(Feel free to listen as you read...this has been on repeat lately in my car!)
Lately I have been more keenly aware of the evil in the world. Maybe I have the news on more. There is just so much happening right now and there are so many of our brothers and sisters suffering, and I just cannot get them out of my thoughts. And it seems to be getting closer and closer to home. More and more threats against our home with shootings and social media threats against our schools. Our kids are now living in an age where they have to keep their eyes open at all times. It's made me stop and think so much more lately about life and who I am and who I belong to and you know what happens? Cosmic warfare happens. And it's not just fear. It's a little of that. I think we would be remiss if we didn't all struggle with some fear at all these things going on in the world. We are human, we do know the outcome yes, but human nonetheless. The other struggle I face is a physical one... one of chronic pain and fatigue, and now I have some med changes and the fatigue just got to a whole other level. My body is wrecked. Actually about everything in this house is wrecked...let's be real here! Really, I should be at Bible study. But, this body doesn't want to move. Husband's work is a bit much, the schedule is freaking out of control and life is a tailspin. I am a tailspin. See it's times like these that the lies from the enemy come in and try to take the space that God wants to dwell. Lies of failure and lies of who I belong to. The enemy wants us to believe we don't belong...to anyone really. But we do belong! As believers we have HOPE! We know the end, and we have to keep moving, keep forgiving, never giving up because it's not over yet. When we are united with Christ, we too were tortured, and spat on and crucified. And when we claim the grace of Jesus, and read His Word, we too are resurrected with Him and Satan no longer has any claim on our lives. We belong to our Savior. This is the Gospel folks! The Gospel that we need to preach to ourselves every day. No matter what sin we face on a daily basis, or what lie the enemy throws at us, we need to preach the Gospel to our hearts. We are united with Christ. We belong to Him. I often have to remember to realign my heart to His. You see our lives are not our own. When we send our kids out to the bus stop, they walk directly into the hands of the Almighty. When we get on a train or in a car to go to work, we are being carried by the hands of God. What a beautiful picture of grace. Life is messy but it is so beautiful. I am working on embracing all the messiness and instead finding the beauty. His grace abounds endlessly in it.
