Reflections on the Year So Far

     As April has begun, I see that I have the opportunity to reflect. Reflect on the goodness of Christ during the past couple of months.

     Since writing The Truth About Helplessness, And the Answer Is, and With a Swiftness!, I have reconnected with God and His reality for me. I see that He was able to purge me of many doubt and fears. I may not have answers to all of my questions, but it's not as big a deal. I do not need all my questions answered. I feel like I have regained control over my life. I guess you can say that I feel empowered.

     Keeping all my frustrations would kept me in a negative place. When frustrations consume ones mind, they push out the voice of God leaving your own. However, your own voice will guide you no where.

      I encourage you to reflect on 2014 so far. I know that the story for this year is still in the beginning chapters, but be encouraged.

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." Eph. 3:20

Start here:

   1. What challenges have I faced?

   2. What questions do I have for God?

   3. How has me blessed me through the trial?

   4. What character weakness could He be working on?

I know God will carry you through because He is able.

How do you think He is able? Share that with me below!

The Truth About Helplessness

Transformation 1:

Helplessness

Being very vulnerable in this first installment, I felt very helpless during the month of February. It is not easy for someone to express that they felt unable to do anything about the situation that were in, yet by the grace of God I am able.

There are a lot of changes happening at work. There are challenges that have been consistent thorns in my side and other challenges that arisen due to the changes. With everything that was going on, I still had to manage the classroom and fulfill my daily teacher duties. However, what are you to do when you are constant bombarded with questions you cannot answer? When you have to handle situations that do not give you enough time to deliberate on? What are you to do when stress is increasing and personal time is decreasing?

I will tell you what I did. I cried. For how could God have called me to a place where I feel I have no power over my circumstances? How dare he do that to me? I vowed to give my life in service to you and this is where I end up? 

My mind could not wrap around the way that I felt about it all. My heart ached for answers and resolutions.

I ask you though, was I truly helpless?

Romans 8:26-27 says, "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."

I was weak. There is no doubt about that. However, my true helplessness would be in me remaining in my sorrows without letting Christ into the heart to take control.

"Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, “This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ saith the Lord of hosts." Zech. 4:6

"The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon that king. The Spirit will give him wisdom and understanding, guidance and power. The Spirit will teach him to know and respect the Lord. This king will be glad to obey the Lord. He will not judge by the way things look or decide by what he hears. But he will judge the poor honestly; he will be fair in his decisions for the poor people of the land." Is. 11:2-4

When we allow for God's power to take control of our lives, all weakness is covered. God is not weak. God + me = strength.

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31

So what is the moral of my testimony? I must choose whether or not I will relinquish my helplessness to the one who is incapable to being helpless. I see that it is hard for humanity to let go of its crutch. It is comforting being weak because we are surrounded by weakness. I had to shed tears and come to my breaking point before I would allow God to finally have control of why I felt helpless. In retrospect... I should have let go and let God from day 1. 

You are only helpless if you choose to remain all by yourself in your weakness. 

Compared to Forever

"We have small troubles for a while now, but they are helping us gain an eternal glory that is much greater than the troubles. We set our eyes not on what we see but on what we cannot see. What we see will last only a short time, but what we cannot see will last forever."
~2 Cor 4:17-18

I woke up this morning from a very troubling dream. It happens at times, but is no fun none the less. I just looked at Jesus and asked, "Why?" Just like a child looks at his parent with the eyes filled with pain and confusion, I looked to my Father. But God the Father took my eyes without hesitation and directed they to 2 Corinthians.

The words began to fill me with energy and hope. confusion began to leave and my mind once again understood that, "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (2 Cor 3:17) You can't argue with freedom. That is what we all desire. Freedom from the pain and afflictions from life and Satan.

If you have ever been in pain, welcome to humanity. If you have never been freed from pain while it is happening, let me introduce you to my God. Pain comes, stirring everything within you up, and often leaves scares. But, God is in the business of healing. He does not have to take the situation away to heal you. He does not have to remove all the emotions to heal you. He only needs access to your heart.

We literally have a whole lotta troubles going on in our lives, no doubt. Without them, though, we would be in a pretty sad state in life. So, how does God begin the healing process? By asking us to look beyond the few inches in front of us. Look beyond the few feet in front of us. Look beyond the few miles in front of us. Look beyond a few years in the future. Look to eternity. There will not be financial problems in eternity. You will not have awkward situations in eternity. You will not have to choose between food and gas in eternity. You will not be hit or abused; ignored or exalted; made to feel insecure or cocky.

The situation you are in will only last a short time. Whether it be a few days or a few decades, it is only a passing moment compared to forever.