This picture was taken on our anniversary when my husband took me to Kingwood Center for a picnic. It was a beautiful day and I had every reason to smile. But I could have been crabby because I was still using the rollator to walk with. I could have been crabby because I couldn't walk as far as I 'use to' or wanted to. I could have been unhappy because I would have rather been on a cruise as we did another year to celebrate our anniversary. "I could have..." were not part of my life because I chose to smile through the circumstances God was getting me through. He gets me through things some people don't even know about. He is my strength through some pretty tough things. The heartache of people's circumstances, the heartbreak of people's words that cut me like a knife, the broken heart I feel as people continue to refuse the Lord...all of these things could take the smile off my face. There is a common theme in each of these three things and that is people. People are not what I focus on. It is God who is my focus. I am human so their words still hurt me but I am living in the supernatural so the Lord allows me to process what is said and changes I may need to make. He is the One to guide my words as I speak to people. He is the One who allows me to know His way of dealing with hurtful situations. Most importantly He is the One that enables me to not dwell on hurtful situations but instead to allow Him to work through them. Praise His Holy Name! I am so blessed to be where I am today in my relationship with Him. I have said it many times that I have peace in the midst of the storm. Some storms are in my physical body, some are in my emotional body but praise His Holy Name my spiritual body is intact! "I will praise You in the storm" is what I stand on no matter what comes my way. I also stand on James 1:2-4 as I stand in the storms of life and for the most part choose to smile. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Dear Jesus,
I praise Your Holy Name for the way You are working in and through me. I praise You for being My Light at the end of the tunnel. I praise You for being My Strength in good times and bad times. I praise You for being You. Lord, I want to be more like You. Please fill me to overflowing with more of You so people will see You in all I do. I know there are some who can't even grasp the concept of this type of life. I pray their eyes would be opened. Lord, I pray You would become more real to people through my words and actions. Thank You Jesus for being My Smile. Amen.
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