Divine Rearrangement

I was recently reminded of a time in my life where the landscape of my heart and soul were rearranged. Prior to this divine rearrangement I was unsatisfied with my life and my simple Christianity, I knew there had to be more.

In my thirst I cried out to the Lord asking for His rain, fire, wind and flood. I did this with an unpretentious understanding that He would come and bring something fresh. What I didn’t realize was that it would rearrange my entire life.

When we think of the rain of God—we picture Him showering us with His love, the fire of God is pictured as His intense presence, the wind—His Spirit flowing through us, the flood—an abundance of refreshing.

That’s very poetic, but in all reality when those four elements arrived they overwhelmed everything I knew, and when they left I was rearranged. Rearranged for the better of course—and in the end that’s all that really mattered.

I was reflecting on hurricanes and tsunamis, or storms of any kind—after their initial devastation the landscape, to say the least, is rearranged.

Most times we don’t understand why hardships are allowed to interrupt our life—but what I do know is—God is constantly good, and always has a beautiful purpose for divine rearrangement.

Even the simplest most sought after situations bring rearrangement. Take marriage for example—the young couple so excited to finally live together, embark on their new life and suddenly reality hits—they have to learn to live their life in a whole new manner. It’s no longer about one person, but about selflessly giving your whole self to the person who just invaded your space! Now life is rearranged.

Or how about having a new baby? The couple has hoped and prayed and imagined how wonderful this new precious life will be. And yes, this baby is the most perfect gift. But truth be told—this tiny, adorable child has many needs! And life as you know it is divinely rearranged!

In all situations it’s our heart that matters. We must keep a soft, pliable heart towards God. Embracing the good and the bad—seeking His divine, sovereign purpose—even in rearrangement.

Please be encouraged knowing that if God be for you who can be against you!

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. James 1:2-3

True Grit

This blog post is dedicated to my dear friend Terri Wright, whose 18-year-old daughter—Lyndsay was just diagnosed with leukemia. The Wright family has true grit!

Although it’s only January and the New Year’s resolutions are still somewhat fresh, it seems appropriate to start 2012 apprehending a spirit of endurance. We need endurance not just to make it through our resolutions, but endurance to run the race that God has set before us.

Constancy, perseverance, continuance, bearing up, steadfastness, holding out—all these words define endurance.

Hebrews 12:1 says, endurance is essential to run our race, very true, however it takes fortitude to endure.

True grit, backbone, boldness, courage, fearlessness, patience, tenacity—all these words describe fortitude.

Living the Christian life takes true grit—it’s not for wimps, or for those who are faint hearted. Jesus asks us to daily take up our cross and follow Him. He endured the cross. He is our example of fortitude—Jesus had true grit. To daily take up our cross and follow Jesus we basically—die—decrease—surrender–our life daily.

It’s simple to live a life of selfishness, doing whatever you want, but it takes fortitude to continually nail your will to the cross.

Fortitude to endure is attained as we recognize our weakness and find our strength in God. God is so good; He showed us by example what it would take to follow Him, then gives us grace to walk it out.

Not only is true grit necessary for surrendering, it’s also a requirement for the ups and downs in life. Hebrews 12:1 also says, we must lay aside every weight and sin that ensnares us. Fortitude actively resists weariness and defeat, therefore it is needed to endure the heaviness of life.

It’s easy to give up when life hurts, when it becomes difficult and unbearable, but true strength is displayed when we don’t give up—when we follow Jesus no matter the cost.

Jesus is our example of true grit, or for those who are not a fan of westerns—He’s our example of fortitude!  

Be encouraged as you run your race of life, for Jesus is your prize. His strength holds your enduring fortitude, and it’s only a prayer away!

 Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us”

1 Corinthians 9:24  “Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but [only] one receives the prize? So run [your race] that you may lay hold [of the prize] and make it yours.”

To learn more about Lyndsay’s fight, log on to www.caringbridge.org/visit/lyndsaywright/createorsignin
Donation site coming soon, at  lyndsayfight.org
Prayers are always welcomed!