The Punches part 3
Did you know that momma birds intentionally make their nests uncomfortable so that the baby birds don't stay there forever? Now I'm not getting into the whole "when should a kid move out of his parent's house" debate. What I'm saying is... sometimes we get comfortable somewhere. Sometimes we settle for what the world gives us. Even the idea of "If life gives you lemons, make lemonade." I mean, that's not a BAD idea... but I've always thought we should probably just not take what life gives us at all. Not accept what the world throws at us. We're IN the world, but not OF the world, right? We're connected to a greater source. Not just life, but ABUNDANT life. Not just the world, but the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of Love. So here's my point: sometimes things have to get uncomfortable before we'll do something about them. I know I'm that way. I'll go along to get along. But you know what they say, "Unless you stand for something you'll fall for anything." When I'm talking about rolling with the punches, I'm NOT talking about accepting everything in the world. There are things we SHOULD stand for, and there are things we SHOULD stand against. What I'm saying is, sometimes it takes a lot of shaking before things reveal themselves to be in Divine Order. And if we freak out every time there's a tremor, well, we'll probably end up in the fetal position rocking back and forth on the floor before too long. Because things happen. Every single day. It rains on the just and the unjust alike. It doesn't matter who you are. Life throws things at you. But, again, we don't have to settle for "life." John 10:10 states, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." There's something more available to us. But it's not in our comfort zone. It's out there. That's why God told Moses to tell the people--who were whining and crying because they literally wanted to go BACK into slavery--to go forward. We can sit down and cry and have a pity party every time things get rough... but that won't solve anything. We can worry about things that probably aren't going to happen anway... but that'll just drive us crazy. OR we can trust in the one who gave His life for us, and gave His life TO us. Jesus came that we might have abundant life. And love is what makes abundant life abundant. He came that we might have HIS life. Not by trying to act like Him. Not by trying to fit into some religious box of do's and don't's. But by letting HIM live His own life in us, and through us, and as us. Nobody can live Jesus' life except Jesus. And He chooses to do it in us. That's pretty awesome. That truth will get you through some tough times, if you'll let it. If you'll trust your heavenly Father to take care of you. You don't need to conquer, because Jesus already conquered. You are MORE than a conquerer through Him. The world hits hard. But you don't have to punch back. BUT if things get too uncomfortable... you can (and should) move forward. You can (and should) let that discomfort prompt you out of your rut. You can (and should) roll with the punches!