I apologize for neglecting to post. I admit I’ve been feeling rather low and discouraged lately. And that’s why I haven’t been on here. This site was meant to be an encouragement for others. But it’s hard to be encouraging when you don’t feel it yourself. Or at least that is what Satan would like me to believe.
Isn’t it interesting how Satan works to distract us right when we are doing something right and for His glory? As soon as we are doing something right, he will try to knock us down.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been hit with the following:
- My sweet cat of 15 years had to be put down. His condition deteriorated quickly from kidney disease. It was truly heartbreaking. I had adopted him as a kitten. He had been horribly neglected but after I showered him with love, he returned that love a thousand-fold. He was my constant companion long before I married my husband. I don’t know if I believe there’s a heaven for animals. The Bible says nothing on the subject. But the Bible does say there will be a new creation. My hope is that I will see my sweet Merlin someday perhaps in that new creation. In the meantime, it has felt like a hole in my heart. I keep expecting to see him slipping from the shadows right around the corner…
- My husband may lose his job. Layoffs at his workplace are eminent. It’s just a matter of who and when.
- My health. Been experiencing pain almost every night and morning. Sometimes it keeps me awake. A couple days ago I was in tears. I prayed for the pain to go away and it did subside, praise God! But this pain often gets me down. I have arthritis and Sjogren’s Syndrome. This combination can sometimes feel overwhelming.
BUT God is good. I am still here standing!
One thing God has pressed upon my heart a lot lately is just how much I need to just LET GO and LET GOD do the rest. God knows we can’t do everything ourselves and we often allow ourselves to get too easily discouraged by life’s circumstances. He knows our frailties and weaknesses. He knows also our struggles with sin, doubt, and discouragement. But He is patient with us and tells us that all we have to do is give it all over to Him and He will carry the burden for us. He will mend our brokenness and replace our sorrows with joy if we only ask it of Him.
And so I give it all up to God. May HIS will be done in my life and yours! We get ourselves in such a twist when we try to handle everything ourselves. The more we try to “control” the situation, the more we realize we have no control at all and we fall apart at the seams. If only we were wise enough to know our own limitations. If only we could accept them and allow God to help us when we feel the most overwhelmed. We would be so much happier!
Give it all up to God. You won’t regret it! 🙂