No One Can Possibly Relate to What I'm Going Through

Do you ever feel like no one can understand what you’re going through? That no one has ever felt as rejected as you might be feeling right now? Or as looked down upon? Or as unloved? Or as ignored? Or as passed over? Or as alone as you feel from time to time….?

Can you entertain with me that Jesus Himself has walked that mile in your shoes?

John 1:10-11 says this about Jesus, “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.”

So, Jesus shows up in the flesh to live amongst the very people He created in His very own image and they didn’t recognize Him – they [most of them] didn’t receive him into their lives.

Ouch! Most of us can recall Bible stories of how He was scorned, tormented and killed. Yes, - by the people He came to save.

Hebrews 4:15 tells us that we have a Savior Who knows exactly how we feel and what we face in this world, stressing that OUR High Priest DOES sympathize and understand everything we go through. He was tempted in every way we can be tempted. Yeah – let that sink in. He knew exactly how it feels to be human. Even though he was 100% God, He was also 100% man. He had to become human in order to pay the price for the sins of humanity. He sacrificed His throne in Heaven to step down and become man for a moment in time, simply to redeem us from our own selfish sin.

This is how the Amplified version states it, “For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin.”

The Old Testament prophet Isaiah told us about Jesus long before He was born and Mary laid Him in that manger when he said, in part, “He [Jesus] is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief…” – Isaiah 53:3

Jesus came into this world with the foreknowledge that He would be hated and rejected. He already knew the plan; He knew He would experience sorrow on a level we can’t begin to understand, no matter how much grief we’ve endured. His rejection wasn’t the rejection of a parent or of a lover or a child. He was rejected by the whole world at one point, while in the process of paying our debt.

I’m not stating this to minimize what you might be going through right now or to say your pain pales in comparison to what Jesus went through. I’m telling you this to emphasize to you that Jesus really does know how you feel and completely understands everything you’re going through.

No matter how untrue that feels, let it sink in.

He CAN relate to you. You can tell Him anything, you can share everything with Him. Always. He’s patient. He’ll wait. You can pour out your heart even if it’s filled with anger – even if that anger is directed at Him. He can handle it, because He knows how it feels. He can empathize with you.

He’s literally the only One Who has felt exactly what you’re feeling. He’s the ONLY One you can completely confide in, trusting that He can relate and will sit with you in the dark and hold you close to His heart till your own heart beats in sync with His.

This is why you can trust Him. With anything. With everything.

Jesus Himself calls out to you with His own words of love and comfort, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]” – Matthew 11:28 (AMPC)

Feelings deceive. They lie to us, sometimes. And they’re easily manipulated.

Try trusting Jesus over your own feelings. He’s never disappointed me, even when it looked as though He may have. I’m not saying things always go the way I want them too – but Jesus has never disappointed me. He’s already seen my future; He knows all my potential. Even though He knows what’s best, He allows me to choose. Always.

He Stood Up

(Photo from everydaypower.com)

Sunday morning at church a powerful, popular young woman asked us to envision Jesus sitting on the throne, at the right hand of God – smiling at us. Then she asked us to smile back at Him.

In my mind, as He sat there in all His glory, He smiled, having finished the work He was sent to complete – our salvation, and everything that comes with it, is paid for. That’s a mighty hallelujah! His smile was everything I needed. As I was out there, buried in the crowd of the masses of believers, I could see Him as if He were right in front of me. I waved and smiled back, overjoyed to see my best friend. To my joy and surprise, He spotted me in the crowd – and HE STOOD UP! He stood up and waved at me, His smile even bigger than ever, as if He was smiling at me alone. I know the crowd didn’t disappear, we were all still there, but in that moment, I felt like I was the most important person in the world to Him. He waved vivaciously as if saying, “Helen! Hi! I’ve missed you. There you are! I’m so excited to see you!”

I felt awe cover me like the steam in a steam room comes up to take your breath away. Excitement washed over me, bathing me, permeating every pore in my body.

Time stood still.

I have no idea what the woman of God standing before us said after that. I was immersed in the glory of God that wrapped itself around me.

(picture from Pinterest.com)

Do you ever make the time to spend time with God? Reading or studying His Word, praying or just quietly pondering His goodness? Even in those moments, it doesn’t always feel like God is present there with you, in the here and now. But, in this instant, I felt His very real, tangible presence.

