It Ain't Easy !

Life.  It ain't easy.  The little things get to me.  The spills, the computer problems, signing on to websites that keep looping you around in circles,the interrupting phone calls from charities, dropping things, covers that don't want to come off the jars, stubbing my toe, papers that stick together, on and on.  The 1000 little irritations a day that build up to drive me crazy!  Then throw in a couple of more "major" problems like appliances breaking down when you don't have the money to fix them (and when do you ever???) or plumbing gone awry and the day just seems to go downhill faster than those bobsledders in the Olympics!! And of course after all these things, as you are running out the door (late once again) one of the cats decides it's time to get sick on the carpet.  Oh yeah, great day!!  And what does God call us to do???  Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in ALL circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.  1 Thess 5:18   WHAAAT!!!!

So as I was reading today's devotion from "31 Days of Praise", (and today's is one of my favorites), Ruth Meyers wrote:  "I'm grateful that You look beyond my superficial desire for a trouble-free life; instead, You fulfill my deep-down desire to glorify You, enjoy Your warm fellowship, and become more like Your Son."

And it is so true.  My God visit today was a reminder of what my heart really wants, and it is to be like Jesus and glorify God.  And He can take these little aggravations and use them as a vehicle to show His glory in my life as I react to them as Jesus would and as He instructs in His Word.  But I so often focus on the difficulty, allowing myself to become agitated and aggravated, displaying anger and annoyance instead of the peace and joy I am supposed to.  And what does that show the world?  I really want to allow ALL things, small and big to shape me into the image of my Savior.

How I would love to be one of those people who just let life roll off their backs like water off a duck.  I am envious of their ability to roll with the punches. (loving the cliches here LOL).  My husband is one of those people.  Nothing seems to get to him, or ruffle his feathers (hahaha, had to throw in another one).  But it is an area I have to work at.  I have to keep reminding myself  to focus on Jesus.  And it is little visits from the Lord like this one that help me do that.  And I am so so grateful, not only for the reminder, but for the patience my heavenly Father shows me in this area.  I want to be that frame that shows a beautiful picture of Jesus to the world.  Ruth Meyers ended today's devotion with a little poem from Florence White Willett which I just love, and I include it here in hopes that it will inspire and comfort others as it does me.

                     I thank you for the bitter things
                     They've been a friend to grace
                     They've driven me from the paths of ease
                     To storm the secret place

From spilling my morning coffee to the death of a loved one, all these things are to drive me to the secret place of God.  The place where I meet Him and am covered by His love.  Nothing is to big or to small for my Father to work in and through. Make me like Jesus Lord.  Have Your way in me today, in all things.

As I read on a little chapter 1 of 1 Thess., I noticed that the next verse says "Do not put out the Spirit's fire;"  I am kind of thinking that when I allow the little vexations of life to get to me, not following the teachings in the previous verse, I do just that. I put our the Spirit's fire.  I walk in anger and not in peace. And I forfeit the warm, comforting fellowship of the Lord.  It's amazing how the Lord, just brings all this together.

This was not what I had intended to write in the blog today.  Yet here it all is. This is His message for me and hopefully for someone else who needs to hear it as well.  (I can't be the only one who suffers from littleirritationitis!!).  I pray that we all can just rest in the Lord throughout the day, whatever circumstances come our way, and give thanks because He is at work in everything !!

Romans 8:28-29  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.  For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.