Get Your Act Together!
You know those days that it just seems like the sky is falling, the earth is going to swallow you, and every little things is going wrong?
Welcome to the definition of Mondays.
Now, I generally rebuke the "I-hate-Mondays" vibe that penetrates so much of society, but this past Monday was... well, a Monday.
In the midst of the havoc of the day, (where nothing actually devastating was happening but so many little things kept getting me down,) I took a pause. I had a couple of friends that I spotted before my third class of the day and I just let it out. I told them that I was so upset because I just didn't have my act together. I spilled all of the frustration and despair and even shed a stress tear or two. Then, I went to the bathroom and cleaned up before class. I said a "Lord, help me" prayer and went a couple minutes early into class in order to compensate my lack of "put-together-ness."
Then, I pulled out my phone and jumped onto my Bible app. Everyday, this app has a verse of the day. This particular verse of the day was from Colossians chapter 1. I read the the passage and kept reading.
"Our prayers for you are always spilling over into thanksgivings. We can't quit thanking God our Father and Jesus our Messiah for you! We keep getting reports on your steady faith in Christ, our Jesus, and the love you continuously extend to all Christians. The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack, tightly tied as they are to your future heaven, kept taught by hope." (verses 3-5).
This made me incredibly grateful. Just remembering that I am fortunate enough to have people who pray for me back home, and friends and professors who lift me up daily- especially on days like this- made me step back and step into a more positive, grateful posture.
Then the readers are encouraged about their steady faith in Christ and continuous love extended to all the Christians they come into contact with. WOW. What a reminder that even on my low days, I can look back and see that God has used me and can still use me to show His love to His people. If anything, when I am weak He is even more glorified because it is all the more clear that He is the source and strength of that love! And keeping steady in faith in Christ? Some days I sure don't feel like I am steady in anything, let alone my faith, but God's gentle whisper came to me and spoke that even in my seeking moments before class... that my faith was being affirmed.
And of course, a reminder that our lives have purpose... well, that tells chaotic, world's-falling-apart-me that there is a reason for all the crazy of life. There is something bigger, much bigger, than my little series of catastrophes. And that reason is deeply rooted in Christ, and kept taught by hope. What a sweet reminder and humble blessing to divert my stress and distaste for the day!
"The Message is as true among you today as when you first heard it. It doesn't diminish or weaken over time. It's the same all over the world. The Message bears fruit and gets larger and stronger, just as it has in you. From the very first day you heard and recognized the truth of what God is doing, you've been hungry for more. It's as vigorous in you now as when you learned it from our friend and close associate Epaphras. He is one reliable worker for Christ! I could always depend on him. He's the one who told us how thoroughly love had been worked into your lives by the Spirit." (verses 5-8).
I want to be reliable! Like Epaphras! Someone whom the Lord can "always depend on!"
This part made me feel so determined! This mess of a day isn't going to stop me from putting my whole heart out in servitude to my King! Why? Because the Message is as true as when I first believed. God is just as faithful, just as capable to equip me and move through me on my worst days as my best days. My circumstances do not define God's Power and Might.
"Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven't stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you'll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you'll have strength to sick it out over the long haul- not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-giving strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful he has for us." (verses 9-12).
Praise God! We can ask for a mind and a spirit attuned to God's will! We can learn how God works and how to work alongside Him in His orchard.
Furthermore, we do NOT have to live a life with ho-hum strength that drags us along our mopey way.
Let's instead take back our joy, turn our hearts to thanksgiving and give God permission to make us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful God has for us.
To close, I want to share a quote with you all:
"But let there be spaces in your togetherness, and let the winds of the heavens dance between you..." ~Kahlil Gibran
I think that quote sums it up beautifully. I get so caught up trying to have it all together, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Sometimes, I need to be okay with having God hold me together. I need to have those vulnerable moments with God saying that I am less than 100% put-together and that I need Him. I need His hope to fill me and keep my lines of purpose taut in my life. I don't want to lose perspective of what is important and I don't want a day of the week to mess with my joy in life!
So even though it was difficult for me to have an off-day, I learned that I can be grateful for those who take time to pray for me daily, and that I have a source that can be my strength when I have none. I was quite a humbling Monday, to say the least!
Tackle those tough days with Jesus folks! We are going to make it! Leave spaces in your life to allow the Holy Spirit to flow, no matter how "busy" you perceive your schedule to be.