I get it, we don’t walk simply by our feelings. But, when feelings are added to our faith, it’s a beautiful moment, indeed.

Whether I “feel” Him here with me or not, He’s here. There’s an old anonymous quote that says, “Bidden or not, He is here”. His Word tells us that He will never leave us nor forsake us. When it feels like He’s a million miles away or has completely vanished from the horizon of our soul – it’s because we’ve turned our eyes to other things. No matter how many steps we take in the wrong direction, it takes only one step to get back into His presence. Not even a step, really. Just turn around, He’s there. He’s had your back all along.

Picture Jesus sitting there on His throne, right next to His Dad, smiling at you.

Smile back.

Oh, and one more thing: “If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.” – 1 John 3:20 (NIV)



“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified… for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV)

“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave your nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” – Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)

“No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Joshua 1:5 (NIV)

“…Because God has said, “I will never leave you; never will I forsake you.” – Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)

(Picture from Pinterest.com)

Rejoice Much?

(picture from tapestrynvelvet.com)

The other day while pondering the book of Luke, reading many of the stories therein with fresh eyes, chapter 15 humbled me and brought me to my knees with rejoicing my heart has needed for a long time.

Years ago, I turned my back on God; some might call it backsliding, who knows what others may call it. It vexed me terribly that I could do such a thing. I repented, I cried, I groveled, I rose up and followed Jesus again, more quietly.

Satan beat me up with scriptures like Luke 9:62 (Jesus replied, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.") And, Romans 11:21-23 (For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.....) And Hebrews 10:26-31 (For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins.....)

Scriptures that should have brought the God-kind-of-peace didn’t quite rescue me from the guilt and shame the enemy pours over us; 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness.

As I wrestled with the enemy, I'd say things like: "Well, I don't care, Satan, I'm going to serve God anyway, I'm going to praise Him and love Him and honor Him and share Him....and if, in the end, He chooses not to let me into His kingdom, that's His right, I submit myself to God, therefore, now flee from me!" (James 4:7)

While reading the story of the prodigal son with a seasoned heart and yearning that’s been growing, I realized that, years ago, when I repented of my sinfulness, I came back to God just as the prodigal son went back to his father, asking, not to be treated as a son, but as a servant, hoping for morsels that even the animals might receive.....

In verse 21 we see the prodigal son say to his father, just as he’d rehearsed, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”

My heart began to dance with delight as revelation flooded my being. This story came alive inside of me!

How did his father respond? Did he delegate this wayward son to the outer fields to tend sheep or to the servants lodging? No! The very next verse his father’s response comes with so much joy and excitement he can barely contain it.

(picture from ncregister.com)

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” (verses 22-24)

Can you feel his father’s excitement? I CAN!

Just as his father dismissed the idea of treating his son as merely a servant, MY FATHER, didn't consider it either. I AM AND ALWAYS WILL BE -------- HIS DAUGHTER, whom He loves unconditionally!

Selah!

Oh The Shame...

(picture from el.board.bigpoint.com)

Let’s face it, we have all felt shame.

Some of us have endured it many times. Whether for an instant or it’s clung to us for a lifetime, the anguish can be crippling.

People dream about being naked in a public place. You may have even had that dream yourself. You may have awakened feeling shame, as if it had really happened. Even in a dream, shame is suffocating.

Whether the shame was brought on by foolishness or a mistake on our part, or imparted to us by a thoughtless and perhaps cruel person, its weight can be crushing.

Even when attention is diverted from you and the shameful spotlight is turned off; the feeling can linger and hide in the back of your mind, waiting to present itself again unexpectedly.

Shame is more than mere embarrassment. Its first entry at dictionary.com reads: the painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, improper, ridiculous, etc, done by oneself or another. Another entry reads: disgrace, ignominy. If we probe deeper, disgrace is defined: the loss of respect, honor or esteem; ignominy; shame. Yes, I had to look up that funny sounding word, too. Ignominy means: disgrace; dishonor; shameful.

Scripture has a lot to say about shame; the Psalmist himself uses the word quite a bit as he pens what his heart pours out. In the NIV Bible we can find the word shame at least 147 times, and at least 112 times in the KJV. We are definitely not alone in this experience.

