I've realized lately that there is a peace that comes with understanding. There is a peace in knowing the why and the what... all the details. But life has a way of throwing things our direction that are beyond our understanding. We can't figure out why, or we can't predict the future, etc.

I want the peace that surpasses understanding. The peace that comes when you don't know the answers. The peace that comes from God alone.

Part of obtaining that peace I believe is learning to go with His flow. I may not know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds tomorrow.

And, as part of the process of going through a storm, my faith is built and I get to know Jesus a little more.

Isn't that what it's all about?

Pressure

It's in the crucible's of life that we find out who we really are. It's easy to appear pious and full of faith when things are rolling along well. It's another thing to walk displaying the fruit of the Spirit when the pressure is on, nothing is going right, and you're hard-pressed on every side.

But, there is good news-

Somewhere in that crucible, somewhere in the fire, silver and gold is refined. The impurities are removed from our lives. In the pressing of the grapes, a fine wine is made.

The Bible says,

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. From Chapter 1 of the book of James, ESV.

Let's count our trials joy today. And let's let steadfastness, or patience, have it's perfect work, that we may be perfect and complete.

Lacking in nothing.