Ever have those moments - those days - when you're just hanging on, trying to keep it all together?  Your mind is swirling with confusion and frustration, maybe pain or sorrow?  Your body is wanting to react with anger?  You're desperately looking for just a small hole in the ice to come up for air?

I've definitely had a few of those days.  And I know I'll have a few more.  I used to try and run from them - to try and avoid them - thinking they were my greatest enemy.  Lately, I've begun to embrace these times, seeing them as a doorway to a much deeper place and purpose.

In Matthew 4, Jesus sat down on a mountain and began to teach the mysteries of God.  

"Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous - with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!

"Blessed and enviably happy (with a happiness produced by the experience of God's favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His matchless grace) are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted!

"Blessed (happy, blithesome, joyous, spiritually prosperous - with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the meek (the mild, patient, long-suffering), for they shall inherit the earth!

"Blessed and fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous (in that state in which the born-again child of God enjoys His favor and salvation) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God), for they shall be completely satisfied!" (Matt. 4:3-6)

Jesus continued on, saying also that those who are merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, and persecuted for righteousness' sake are among the blessed and enviable.

Does this sound like our top-10 list of things we long for in life?  When we think of those whom we envy and want to be like, do Jesus' words come to mind?

Let me say, first, that I don't go out looking for problems; I don't search pain or sorrow out.  But I have come to see the beauty and joy which can, and does, exist in its midst when we bow before our Creator in love and trust.

James 4 says to "come close to God and He will come close to you."  It also says that "He gives grace continually to the lowly (those who are humble enough to receive it)."

Although James was speaking specifically to when we sin and separate ourselves from God's presence, the principles given apply in all situations.  Humility is a very valuable commodity to our God.  It demonstrates that we know we can't live this life and be His children without Him - that His empowerment and love are essential ingredients to our minute-by-minute existence.

Recently, we were on our way to minister and I was walking through a difficult situation, asking God how I was going to get up and sing when I felt such pain.  I felt empty and drained and clinging to His grace.  But as I surrendered to all that He wanted to do through this situation, a flood of peace and joy began to rise up in me.  It was a time of great brokenness in me, but also a time of Him filling an empty, broken vessel with Himself.

Interesting.  Logic says to fill vessels with no cracks or holes so that they can hold the liquid.  But God chooses to fill broken - very broken - pots so that He will spill out over everything around them.  How else would God get to show Himself beautiful?  Our brokenness is the perfect backdrop for His exquisite beauty and love.  It shows Him in the perfect light and flavor.

The next morning the thought came:  "You are exclusively good, God.  Exclusively good.  There is no other person or thing in heaven or on earth that is good but You.  And everything good in us and around us originated and has its source in You.  You alone are light and life, and only as we are broken and humble before You can that goodness flow forth and shine in the reality of what it is."

 

Amy