The first time I see shame noted is when Adam and Eve were naked in the Garden of Eden, they felt no shame. (Genesis 2:25) Why is this pointed out to us?

Before sin, there was no shame. Sin disgraced man, stripping him of righteousness, and brought shame into the world, along with a host of other consequences. Although we can feel shame without committing a sin, it didn’t exist when Adam and Eve were one with God. Sin and rebellion separated them from God; and in that separation, even their nakedness became something they sought to hide. When shame comes upon us, we want to hide.

If sin (therefore, separation from God) brought shame, how better to get rid of it than by being reunited with God? Nothing we do in and of ourselves can bridge that gap. But, God provided a means of redemption, through His Son Jesus, the Christ. By accepting that Jesus took our sin, and all the shame that goes with it, to the grave, exchanging His death for our lives, we are redeemed. That act of grace (unmerited favor) provides the remedy for our dis-grace. We are reunited with the Father, taking on His robes of righteousness to clothe our exposed, vulnerable nakedness. This nakedness is more than the absence of clothing; sin disrobes us of righteousness, a covering in which there is no shame.

When we give ourselves to God, He doesn’t only want the good things He created in us, He wants it all; the good, the bad and the ugly. He takes our sin and shame and separates it from us as far as the east is from the west. (Psalm 103:12 KJV)

God won’t force us into a life of freedom, but He offers it to us, generously.

“For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” Romans 10:10-11 NIV 

First...

(picture from lovethispic.com)

Do you ever just want someone to reach out to you with a kind offer to help, whether what we’re going through is a big deal or something petty that’s getting us down?

Does it ever seem like you’re the one always extending a helping hand, but that no one notices what you’re going through?

Is it possible that sometimes we just don’t see the loving hands reaching out to comfort us, or is there truly no one in our circle of friends that cares?

And, what do we commonly do when we find ourselves feeling like this?

Isn’t it easy to pout? Isn’t it easy to listen to the lies the enemy flaunts in our ears? Isn’t it easy to launch head-long into a self-thrown pity party, complete with tears and anger?

And doesn’t it sometimes seem like an insult when someone throws scripture our way, as if that’s going to help? We were wanting a physical hand, a hug from human arms, and someone flings a verse from the Bible our way and expects that to fix everything?

I’ve been there, too. If we’re going to bring God into the picture (albeit, He should never be out of the picture), why can’t He just send that someone we need to connect to right now? I recall times when I felt like no one in the world gave a thought to whether I lived or died, and needed a friend. Placing phone call after phone call, no one picked up. Could they all really be that busy they can’t chat for just a few minutes with me?

Personally, when I need to talk with someone and can’t get a hold of anyone, I jump to the conclusion quickly, that God wants me to talk to Him about it first. He knows the situation from every possible angle. If I’m being petty and someone has hurt my feelings, talking to anyone else first would become gossip, which, incidentally, God hates.

So, maybe it’s a coincidence that no one else is available, or maybe it’s a God-planned incident. Perhaps if we take our burdens to Him first He’ll put things into perspective for us, or after we’ve vented the ugly stuff to Him, He won’t mind if we talk to our earthly friends about it, too, and someone will suddenly have time for us.

Then Jesus said, Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” ~Matthew 11:28 (NLT)

And one of my favorite scriptures: Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” ~Mark 6:31a (NLT)

Why is it really so hard to turn to Him – first?

We're Not Orphans

(photo from tabernaclefortoday.org)

To say there’s no God makes us orphans. The other day I tried to put myself into the mindset of someone who says there’s no God. I can’t even image there being nothing greater than my own existence; no purpose to our lives. It was a scary moment that literally took my breath away.  - Without God – there would be no love; to remove God from our world (if that were even possible) would be to remove all love.

God created everything with purpose, whether we understand the purposes behind everything or not. Personally, I think we could have survived and thrived as humans on this planet without mosquitoes, but, I’m not God.

On one hand, I thought – life would literally be a rat race; utter chaos, if there were no God to hold it together. But then, no, without God, there would be no life.

Life doesn’t just exist; it’s a complex, master symphony! Imagine an orchestra with no conductor and everyone playing their own song – no symphony would come out of that.

If we were a child, suddenly discovering ourselves to be totally alone, no other human to be found, how frightening would that be?! I guess depending on the age of the child, it’s not impossible that he should survive; but what an intensely horrifying revelation to find that you’re totally alone.

