Faith Like A Rock...or maybe a marshmellow

Isn't is easy to have faith when life is great, we are overwhelmed with blessing and good news? What about when things get tough? That's when it's easy to question God and say, "really, are you kidding me, are you sure you know what you're doing here"? I have a big problem with this myself and in all honesty my complaints should be few and far between, I am much more blessed than I deserve and try to remind myself of that regularly but when the going gets tough I usually wonder, where is God going with this? I know where doubt, worry and confusion come from and it's not God so I try to remind myself that God already knows His plans for me, he knows my past, where I am at this very moment and what my future holds. He can see the big picture for my life instead of the snapshot that I can see.

It's sort of like looking through a photo album and there is one bad picture of you. You're frowning, your hair is a wreck and you know you look terrible (this album must be at your parents house, certainly not in your album at your house!). Imagine if someone opened the album to that photo and only looked at that one, would that give them an accurate picture of your life? Of course not, it was one bad moment, unfortunately captured on film and, even worse, made it into an album but we do that with our life. We forget about the big picture and take one day, week or year and convince ourselves that our life is terrible, even though we know that it's just a snapshot of a much bigger and very beautiful picture. God loves each of us, more than we can possibly imagine and He doesn't want a life for us that is full of doubt or worry. He wants us to live the beautiful picture that He has created.

Why Wait?

My 3yr old daughter has recently starting holding hugs and kisses and at any point in a day you can have this conversation with her....
"Can I have a hug?"
"No mommy, not right now."
"Why not?"
"'Cause"
"Because why?"
"Because mommy, I'm saving it for later and it will be better!"

Although I can't help but laugh (and so does she) I also know that the hug she gives me now won't get any better. I think God is the same way. He wants us right now, as we are. He doesn't want us to try and improve ourselves. He wants us to give the little bit of time or money or love that we have at this very moment. He will wait on us as long as we need but we don't need to wait on Him, he's ready with open arms because he knows that we have to offer right now will not be any better later.

What are you entitled to?

Have you ever thought about what you deserve? Do you deserve the job, friends or family you have? Do you deserve food on your table, the car you drive, the house you live in? Some may say yes but I say no. I don't DESERVE any of those things and I'm certainly not entitled to them. I am BLESSED but not entitled and I think there is a big difference.

You can go into any store and see people frustrated about the check out line (usually not more then 3 people in front of them) and I can't help but think, have you ever been to a country where they wait for HOURS to get the basics? As a society what makes us feel so entitled to get things that we really don't deserve. I see people driving too close, too fast and I can't help but think, what makes you entitled to make someone else think they are in your way when you're both going the same way?

I'd never say that I don't get frustrated or have those moments when I feel more stressed than blessed but I try to remind myself that the opposite is true. I am blessed beyond measure and just because I was blessed enough to be born into a county like the US, doesn't make me entitled to things.

Since I was born on this earth, I am entitled to death. Nothing more. But as a Christian I believe that God wants our life to last much longer than what we have on this earth so he offers an eternal life through his forgiving grace. I am not entitled to eternal life and there is nothing I can do it deserve it, I just have to ask and seek Him in my life. Receiving that is a blessing like none other.

Thought for Thursday...What's Your Purpose?