I Did It: I Lost My Grip

"Keep Me Safe 'Til The Storm Passes By"

Don’t lose your grip on Love and Loyalty. Tie them around your neck; carve their initials on your heart.
Earn a reputation for living well in God’s eyes and the eyes of the people.

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.          Run to God! Run from evil.

 

A paraphrase from Proverbs 3 (The Message)

 

Most of the time I am able to keep a positive perspective. If you are around me very long, you will hear me say that we can trust the Lord to always to the right thing. He has written the final chapter and the end of the story is for our GOOD. That is all well and good, but there are times when it becomes necessary for me to ask myself, "is that because I have a deep faith in the goodness of God? Or is it because I am strong willed and pretty well skilled at being able to handle struggles?" I know what I would LIKE the answer to be.

 

The real answer is probably that both of those elements are at play in my life. I want to stand firm in Christ, but I am weak and prone to wander from security in Christ. Jesus said, "without ME you can do NOTHING." I know that is true because HE said so. And I know it is true because I've proven it too many times. Unfortunately, it is a feature of our fallen nature. You may have read how the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 7 how prone he was to doing the very opposite of what he wanted to do.

 

You are wondering, perhaps, how I lost my grip. It was emotional overload and I ran out of my own steam. Instead of trusting God completely, I came to the end of myself and burst into tears over my own inadequacy. What was I to do about our freezer in this power down? What about the ants that began to invade through our sliders this morning? I couldn't find Wayne's wallet to go and buy us some breakfast because of the power down. Petty little things, aren't they? And the last thing my husband needed during this recovery from illness was to see ME in tears. I felt guilty and cried some more.

 

Then I was reminded that even JESUS cried real tears. I was reminded that HIS strength is made perfect in OUR weakness. And, finally, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

 

Once again, HE IS ABLE to do far more than we can ask or think. Why didn't I ask"? Why didn't I stop spinning my wheels and ask Jesus to "take the wheel". He has never failed me yet. I will "never walk alone, Christ walks bedside me."

 

Once again, I've messed up -- big time. And once again, He has given me His grace, His mercy, His love, His forgiveness, His strength, and His peace.

 

Can YOU identify?