Do you ever feel like your life is passing you by? Like each day just blends together and the weekend never seems long enough? That’s how I’ve been feeling lately. Sometimes I sit at work, and even at home, and I feel as though my life is passing me by. I feel like I don’t make a difference and that I am wasting my time; time that could be better spent elsewhere. I look at my life and I see how fast this past year has gone and realize that it’s almost summer… again. And there isn’t that excitement anymore like there used to be when I was little.
Where has the joy gone?
The seasons blend together for me now and they never used to. Yes, I’m still young, but now I truly understand why everyone older than me has told me that the older you get, the faster your life flies by. Yet, I think there’s something deeper than just “getting older” making time fly. As we get older I think we get more discontent, worrisome… anxious. At least for me, in my twenties and newly married, that’s how it is.
Jesus says that we must enter the Kingdom of Heaven like children (Matthew 18:3, Mark 10:15). Little children are trusting, straightforward, have a sense of wonder, and are simplistic.
Simplistic…
I would love to have a simple life, but as I grow up I feel like it’s becoming seemingly impossible. There’s always something on the calendar to do, something to cook, something to clean, somewhere to go, someone to see. I think this is why Jesus reminds us that we need to focus on Him and find rest and assurance in our lives through the eyes of a child. Trust in Him with wonder, awe, and in the simple fact that He is our Father. Be joyful in the little things in life, be grateful for everything we have, and learn to be content in every circumstance (Philippians 4:12).
I’m slowly but surely learning to be joyful.
Great reminder, Stephanie. Love it.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Momma
Thank you for always being so supportive mom! :) love you!
DeleteHappiness is a response to circumstances coming from the outside and affecting us inwardly-joy is the opposite-it begins inwardly and then radiates outward-it has nothing to do with circumstances and everything to do with our heart attitude-I am so glad that you
ReplyDeleteare learning to be joyful Stephi -poo-and as you walk in close intimacy with the father-joy is the natural fruit-no matter what is going on around us.love, Momma Sue
Yes, and I'm just striving to grow closer to God so that my joy will be overflowing. I want my life to reflect Christ's love and joy that he freely gives us... it just takes some self-discipline for me to do so! :)
DeleteThanks momma Sue :)
"13I am still confident of this:
ReplyDeleteI will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
14Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord."
Psalm 27:13-14 (NIV 1984)
I recently was listening to a podcast by an amazingly God loving, Woman and missionary named Heidi Baker. And maybe she didn't say this directly ( I can't remember), but she was talking about how she has trusted God and how he has gotten her out of some insane situations in her lifetime, and how faithful he has been to her! She reminded me that when we don't worry, when we are trusting in God, we have full confidence in his love for us! It reminded me that He loves me, He is a good Daddy, and never leaves his children without! He always provides, always protects, and always comforts us! When God asked me to end my relationship 7 months ago, with an amazing man of God of whom I was certain I was going to marry, It hurt a lot! And I think, if I hadn't relied on him and trusted in him and hoped in him, I wouldn't be as well off as I am now! He was faithful in showing me the proper way to grieve! He is always with me and was then too. I remember everytime I felt lonely, I asked God to come in and fill up those spaces in my heart and learned that he is so faithful! He gave me so much joy in those moments! I was the most joyful I have been in a long time, not because of me and certainly not my situation, but because He walked me through it. And I am eternally greatful. That verse I posted earlier is one that he would remind me of during the harder moments, and he would use to draw me back to him. He is so faithful. Lean on Him and he will give you Joy. and Joy will be your strength. At least thats what I've learned. And I've got so much more to discover...
Keturah Hansen
That’s so true—just trusting God to take care of us is all we need to do so that we don’t worry. It’s just so very hard sometimes! That’s crazy that we went through such a similar experience!! God asked me to let go of my ex of 5 ½ years (my previous fiancé). We were all set to get married and 4 weeks before the wedding we called it off, still dated for a while, but then God had asked me to “let him go”… almost audibly. I really need to make a posting of that testimony! It was the hardest thing yet the best thing I have ever been through in my entire life.
DeleteI am so relieved that I now know personally that I am not the only one to have gone through something so devastating. Yet, my ex was not a Christian man—-how did that make you feel letting go of someone who loved the Lord too? Sometimes things make no sense whatever to us, but I guess we just can’t see the whole picture like God can! It’s so hard when we start to feel lonely; it is the worst feeling in the world.
Can you tell you have grown closer to the Lord since the breakup? Could you tell me more about what happened when you knew God was telling you to let him go (either on here, or message me.. or you can do a guest post on my blog too if you’d want to do that! I don’t have that many people who read it though.. at least not yet lol)??
Thank you for posting again Keturah!