Life Lessons

Our God is greater then we can imagine. As we reflect on our lives we can see God's hands in it all. We go through hard places, not to break us, but to teach us some important lessons. I believe that God is in it all, not just the easy places, but it all.

I reflect on my life over the last 4 years. I was not in the place I am today, I was not walking with God, I walked away from Him years before that. I knew God as my Mothers God, I never knew Him as my own. I didn't see how He was, until 4 years ago I lost it all. It took me being broken for me to see who God really was, did God allow that? Did He bring me to the end of myself in order for me to see who He really was?

I believe He did, because if I did not go through that time, I do not believe I would be the man I am today. The time I went through was not only difficult, it was painful, because the boy I was became broken and scarred, because God wanted me to become a man, a man that understood what it really meant to stand. He took me to a place of solitude and rest, but I fought with Him about that, each step of the way I wanted what I wanted and until I realized it wasn't what I wanted that mattered, it was what God wanted to make me into is what the challenge was. It can't be about me, it has to be about Him. I still have the areas of my life in which I want to control, I want to hold onto the old things, but God is ever present teaching me that it has to be about His way, His truths, His love, not my own.

The things that are to last will not be easy, but when we struggle to allow God, we are broken to ourselves and we become whole in Him. Not just a small portion, it has to be a the whole part and He is still teaching me so much. This is not easy to do, in fact I thought it was impossible, but then I realized that with God all things are possible, even me being broken and stripped of myself, in order to live in Him. In Him all things are possible, together with Him, I walk by Him and Him by me. I had to take God out of the box that He lived in and become thankful for where He had me and in the thanksgiving my perspective changed.

These are questions I must ask myself. Does God have me in a difficult spot? Who am I looking at? Am I focused on myself or God? I know it is so easy to focus on me and lose sight of the very thing that God is trying to teach me and I know that each time God tries to teach me something, if I don't learn I will go through it again, each lesson hard. Why, because God wants to make me the man of God He desires, not the man I think I need to be. He constantly reminds me of the verse:
1 Thessalonians 5:18 "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Hard to give thanks when the storms are waging around me, but when I do, God changes my perspective from me, to Him.

If you are struggling today, thank Him for making you and changing you. Start thanking Him for where He has you, because in the difficulties He is teaching you so much more. He is an awesome God who will bring you through it all. You know what focusing on you will do, now each time you want to, stop and thank God. Easier said then done, but with God anything is possible. Take a step of faith today and do what He calls us to do.

1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

Psalm 55:22 "Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken."

Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose."

After I published this blog, I got a verse sent to me from a site that I belong to, the verse is:
Psalm 30:4 "Sing the praises of the Lord, you His faithful people; praise His holy name."

God is right there with you, allow Him to teach you in the hard places, because He is ever faithful. 4 years ago, I did not think I would be where I am, but God never let me go. I have a wonderful  wife, son, step kids and family. I am blessed beyond measure and I praise God for all He has done for me and continues to do. It doesn't mean there are not hard times, but it does mean that God is to be praised and I am thankful in it all.