The sun’s shining, the birds are singing, and life is copacetic.
Having an anvil drop on your rainbows and kittens isn’t even on the radar. But then it happens. A cold wind blows. The birds scatter. And life throws up on you.
You’re standing there thinking, “What in the world just happened?”
Not so light. Not so Easy
Some people say that we Christians believe in God because it makes life a little easier to swallow. I don’t think that’s true. Bad things still happen. People hurt me. Cars cut me off on the freeway. My heart gets stomped on, and I tend to fail several times before I start to learn a lesson. Life’s just not easy for any of us.
So why did Jesus say, “Follow me, my yoke is easy and my burden is light”?
Life tends to be hard and heavy and hurt. A lot.
Where is all of this easy and light stuff?
God – 1; Me – 0
Several years ago, I reached a bottom in my life. I’d been hurt, felt alone, and become a victim of others missteps. Life had become hopeless. I wallowed in it for a while, and then I got angry.
All that talk about obeying and following God and how life was supposed to work out great – I wasn’t seeing it. I’d been following, praying, trying, and all I had to show for it was a pit for one and no view of a better tomorrow.
Of course, in all fairness to the Almighty, I knew I wasn’t really obeying him—my plight wasn’t only a result of someone else’s failure to love. I had a hand in it too.
I refused to own that detail, though. Instead, I opted to challenge the King of Kings. I would prove to him how following him did not bring joy, but would only result in more pain. This following, however, required a level of obedience I wasn’t familiar with—something called honesty.
Up from the Grave
Somehow I got past my aversion to sharing my real truth (instead of the fake one that made me look like a righteous martyr). I did it his way and what happened has changed me forever.
All I did was obey him, be honest about my feelings, and wait. He did the rest. Now, I stand on the mountain top looking at that pit and falling to my knees at the miracle of the reach of God’s incredible love. How can it be!
Of course, the mountain top’s not all it’s cracked up to be, and this past year has shown me yet again how life hurts and how believing in God doesn’t give me a free pass from the pain.
Trusting is Easy. Trusting is Light.
But the anvil doesn’t have the final say.
The hurt, heaviness, and hardship will not win. Even on the darkest of nights, one truth remains.
God.
We can trust him. Whatever happens, we can trust him.
And as an extra treat, listen to the song below! Blessings, sweet friend. You are precious.
I never get tired of this message–especially when it is so well put. Love the Waking Warrior voice.
Thanks Marcia! I seem to never tire of learning the same lessons over and over and over!