Without God, we are alone, with no one to emulate; no one to love us like only our Creator can.

In recent years I’ve begun to feel my connection, not only to God, but to the world He created for me; for us. Sure, I sound a little crazy when I say I wish I could hug the mountains, but I do! My spirit soars when I’m surrounded by vivid plant life. A thrill dances inside of me when a breeze merely brushes my face. But mostly, my heart gushes with something that feels stronger than any definition of love I’ve read when I look at people; all people. My heart breaks when those people are in any kind of pain. The fixer in me of course wants to come to their rescue. But, I’ve also come to realize that their situation is not mine to fix. Much like the butterfly literally needs to break free of their cocoon on their own to survive; we all have our own situations and hurts, fears and sorrows, pains and suffering, anguish and anger – to break free from. I’ll help when I can. But, I’ll love when I can’t.

I love

I love because

I love because God

…first loved me

God is.

And God is Love.

Rejoice.

“We love because He first loved us.” – 1 John 4:19 (NIV)

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” – 1 John 4:8 (NIV)

Wintertime

As I look out my dining room window over the gray and brown city that sprawls out before my eyes, the stillness and silence captures my attention almost as quickly as the drab, muted colors. It looks lifeless out there. I find myself discontent, ungrateful and wanting springtime hues to splatter themselves on the picture before me, a picture to bland to even place within this blog post.

 

But what lies in wait out there? Seasons occur for a reason. Plants go dormant, temperatures drop, leaves disappear, clouds block out the warmth of the sunshine, all to create a season of preparation. Why can’t the whole world enjoy seasons the way Florida does? Their temperatures dip – but not to the point of freezing temperatures that chill us to the bone. Yet I’m glad the whole world doesn’t have to watch the seasons pass like those closer to the North Pole.

 

Diversity. God must really dig it.

 

I’ve learned that diversity is not without reason and purpose. Just as you and I are different, intentionally, God enjoys it all. He created us for His good pleasure. He gave us this world to live in and take care of, as it takes care of us. He’s provided everything we need and placed us in the middle of it. There’s so much to learn, if we’ll just pay attention to the illustrations He surrounds us with.

 

I wonder how many of us die in the wintertime, simply because we don’t have the courage to hold out for spring. Sometimes the dismal view outside our window sucks us into it and we feel gray and cold and somehow that translates to feeling alone and misunderstood.

 

This aloneness is merely another season to explore…we are not alone. Who better to explore it with than your constant companion and the lover of your soul?

 

“So the Lord alone led him, and there was no foreign god [no loneliness, no fear, no emptiness, no sorrow, no purposelessness, no poverty, no grief, no despair] with him.” ~ Deuteronomy 32:12 (NKJV)

 

“Indeed the hour [season] is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.” ~ John 16:32 (NKJV)

 

Expounding in the brackets is mine.

Who Would Notice?

‘If I fell off the face of the earth – no one would even notice…’

Have you ever thought that? I’ve seen similar statements as status updates on Facebook and it saddens me to see that our common enemy, Satan, has managed to diminish our value in our own eyes.

Is it because we’ve fallen short of some standard that was set for us?

Is it because we measure ourselves by the successes of others?

Is it because we simply don’t like what we see in the mirror?

I would love to convince you of your worth – but convincing anyone of anything means coming up against what they already believe, and against the experiences that brought them to the point of believing what they believe.

What gives something its value? What determines its worth?

To a millionaire a fifty dollar gift card might be an insult. To someone in a third world country, fifty dollars could mean the difference between life and death.

To a professional violinist, a half a million dollar violin is a thing of beauty and coveted. To a child with no ear for music, it’s merely a decoration.

Relative value is largely determined by who’s holding the object in question.

Absolute value is predetermined.

The fifty dollar gift card is worth just that, fifty dollars. The half a million dollar violin is worth a half a million dollars.

When we’re mistreated by the world at large or the people we are closest to, we often feel worthless, even if we’re pretty enough to be a decoration. But our absolute value was established before we were conceived, even before the earth was formed.

So our relative value can only be affected by allowing our lives to be controlled by people who don’t care about us. By yielding control to God – we retain our unfathomable, absolute value, which can never change.

More to come…………….