XO,
Melly
Welcome to the definition of Mondays.
Now, I generally rebuke the "I-hate-Mondays" vibe that penetrates so much of society, but this past Monday was... well, a Monday.
In the midst of the havoc of the day, (where nothing actually devastating was happening but so many little things kept getting me down,) I took a pause. I had a couple of friends that I spotted before my third class of the day and I just let it out. I told them that I was so upset because I just didn't have my act together. I spilled all of the frustration and despair and even shed a stress tear or two. Then, I went to the bathroom and cleaned up before class. I said a "Lord, help me" prayer and went a couple minutes early into class in order to compensate my lack of "put-together-ness."
Then, I pulled out my phone and jumped onto my Bible app. Everyday, this app has a verse of the day. This particular verse of the day was from Colossians chapter 1. I read the the passage and kept reading.
"Our prayers for you are always spilling over into thanksgivings. We can't quit thanking God our Father and Jesus our Messiah for you! We keep getting reports on your steady faith in Christ, our Jesus, and the love you continuously extend to all Christians. The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack, tightly tied as they are to your future heaven, kept taught by hope." (verses 3-5).
This made me incredibly grateful. Just remembering that I am fortunate enough to have people who pray for me back home, and friends and professors who lift me up daily- especially on days like this- made me step back and step into a more positive, grateful posture.
Then the readers are encouraged about their steady faith in Christ and continuous love extended to all the Christians they come into contact with. WOW. What a reminder that even on my low days, I can look back and see that God has used me and can still use me to show His love to His people. If anything, when I am weak He is even more glorified because it is all the more clear that He is the source and strength of that love! And keeping steady in faith in Christ? Some days I sure don't feel like I am steady in anything, let alone my faith, but God's gentle whisper came to me and spoke that even in my seeking moments before class... that my faith was being affirmed.
And of course, a reminder that our lives have purpose... well, that tells chaotic, world's-falling-apart-me that there is a reason for all the crazy of life. There is something bigger, much bigger, than my little series of catastrophes. And that reason is deeply rooted in Christ, and kept taught by hope. What a sweet reminder and humble blessing to divert my stress and distaste for the day!
"The Message is as true among you today as when you first heard it. It doesn't diminish or weaken over time. It's the same all over the world. The Message bears fruit and gets larger and stronger, just as it has in you. From the very first day you heard and recognized the truth of what God is doing, you've been hungry for more. It's as vigorous in you now as when you learned it from our friend and close associate Epaphras. He is one reliable worker for Christ! I could always depend on him. He's the one who told us how thoroughly love had been worked into your lives by the Spirit." (verses 5-8).
I want to be reliable! Like Epaphras! Someone whom the Lord can "always depend on!"
This part made me feel so determined! This mess of a day isn't going to stop me from putting my whole heart out in servitude to my King! Why? Because the Message is as true as when I first believed. God is just as faithful, just as capable to equip me and move through me on my worst days as my best days. My circumstances do not define God's Power and Might.
"Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven't stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you'll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you'll have strength to sick it out over the long haul- not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-giving strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful he has for us." (verses 9-12).
Praise God! We can ask for a mind and a spirit attuned to God's will! We can learn how God works and how to work alongside Him in His orchard.
Furthermore, we do NOT have to live a life with ho-hum strength that drags us along our mopey way.
Let's instead take back our joy, turn our hearts to thanksgiving and give God permission to make us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful God has for us.
To close, I want to share a quote with you all:
"But let there be spaces in your togetherness, and let the winds of the heavens dance between you..." ~Kahlil Gibran
I think that quote sums it up beautifully. I get so caught up trying to have it all together, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Sometimes, I need to be okay with having God hold me together. I need to have those vulnerable moments with God saying that I am less than 100% put-together and that I need Him. I need His hope to fill me and keep my lines of purpose taut in my life. I don't want to lose perspective of what is important and I don't want a day of the week to mess with my joy in life!
So even though it was difficult for me to have an off-day, I learned that I can be grateful for those who take time to pray for me daily, and that I have a source that can be my strength when I have none. I was quite a humbling Monday, to say the least!
Tackle those tough days with Jesus folks! We are going to make it! Leave spaces in your life to allow the Holy Spirit to flow, no matter how "busy" you perceive your schedule to be.
XO,
Melly
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