I’m Stuck in a Rut and It’s Great (Wait What?!)

If you’ve ever heard the saying, stuck in a rut, that’s exactly how I have been feeling.  And if you’ve ever felt stuck in a rut, then you know the feeling.  It’s not the greatest feeling in the world.  I have never heard someone say, “I’m stuck in a rut and its great!”  That would just be weird, wouldn’t it?   I must confess something, I have been stuck in a rut.  I haven’t been in God’s word, I haven’t been having my usually chats with God, and I haven’t been going to church regularly.  My time with God seemed more like a to-do list.  That seemed to be a place I have been before.  When I was younger, I thought the farther you got in your Bible reading guide, the more God would like you.  Don’t get me wrong, using Bible reading guides is a great way to get into God’s word and hear from Him, but I was using it more as a to-do list instead of getting into God’s word.  And I was missing something, God already loved me so checking things off my list wasn’t going to increase God’s love for me.

So how did I let myself get into such a pickle?  I was searching for a church and I was feeling discouraged and lost.  I had been looking for a church that had more young people and I hadn’t seem to find one that God would have for me.  I just stopped going to church.  I felt like I was wondering in a desert for awhile because I felt far away from God and far way from His community of believers.  After 6 months, I went back to a church that I use to go to.  I felt weird because I hadn’t gone there for a while; I didn’t want people to think bad of me.  Praise God, I was welcomed back and I felt God’s love wrap around me.   I was talking to a sweet lady from my church.  She is wise beyond her years and she spoke truth into my life this past week.  I told her how discouraged I was and how I hadn’t even been writing on my blog.  I told her I had no inspiration anymore.  She reminded me that God has given me the gift of writing and when I was far away from Him and His word, the inspiration He had given me wasn’t there.  *ding ding ding, we have a winner….when I was walking closer with the Lord, He gave me the inspiration to write.  When I wasn’t close to Him, my inspiration was gone.  I should have figured this out a lot sooner…wake up, girl!

Sunday morning, I felt led to go up during the invitation and get right with God.  I still feel like I have one foot left in my rut, but I am definitely ready to get out.  So why would I put such a ridiculous title on this post?  Because as much as its really uncomfortable and sometimes miserable to be stuck in rut, its great because it reminded me of how much I need God in my life.  Everything in my life was going haywire because I wasn’t right with God.  I need to be walking hand in hand with my Savior or else things are going to be out of control. I was meant to have a growing, thriving relationship with my heavenly Father.  I am slowly learning.  If only I didn’t have such a thick skull, then maybe it wouldn’t take me so long haha ;)

We are all imperfect people who are adored by a perfect, loving Heavenly Father.  Its okay to be real and honest with each other.  That’s what I learned that Sunday.

I’m Like Humpty Dumpty…Are You?

I am probably one of the most random people.  Bare with me as I tell my random tale :)

 Last night as I was trying to fall asleep, I kept thinking about Humpty Dumpty (I know, I’m weird). 

“Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty together again”

I kept wondering why could no one fix him, why did he fall, how could horses fix him in the first place.  Then a thought popped into my head: I’m humpty dumpty, we are all humpty dumpty.  Why do I say this?  Because we are all broken, fallen people.  Maybe we aren’t all suffering from physical pain like humpty dumpty, but we are dealing with emotionally pain.  We try to let the world “fix us.”  We use relationships, jobs, families, possessions, friendships, you name it to try to fix our brokenness and pain, but it just doesn’t seem to work.  Sometimes we go to extremes and try to let alcohol or drugs mask our pain, but that too doesn’t seem to do the trick.  You know what is missing? Jesus! 

Jesus is the only one who can heal our brokenness.  Everything else is just a temporary bandage on the situation.  He knows us better than we know ourselves; He hears our cries even before we utter a sound.  He love is so wide, deep, extensive, I don’t think it can even fully be described.  Once you feel Jesus’ love surround you, everything else means nothing. 

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3

I love Christian music and Chris Tomlin’s “I Lift My Hands,” beautiful describes Jesus.

“Be still, there is a healer

His love is deeper than the sea

His mercy, it is unfailing

His arms are fortress for the weak…”

Having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ means having someone in your life who loves you despite of everything you’ve said, done, or thought.  His arms are always open, no matter what you’ve done in the past.  He waits for us with arms wide open ready to heal our wounds and transform our lives.  As much as we think retail therapy, alcohol, relationships or even chocolate will do the trick when we are in pain, none of this comes close to the peace, comfort, and healing we find in the arms of Christ. 

