The Secret to Stopping the Unraveling

Hello friends! Once again, it has been a while. I'm not sure why God lets so much time pass before He gives me a word but who am I to question, right?

A lot has transpired since we last visited. Some good, some bad, and some very, very ugly. I won't go into the details here, but trust me when I say there have been moments when I was literally hanging on by a thread, when everything was hanging on by a mere thread. If you have followed many of my writings, you know where they always end up...Jesus...and this one will be no different because frankly, that is the point!

In recent weeks, as it felt like my life was unraveling, I came to a conclusion. This conclusion isn't profound if you are a Jesus follower, but it has been a hard lesson for me to grasp because if I am anything, I am independent, a little rebellious (emphasis on little because I also like to to follow the rules), and sometimes hard headed. I like to do things my way and for the love of Pete do not back me into a corner because I will do almost anything to spite you. I think I have told you already that a common phrase from my mother to me, when I was young was, "Don't cut off your nose to spite your face!" I would no longer call myself young but the statement still applies!

So here goes, what secret did I find that seems to have tied a knot into my unraveling? It all comes down to one word...OBEDIENCE! Yeah, it's not a particularly popular word but I have found that it is necessary in the life of a Jesus girl, or Jesus guy for that matter, and it seems to have set me free! During my unraveling, I was faced with many life altering decisions, not just for me but also for my family and this is when it occurred to me to just go back to the basics. Sidebar: I also tell myself this when I am sucking it up on the tennis court, "go back to the basics: watch the ball, follow through, don't overhit". I digress, anyway, that is when it hit me. I am overthinking this or "overhitting". My job in this life is not to figure out the ending or have all the answers. I can't have all the answers because I am not omniscient but I know who is, God. So, why would I rely on my limited knowledge and understanding of my situation rather than rely on the One who knows? I had to define the basics in my walk with Jesus and this is what I found: to be obedient and to follow His lead.

What does this look like? For me it is two things: 1. Do nothing...meaning don't make any drastic moves or decisions, at least not until I go to step 2. which is to go to His word. God is unchanging, His word is true yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Unlike me, He is not fickle. If there is a decision to be made, I check myself by asking, "Does it align with His word and by making this decision, would I be walking in obedience?"

I'm not going to pretend this has been an easy process, but I can tell you that it has been liberating. You see, all of the pressure is now off of me. I only have to do the right thing and be obedient. In an attempt to walk this out, I began a Bible Study, by Lysa Terkeurst and Joel Muddamalle called, Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament. There is a phrase in the study that references "the other side of obedience" and it stuck with me. As I was having a moment the other day, it was impressed upon me to reframe this phrase and it has been swimming in my head ever since...there is no sadness on the other side of obedience. When I begin to doubt my decisions, sink into a pool of sadness, or try to come up with all of the answers, I refer to this phrase because I believe it to be true. I am walking with God and He is going to guide my next steps because He is a good Father. There is no sadness in that!

"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

-Matthew 7:9-11

The scripture above reminds me that God is not going to lead me astray. I am genuinely seeking Him and His wisdom and He will provide. I trust in this above all else.

It is freeing to know that I do not have to come up with all the answers. I do not have to write the ending; God is writing my story. Now don't take me too literally and think I'm now just floating in the wind with zero direction. I am still proactive, planning, seeking, and engaged. My point is that the pressure is off of me. My mind is no longer consumed with all of the "what ifs". I no longer have to go through every scenario in my mind, which can take a girl to a high level of anxiety. My mind is now free as I strive to leave it all up to God. I'm fond of the phrase, "It will be, what it will be and it's not up to me!"

Whatever you are facing right now, you can borrow my "secret"; you can reframe your thoughts. The word "sadness" can be replaced with whatever you are going through: worry, fear, doubt, regret or maybe you too sometimes feel a little bit of sadness. Obedience in the Lord isn't meant to be constraining; ironically, it is meant to give us freedom and blessings. Through my recent small steps of obedience, God has sent little nuggets of his miracles to me. He has reignited dreams and passions that He placed in my heart many years ago that I had forgotten I had. I count these as His blessings.

"He replied, 'Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.'”

-Luke 11:28

"But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do."

-James 1:25

The law may be perfect but I certainly am not. I will fail at being obedient, probably even before I get this published, but all I can say is that I am trying. My job is to put one foot in front of the other, while striving to walk the path of obedience. I believe God is pleased with our efforts and knows and understands when we fail. I always say, isn't that the point of the cross? He knew we would fail over and over, which is why He sent us Jesus!

There is no _________ on the other side of obedience! You fill in the blank!

Prayers for all of you! Until next time...