Dance Again

When things get really tough remember this, the challenges you are facing that cause you to feel beaten and abandoned by God are only for a moment. Our brokenness and tears only last for the night then comes morning and shouts of joy.  Although at the moment it may feel like God has abandoned you, he has not abandoned you, his favor is upon you for a lifetime. King David faced death by his enemies yet his heart was so attuned with God that he could say, “Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me; O Lord, be Thou my helper. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; Thou has loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness; that my soul may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to Thee forever.” Psalm 30

Avoid the tall trees

God has a plan for us. That is good news! And God’s plan for us is for our benefit, it is a plan of hope and a future. Often however, as we go about life we become complacent or get easily seduced into going down a path that takes us on a journey into some territory that leads us away from living the plan God has for us. Then we come to a place in life that we begin to recognize that God has so much more he wants to give us in life, so much more he has promised, and we are missing out. Picture yourself hiking in the wilderness. The views from the mountain tops are grand as you look across multiple peaks, you come upon a stream, then a waterfall, fields of wildflowers. You have been walking enjoying the journey but not recognizing that you have now journeyed off and are surrounded by a field of tall pine trees. There is no visible trail. Your heart begins to beat faster now, your anxiety leads your body to drip with sweat, your stomach starts to turn. With every little sound your imagination begins to tell of the danger all around you. You are lost and you know it. More so than any other time do you recognize you need help. Sometimes God needs to take us on a journey that leads us to a point where we will earnestly see that we need him, and we have strayed from the plan he has for us. The good news is, when we come to that point again he leads us back to the point where we began.  Jeremiah 29:11-14