Encouragement

Life as we know it has changed dramatically. Normal will never be normal again. How do you not feel like you're drowning? How do you not feel overwhelmed with everything that is going on? How do you not feel like screaming? 

I think of the events leading up to the crucifixion. It makes me chuckle a bit because you know Jesus had to be looking at the crowd like "You praise me now, but you will crucify me soon." He couldn't voice these thoughts out loud. He was the one who had to be strong through everything and continue to carry on. He was expected to make sure that the mission was accomplished regardless of how he might have felt.

 I think we get the clearest picture of what he was feeling in the Garden. This is where the burden has gotten so heavy that he finally breaks down and admits to what is going on and asks God for strength to keep moving. He asks for help with his burden. He finally is in a position to let his guard down and vent his frustrations without worry about who would/could understand. He was finally able to admit that he couldn't handle it any longer and that he needed help.

With the world the way it is today, I think this is our breaking point. This is the moment where we have to ask for strength. We have kept going for so long, to make sure that the mission gets carried out that we have been afraid to break. We have been afraid to take a moment and get ourselves together. We have spent so much time walking around as broken people not asking for help.

Sometimes it takes the world being turned on its head for us to start putting the pieces together. Actually, that's what it takes. It takes a complete shakeup of the status quo for us to even reevaluate who we are, what we've become, and if we are moving in the right direction. Do you think that if their world had been turned on its head, the Disciples wouldn't have continued in their way of thinking, that they wouldn't have gone through a rebirth?

My prayer for you comes out of Isaiah 41. I pray that in times of topsy turvy, in times of chaos, when the world and yourself has gotten weary, that you are reminded the Lord never gets weary. I pray that you find strength in God. I pray that you surrender your burdens and let him carry them for you cause we cannot do this alone. We will ultimately fail, but when we trust in the Lord.... He will renew us and mount us on wings like Eagles. Let him be who and what we need always... And I pray that when things seem the darkest we remeber that rebirth and renewal are on their way. AMEN.

Motivation

Have you ever had a day when you know there were things to gt done and no matter how hard you try you can't get started?

OR

Has there ever been a day when you start but don't know how to keep going?

It's funny because as I sit here and write this I feel myself answering yes to the second question. I always thought the hardest thing was getting started. Seems as if the the hardest part at times is staying started. Staying started on a task, on a path... Why does procrastination seem so appealing? What is it about putting things off to the last minute that has us so excited? Is it exciting to have to scramble to get things done or is it the idea of I can do it later..... and since I can do it later, I will do it later.

What happens when later comes? This is probably when we start scrambling....

Personally, to be honest, depending on the circumstance, I either answer number 2, number 1 or any of the other questions in the post. Later to me feels more appealing. I now have to get it done or suffer the consequences. But then I hate the consequences when they come up.. Guess you can't have it both ways...

It does make me wonder. I wonder what would happen if every starter of every religion put off until tomorrow what they could do today.... Would we have all the troubles that we are having?

Think about it, if they put off until tomorrow... There probably would be one less religion, one less belief for people to go to war over... One less....

Maybe that's just wishful thinking...