So here I am admitting to you that I am humpty dumpty.  I try over and over again to us the things of this world to heal my disappointment, sadness, and fear, but it just doesn’t work. I am a broken person in need of Savior.  I fall Him daily, but He still loves me.  I can run to Him and He will always be there for me.  The same is true for you.  Jesus is waiting for you to jump into His arms and to know the love He has for you.

I know its crazy for me to compare our lives to humpty dumpty, but when it all comes down to it we are broken in need of healing.  We just have to remind ourselves that we can’t go it alone, we desperately need Jesus in our lives.  We need His love, peace, and guidance.  Again and again I fail because I forget to rely on my loving, Savior.  The story of humpty dumpty sure convicted me today, never thought that would happen!

Praying for any of you reading today.  Know you are deeply loved and never to far gone for Christ’s healing power!

I’ve Seem to Misplace Something…Grace

I have an addiction to knick-knack.  If you saw some of the cutsie things in my room, you would think I was a hoarder of all things knick knacks; I just can’t help myself.  I walked into my room today to discover my newest thrifting find was sitting under my desk–this new find is a wooden cross that has Grace painted on it.  Seeing the cross got me thinking…

As Christians, we fall in to a trap.  Sometimes without even realizing it, we start to think we are better than others, especially unbelievers (Many of us are guilty of this, including myself).  This starts to happen we when figuratively “lose our Grace.”  Now, I am not taking about God taking His grace away from us.  I am talking about when we forget we are sinners saved by grace.  We forget what grace is all about.  Grace is God giving us something we don’t deserve.  We don’t deserve salvation nor can we ever earn our salvation–it is a gift from God.  We didn’t earn our salvation because we did x, y, z but because God loved us.  So how are we better than others?  We aren’t, we are just blessed enough to come to know Jesus as our Savior.  This should spur us on to spread the Gospel so others can have a personal relationship with Jesus as well.

Ephesians 2:8: ”For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”

Imagine how silly this sounds.

  • “I know I am a wretched sinner, and I know I didn’t save myself, Jesus did.  But, something about me being saved just makes me a better person.”
  •  ”I sure hope there is enough grace for you too, but you never know.  Some of us just get more grace than others.  It depends on what measuring cup you use.”
  •  ”I think on the salvation scale, I might just be more saved than you because I helped at the church bake sale.”
  • “Some people just are savable; you just have to fit the part.”

I know this is an exaggeration but it reminds us how silly it is for us to think we are better than others, including nonbelievers.

We are all sinners.  Every single one of us, regardless of the sin and regardless of how many good works we have done.  We are on a level playing field.  God did all the work when He gave us the gift of salvation through His son–it was a gift.  So, the next time you feel yourself falling into the trap of the “I am better than you because….” remember the grace God has given you.  You didn’t save yourself, so don’t try and toot your own horn.  Don’t just shove that grace in the corner…humble yourself and remember the wonderful gift God has given you!

I Am Loved

Feelings of loneliness, pain, and grief, you might be feeling unloved today.  Maybe your girlfriend or boyfriend broke your heart in two or maybe your family hurt you and they don’t show you the love you deserve.  You could be in school today feeling alone and rejected.  Feeling unworthy of love, you might be in a place where you want to give up.

Dear friend, please do not give up!  You are more loved than you could ever know.  Jesus died to save you and bring you new life.  He died for you and He wants you to know how much He loves you.  There isn’t even a way to measure how much love Christ has for us.  No amount of earthy measuring system could come close to measuring the love of Christ.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 [Read more...]

Paid In Full

Picture Courtesy of Woman Living Well
http://www.facebook.com/womenlivingwell

Today I was reflecting how amazing it is to have a Savior who died on the cross for my sins.  I started to think about what it would be like if someone handed me check in the amount of my huge student loan debt.  Christ did something more amazing than that—He paid the price of my sin debt, a debt that I could never pay off myself.  No amount of good works could ever pay off the debt.  I am so in aware of what Christ did for you and I on the cross.  He was sinless and blameless, he lived a perfect life,  yet He took the punishment of my sins.  My sin debt is no more because of what Christ did on the cross. [Read more...]

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